Case playbook: vertical stages record page

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 6 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 Case playbook: vertical stages record page

    TheCase playbook: vertical stages record pageis a customizable record page within the Customer Service Management (CSM) Configurable Workspace. It features a vertical stage picker on the left panel that visually tracks the progress of case handling in a vertical layout. This page is built from theCase playbook: vertical stages templateand is available through the Playbooks for Customer Service Management v6.0 store application.

    Show full answer Show less

    Page Variant and Configuration

    This page variant is inactive by default and can be enabled to become available to users. It is prioritized with an order value of -1, indicating high priority among record pages. Display conditions restrict this variant to records from the sncustomerservicecase table and its extensions. The variant is accessible to all users with experience access, as it has no specific audience restrictions.

    Administrators can configure the page variant settings via the Now Experience Framework UI Builder within the CSM/FSM Configurable Workspace experience.

    Key Components

    • Form heading: Displays primary (short description) and secondary record details (priority, state, contact/consumer info), customizable for tailored views.
    • Record tags: Enables agents to tag and organize case records for efficient grouping and searching.
    • Action bar: Provides case-related actions such as creating records, composing comments/emails, saving changes, and accessing extended options based on roles and case states.
    • Playbook name: Shown atop the vertical stage picker for easy identification of the active playbook.
    • Vertical stage picker: Lists playbook stages with status icons (completed, current, locked), allowing agents to expand stages and view included activities.
    • Activity picker: Displays activities within the current stage with status indicators (completed, in progress, remaining); selecting an activity opens details in the activity viewer.
    • Activity viewer: Main workspace where agents perform tasks related to the selected activity, using activity cards that show forms, tasks, SLAs, and attachments.
    • Contact or consumer lookup: Allows searching, linking, editing, and quick access to contact or consumer details with integration for email drafting and calls.
    • Case summarization: Collapsible component for agents to summarize case details, post updates, and refresh summaries; requires Now Assist for Customer Service Management activation.
    • Record details: Displays collapsible sections such as Case Notes, Closure Information, and Related Records, with form personalization and export options.
    • Contextual side panel: Offers tabs for Activity Stream, Agent Assist, Recommended Actions, Related Items, Attachments, Response and Email Templates, and Record Information to support comprehensive case resolution.
    • Activity stream: Shows a timeline of case activities, which can be expanded for detailed views or collapsed for summaries.
    • Modeless dialogs: Supports composing comments, work notes, and emails without interrupting workflow by overlaying the main window, enabling multitasking during case handling.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    This record page variant streamlines customer service workflows by visually guiding agents through case stages and activities in a clear, vertical format. It enhances productivity by integrating key components like contact lookups, case summarization, and communication tools directly into the workspace. The use of modeless dialogs minimizes disruptions, allowing agents to maintain context and efficiently manage case interactions.

    Configuring and activating this page variant provides a standardized, user-friendly interface tailored to case management needs, improving agent effectiveness and customer experience within ServiceNow Customer Service Management.

    The Case playbook: vertical stages page is a record page that you can use in CSM Configurable Workspace. This page includes a playbook with a vertical stage picker that displays in the left panel and can track overall progress on the UI in a vertical view.

    The Case playbook: vertical stages record page is created from the Case playbook: vertical stages template.

    The Case playbook: vertical stages record page is available with the Playbooks for Customer Service Management v6.0 store application. For more information, see Playbook plugins.

    Case playbook: vertical stages page variant

    The Case playbook: vertical stages page variant is included with the Playbooks for Customer Service Management v6.0 store application. This variant includes the following settings.
    Table 1. Case playbook: vertical stages page variant settings
    Setting Description
    Active The Case playbook: vertical stages page variant is not active by default. Enabling the Active check box makes the page variant available to the selected audience.

    The Active setting combined with the page order determines the page that CSM Configurable Workspace uses to display record information. For more information, see Set record page order.
    Order Each record page has an order which indicates the page priority. The lower the number, the higher the priority.

    The default order for the Case playbook: vertical stages page variant is -1.
    Conditions Conditions determine when a page variant is displayed. The Case playbook: vertical stages page variant has the following condition: table=sn_customerservice_case

    This condition limits the use of the Case playbook: vertical stages page variant to records from the Case [sn_customerservice_case] table and tables that extend the Case table.
    Audience The audience determines who can see the page variant. The Case playbook: vertical stages page variant does not have an audience. This means everyone with access to the experience can see this page variant.

    For more information, see Learn about audiences.
    To access the settings for this page variant:
    1. Navigate to All > Now Experience Framework > UI Builder.
    2. Select the CSM/FSM Configurable Workspace experience.
    3. In the Record section of the Pages and variants list, select Case playbook: vertical stages.
    4. Select Settings at the top of the page.

    Case playbook: vertical stages page components

    The Case playbook: vertical stages page includes the following components.

    Component Description
    Form heading The page header includes record information that is displayed in the primary and secondary fields:
    • The primary field displays the short description of the record.
    • The secondary fields display the additional record information such as the priority, state, and contact or consumer details.

    You can configure the fields that appear in the page header. For more information, see Customize the page header for a playbook page.
    Record tags Agents can create multiple tags for a record and then use the tags to group and organize records.

    For more information, see Group and find records using tags in workspace.
    Action bar The action bar contains the actions available to users while working on case records. The specific actions are determined by factors such as the user role, case state, and other attributes.
    • Record details: Displays the record details.
    • Playbook details: Displays the playbook details.
    • In-progress Actions: Provides a list of minimized modeless dialogs and includes a badge that displays the number of items in the list. From this list, an agent can select an item to open the minimized comment, work note, or email.
    • Create: Create records such as work orders, incidents, and requests.
    • Compose: Compose comments, work notes, and emails in modeless dialogs.
    • Save: Save changes to the case record.
    • More Actions: Perform additional actions such as proposing a major case or reporting a knowledge gap.
    Playbook name In the Case playbook: vertical stages page variant, the playbook name appears at the top of the vertical stage picker.
    Stage picker The Case playbook: vertical stages page variant includes a vertical stage picker, which gives the agent a complete view of the playbook and where they are within the playbook.

    The vertical stage picker displays the playbook stages and activities on the side of the record page. Select a stage to expand the stage and display the included activities.

    The stages in the stage picker include icons that indicate the stage status:
    • A check mark Check mark image. indicates that the stage is complete.
    • A pen icon Pen image. indicates the current stage.
    • A lock icon Lock image. indicates that a stage is locked and can’t be started until the previous stage is complete.
    Activity picker The activity picker displays the activities for the current stage. Each activity has an indicator that shows the activity state:
    • Completed
    • In progress
    • Remaining

    With the vertical stage picker, you can expand each stage to see the activities within that stage.

    Selecting an activity in a stage displays the details in the activity viewer.
    Activity viewer The activity viewer displays the selected activity. This is the main work area where an agent performs the work necessary to complete the current activity.

    Activity cards display the details about the current activity in the activity viewer. Depending on the type of activity, the activity cards can display information such as form data, task status, SLA timers, or attachments.

    Agents use the cards to complete the work for each activity, such as filling in forms, completing checklists, completing tasks, or adding attachments.
    Contact or consumer lookup The lookup component enables agents to look up contact or consumer information and display that information in a record card. These cards display customer information and provide quick access to details such name, email, and phone. The contact record card also includes account information.
    Agents can use the contact lookup component to do the following:
    • Search for a contact or consumer.
    • Link or unlink a contact or consumer record.
    • Edit and save the information in a linked contact or consumer record.
    • Select a reference field on a record card, such as a contact or consumer name, to open the reference in a sub-tab.
    • Select an email address on a lookup card to open a draft email in the email composer in a sub-tab.
    • Select a phone number on a lookup card to make a call.

    For more information, see Playbook lookup component.
    Case summarization The case summarization component appears below the lookup component. When an agent opens a case record, the component is collapsed and in the default state.
    Agents can use this component to do the following:
    • Summarize case details.
    • Post the summary to the activity stream.
    • Refresh the summary.

    The case summarization component requires the Now Assist for Customer Service Management (CSM) application to be activated and configured. For more information, see Playbook case summarization component.
    Record details The case details component includes collapsible sections for:
    • Case
    • Notes
    • Closure Information
    • Related Records

    This component also includes a menu with additional form actions, such as personalizing the form, exporting data, and copying the URL.

    Agents can view case details by selecting the Record Details button in the action bar.
    Contextual side panel The contextual side panel component includes different tools that agents can use to research and resolve customer issues. The contextual side panel in the Case playbook: horizontal stages page includes the following tabs.For more information about the tabs in the contextual side panel, see Playbook contextual side panel component.
    Activity stream The activity stream component displays a list of activities occurring on a case record. This list can be collapsed to provide a quick view of case activities or expanded to provide more detail about individual activities.
    For more information, For more information, see Playbook activity stream component.
    Note:
    The Case playbook: vertical stages page uses modeless dialogs for composing comments, work notes, and emails.
    Compose email and Compose comments modeless dialogs A modeless dialog is a window that overlays the main window content. You can use modeless dialogs to create and post comments and work notes to the activity stream and to compose and send emails as you work through the stages and activities in a playbook. For more information, see Playbook modeless dialogs.