Rich Content Editor

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated April 29, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Rich Content Editor

    The Rich Content Editor in ServiceNow enables content managers and administrators to create HTML-based content for Employee Center Pro topics and portal pages through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It empowers non-technical users to build and customize page sections without requiring HTML or CSS expertise or IT assistance. Users can design layouts, add various components such as containers, images, videos, and links, and adjust component settings all within a visual canvas environment.

    Show full answer Show less

    Content created with the Rich Content Editor automatically inherits the underlying portal theme and colors unless custom styles are applied, ensuring consistent branding. The editor also allows previewing content on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices to ensure responsiveness before publishing.

    Key Features

    • Drag-and-Drop Interface: Easily add and arrange components like images, videos, text boxes, and buttons on the canvas.
    • Predefined Layouts and Custom Columns: Use modules with preset layouts or create custom column structures to organize content.
    • Component Customization: Each component has a settings toolbar for direct editing and configuration.
    • Multi-Device Preview: Switch canvas views to create and test content optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile platforms.
    • Language Support: Optionally view sessions in different languages and request translations after content creation, supporting multi-language content management.
    • Keyboard Accessibility: Supports a wide range of keyboard shortcuts for efficient content creation and editing, enhancing accessibility.
    • Portal Theme Integration: Uses a system property to determine the portal theme for content preview, maintaining visual consistency.
    • Content Publishing: Content is made available to users via publish plans or more advanced campaign configurations.
    • Search Integration: Published content is searchable through Employee Center's AI Search, with admins able to locate unpublished pages as well.

    Practical Use and Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    ServiceNow customers can leverage the Rich Content Editor to efficiently create engaging, branded content for employee portals without relying on specialized development skills. This reduces dependency on IT teams and accelerates content deployment. The ability to preview content across devices helps ensure a seamless user experience. Multi-language and accessibility features support diverse workforce needs. Additionally, integration with publishing workflows and search capabilities facilitates easy content management and discoverability within the Employee Center.

    Rich Content Editor enables content managers and admins to create HTML-based content for the Employee Center Pro topic and portal pages using a visual drag-and-drop interface.

    You can create a layout, add components (such as containers, images, videos, and links), and adjust the settings of the components with little or no HTML or CSS (cascading style sheets) knowledge. The Rich Content Editor allows non-technical users to build sections of pages without the help of IT or technical users.

    The Rich Content Editor provides a library of components and a canvas area, where you use drag-and-drop method to create your content. The components can be edited individually and you can preview what you are creating on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device before you make your content available to your audience.

    Creating content does not interfere with your portal theme or color. Published content that does not use custom style changes uses the theme of the underlying portal page.
    Note:
    By default, the Rich Content Editor uses the sn_cd.preview.portal_url_suffix sys property to determine the portal theme to use for the content you create. Using the preview portal when creating rich content reflects the portal theme to provide an example of how the content will appear. For more information, see Properties installed with Content Publishing.

    Rich Content Editor interface

    The Rich Content Editor interface is comprised of a canvas where you assemble the content, content components that you drag-and-drop into the canvas, and menu bar icons to modify the canvas.
    Note:
    If the Edit Source code icon does not appear, ask an admin to enable the Edit code property. See Properties installed with Content Publishing

    Rich Content Editor components

    When you select a component, a toolbar appears at its top-left corner, allowing you to manipulate the component directly. Each component offers a variety of customization options that are accessed from the Settings tab.

    Rich Content Editor - Settings

    Using the Rich Content Editor

    The Rich Content Editor makes it possible to build HTML content with little or no HTML or CSS (cascading style sheets) knowledge, using the following process:
    1. Create the Rich Content type record: Create rich content
    2. Create the page layout.
    3. Add components such as images, videos, text boxes, and buttons.
    4. Change the canvas size to create content for tablet and mobile.
      Note:
      For best results when creating content for all three platforms, first create your content for desktop, then tablet and mobile.
    5. (Optional) Select a different language to view your session in or request a language translation for the content you are creating. For more information, see Configuring translation for Content Publishing after upgrade.
      Note:
      Only translate content after you have completed creating and formatting the content. To create content with format that varies across translations, duplicate the content for each language and format it, then perform the translation.
    6. Make the content available to users via a publish plan: Create a publish plan for your content

      Alternatively, you can build out a more robust publishing configuration using Creating campaigns with Content Experiences

    Keyboard shortcuts

    You can assemble rich content and news articles in the Rich Content Editor using a keyboard for improved accessibility.

    The Rich Content Editor supports many operating system and text formatting shortcuts, including Save, Bold, and Undo. You can use these additional keyboard shortcuts to support your content creation.

    Table 1. Keyboard shortcuts
    Action Mac keyboard shortcut Windows keyboard shortcut
    Paste and match style of selected text box Shift+Option+Command+V Shift+Alt+Windows+V
    Tip:

    With the Rich Content Editor, you can easily use your keyboard to select individual canvas components. You can add text and columns, create text sections within those columns, and update headings within each section to adjust the styling and fonts to your liking; It helps you customize your content in a simple and convenient way.

    Rich content in portal search

    When employees enter a keyword in the global search bar, Employee Center uses AI Search to return published pages containing that keyword in the content name or body.

    Searching for by keyword "employee" returns pages created with the rich content editor containing the term

    If the user with the system admin or content admin role uses the global search bar, the results include unpublished pages.