Participant form for Microsoft Word document templates

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Participant form for Microsoft Word document templates

    The Participant form is used within Microsoft Word document templates in ServiceNow to define and manage participants involved in document-related tasks such as filling, signing, or reviewing. It enables customers to specify who participates, their roles, and the sequence of their actions in both internal and external signing workflows.

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    Key Features

    • Name: A unique identifier for each participant in the template.
    • Action: Defines the participant’s task—Fill, Sign, or Review. Note that Fill and Review actions are available for ServiceNow signing on PDF templates, while Sign action supports both PDF and Word templates in external signing scenarios.
    • Order: Specifies the sequence order in which participants receive the task to complete their action.
    • User: Maps an internal ServiceNow user to the participant. Selecting a user marks the participant as internal; otherwise, the participant is external.
    • Participant Name and Email: Required for external users to specify contact details. These fields become optional if an internal user is selected. These fields are used specifically for AdobeSign and DocuSign signing types.
    • Table: Defines the data source table (usually sysuser or its extension) to populate participant variables.
    • Document Template and Document Task Template: Allow selection of the main document template and an associated task template that can pre-fill task details such as description or short description.
    • Due Date Source and Date Offset Type: Configure how and when the due date for each participant’s task is set, including optional adjustments by days, weeks, or months.
    • Advanced Script: Provides the ability to specify custom conditions using script logic for participant selection and attributes. The script field is available only when Advanced Script is enabled.
    • Optional Flag: Allows skipping participants during runtime if their user or email information is not available, preventing workflow interruptions.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • This form enables precise control over participant roles and task sequences in document workflows involving Word or PDF templates.
    • Internal and external participants can be handled appropriately, ensuring that external users receive signing tasks even if they do not have ServiceNow system access.
    • Integration with AdobeSign and DocuSign is supported, expanding signing options.
    • Customizable due dates and task details help align document completion timelines with business processes.
    • The Advanced Script option supports complex participant logic, enabling dynamic participant management within templates.
    • Mandatory and optional fields are clearly defined based on participant type and signing method, helping customers configure templates accurately and avoid errors.

    Use the Participant form to add participants in a Microsoft Word document template.

    Table 1. Participant form
    Field Description
    Name Unique display name of the mapped participant.
    Action Type of action to be performed by the participant such as Fill, Sign, or Review.
    Important:
    In case of ServiceNow signing, Fill and Review actions are available for a PDF template. In case of external signing, Sign action is available for PDF and word document templates.
    Order Order in which a task has to be initiated for the participant to complete the action.
    User Mapping user field to a participant.
    Note:
    • When you select a value, the participant is considered to be an internal user. If Participant Name and Participant Email fields (optional for internal user) are filled along with User field, the electronic signature task will be sent to Participant Name and Participant Email, not the Name and Email from the User field.

      When you do not select a value in the User field, the participant will be considered an external user (Participant who does not have access to ServiceNow system). For such participants, Participant Name, Participant Email are to be specified.

    • The value in the User field is cleared when you save or update the template with the Advanced script field selected.
    Participant name Option to specify the name when the defined participant is an external user.
    Note:
    • When you select a value in User field, the Participant name field will be an optional field. When you do not select a value in User field, the Participant name field will be a mandatory field.
    • The value in the Participant name field is cleared when you save or update the template with the Advanced script field selected.
    • This field is available only when signing type is AdobeSign or DocuSign.
    Participant email Option to specify an email address when the defined participant is an external user.
    Note:
    • When you select a value in the User field, the Participant email field will be an optional field. When you do not select a value in User field, Participant email field will be a mandatory field.
    • The value in the Participant email field is cleared when you save or update the template with the Advanced script field selected.
    • This field is available only when signing type is AdobeSign or DocuSign.
    Table Table (sys_user table or any table extending sys_user table) from which you are choosing to populate the variables.
    Document template Name of the document template.
    Document task template Template selected on the Document Template task table to populate additional details for the document task, such as description and short description for fill, sign and review tasks.
    Note:
    If additional details are not defined, the default values of the template are used in the document template task.
    Due date source

    Due date for the document task that is created for that participant.
    Date offset type

    Due date for the document task is picked from the task record. Additionally, you can offset the due date by days, weeks or months.
    Advanced script Option to display the Script field.
    Script Script indicating the participant conditions with User ID, Participant name and Participant email. This field is enabled only when the Advanced script field is selected.
    Optional When enabled, a participant will be skipped if the participant user and participant email is not available. This check is done during runtime only and not while configuring the template.