Content types

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Content types

    Content types in ServiceNow CMS provide site-specific control over how system data defined by templates is rendered. Each content type corresponds to a table and defines how documents from that table are displayed, including how links to these documents appear, how lists of documents are presented, and which detail pages are used to show individual documents. This enables different pages within a site to display distinct types of content, such as knowledge articles, catalog items, or incidents, each potentially using different themes and user interactions.

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    Key Features

    • Content-Type to Table Mapping: Each content type is linked to a specific table, controlling the display of records from that table.
    • Detail Page Association: Content types determine which detail page and template script are used to display an individual document when selected from a list.
    • Site-Specific Overrides: Content types can be associated with particular sites, allowing different sites to use different detail pages or display options for the same content type.
    • Application in CMS: Content types govern link behavior in search results, display of current documents, and links on lists across the CMS.
    • Default and Custom Content Types: The system includes common content types like Service Catalog and Knowledge Base by default, but users with the contentadmin role can create and customize content types.
    • CMS Gauge Support: Content types also support gauges, which are graphical representations of instance data.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    Understanding and configuring content types is critical for controlling how data appears to users on various CMS pages. Since the content type determines the detail page a list links to (not the list itself), it is essential to correctly associate content types with tables and sites to ensure consistent user experience. Customizing content types requires knowledge of Apache Jelly scripting, though many common types are pre-built. Site administrators can override CMS defaults to tailor content presentation per site using the Content Types related list on the site record.

    Next Steps

    • Review default content types for common tables such as Catalog Item (sccatitem), Gauge (sysgauge), and Page (contentpage).
    • Use the Content Types related list on site records to customize how content appears on specific sites.
    • Assign the contentadmin role to users who need to create or modify content types.
    • Familiarize yourself with Apache Jelly scripting for advanced content type customization.

    Content types provide site-specific control of how system data defined by templates is rendered.

    In the site, one page displays a list of knowledge articles, and another page displays catalog items or incidents or a combination of the two. Different themes can be used for types of content and each theme can provide different user interaction. Content types define the pages that display content from a table. Each content type corresponds to a table.

    Every type of document that the CMS displays has an associated content type. Changing the content type requires knowledge of Apache Jelly scripting. However, the common content types (such as service catalog or knowledge base) come in the base system. Content types can be associated with particular sites. This association allows different sites to use different detail pages for the same content type.

    Content types define three features of associated documents.
    • What does a link to one of these documents look like? For example, if a list of these documents is displayed on a page, how does each entry appear?
    • What does a detailed view of one of these documents look like?
    • What detail page is used to display the document? This decision is important and is often an area of confusion for new CMS users.

    The document content type determines the page that a list of documents points to, the list itself does not determine the page. The content from a link is displayed in a detail content block on a page. The content type determines in which detail block on a page the document content is displayed.

    For example, the list block Catalog Top 5 displays the top five items in the Service Catalog table [sc_cat_item]. Because the table is [sc_cat_item], the content type sc_cat_item controls how the Catalog Top 5 list is displayed. Clicking any item in the list displays the Service Catalog Detail page with the item displayed on it according to the detail template script. These content types are applied:
    • in search results to link to the correct page.
    • in the Current Document block to display the current record.
    • in links on lists and other places that link to record types.

    Several content types are available by default for tables such as Catalog Item [sc_cat_item], Gauge [sys_gauge], and Page [content_page].

    Content type defaults that are set for CMS can be overridden for individual sites. Use the Content Types related list on the site record to customize content types.