Service Catalog variable editors

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Service Catalog Variable Editors

    The Service Catalog variable editors in ServiceNow allow requesters to specify variable values for catalog items and record producers. These editors display the values in fulfiller forms, enhancing the visibility and management of request details.

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    Key Features

    • VEditor: Designed for catalog items, the VEditor (com.glideapp.servicecatalog.VEditor) displays question values in Requested Item (RITM) and catalog task forms. It is essential for supporting catalog UI policies and client scripts.
    • Default Variable Editor: Applicable to record producers, this editor shows question values for records generated from record producers, particularly for Incident and Change tables, but can be configured for other task-extended tables.
    • Agent Workspace Integration: The variable editor is incorporated automatically into the Agent Workspace UI, provided the formatter is available in the form's view.
    • Service Portal Availability: The variable editor is also available in Service Portal, but it is mainly recommended for requester use cases.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the Service Catalog variable editors, ServiceNow customers can:

    • Enhance the clarity and usability of forms for requesters and fulfillers.
    • Implement read-only settings to prevent changes to variable values, ensuring data integrity.
    • Configure variable editors for task-extended tables to streamline record management and improve user experience.

    These features collectively empower organizations to manage service requests efficiently, leading to improved service delivery and user satisfaction.

    Variable editor displays variable values in fulfiller forms. A requester, while requesting the item, specifies these variable values in the catalog item questions.

    Types of variable editors based on the catalog item type:

    • For a catalog item, the VEditor (com.glideapp.servicecatalog.VEditor) displays the values of questions in the requested item and catalog task forms.
    • For a record producer, the default variable editor (com.glideapp.questionset.DefaultQuestionEditor) displays the values of questions for records generated from a record producer for task-extended tables.
    Warning:
    The variable editor depends on the Variables column of the Task [task] table. By default, this column is inactive, and you should not make it active.

    VEditor

    The VEditor is applicable only for the requests created from catalog items.

    In ServiceNow AI Platform, this editor is a formatter added on the requested item (RITM) form (Default View) and the catalog task form (Default View).

    The VEditor is applicable only for RITMs and catalog tasks. It cannot be used for any other tables. To support catalog UI policies or catalog client scripts on the VEditor for the RITM and catalog task form, select the Applies on Requested Items and Applies on Catalog Tasks check boxes for the catalog UI policy or the catalog client script.

    Note:
    The values in the VEditor are displayed from the Options [sc_item_option] table. This is an internal table and you should not add any business rules to this table.
    To make the VEditor read-only in ServiceNow AI Platform, activate the onLoad client script, Variable Editor Readonly, for the following tables:
    • Requested Item [sc_req_item]
    • Catalog Task [sc_task]
    Note:
    You can make the Variable Editor Readonly scripts conditional, by adding conditions to them.
    Figure 1. VEditor
    Screenshot for VEditor

    Default variable editor

    The default variable editor is applicable only for record producers. This editor is a formatter added on records that are generated by a record producer for task-extended tables. This editor displays the values of questions specified in the record producer.

    By default, this editor is applicable for the Incident and Change tables. For other tables, you can configure this editor.

    Catalog UI policies, catalog client scripts, catalog data lookups, reference qualifiers, and dependent reference fields are supported on the default variable editor only for task-extended tables. To support a catalog UI policy or a catalog client script on this editor, select the Applies on the Target Record check box for the catalog UI policy or the catalog client script.
    Note:
    The values in the default variable editor are displayed in the Question Answer [question_answer] table. This is an internal table and you should not add any business rules to this table.
    Figure 2. Default variable editor
    Screenshot for the default variable editor

    Variable editor in Agent Workspace

    In Agent Workspace, the following scenarios are possible:
    • If the variable editor formatter is available in the Workspace view of the form, the variable editor is automatically added to the Variables section in the Agent Workspace UI.
    • If the variable editor formatter is added inside a section in the Workspace view of the form, that section does not display the variable editor in the Agent Workspace UI.
    The following variable types are not displayed in the variable editor.
    • Macro
    • Macro With Label
    • UI Pages
    The following variables are displayed as a select box in the variable editor:
    • Multiple Choice
    • Numeric Scale
    • Lookup Multiple Choice

    Variable editor in Service Portal

    In the Service Portal UI, the variable editor is available for forms with the variable editor formatter.

    Note:
    Since Service Portal is only for requester use cases, it is recommended to use the Agent Workspace UI for the variable editor.

    Making a variable editor read-only

    The following options are available to make a variable editor read only, depending on application.

    Service Catalog variable editors in the core UI
    The GlideForm setVariablesReadOnly() method is supported for ServiceNow AI Platform and Agent Workspace forms to make the variable editor read-only. This method is intended for requested item, target record, and catalog tasks.
    Note:
    This method is not applicable in Service Portal and is not recommended for catalog forms.
    Service Portal variable editors
    To make the VEditor read-only in Service Portal, navigate to Service Portal > Portals, select Service Portal, and specify the following code in the Quick start config field.
    "readonly_variable_editor": "true"
    Note:
    The UI Page, Macro, and Macro with Label variables are rendered even when the variable editor is read-only.