Entity class rules

Release version: Xanadu

Updated July 31, 2025

2 minutes to read

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Summary of Entity class rules

Entity class rules in ServiceNow enable automatic assignment of classes to entities at the table level. When a new entity is created for a table, it inherits the associated entity class defined by these rules. This classification helps organize and tag entities systematically based on the table they belong to.

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Key Features

Automatic Class Assignment: Entities created on a table are automatically assigned the class linked to that table via an entity class rule.
Entity Class Rule Filters: Filters allow further refinement by associating different subclasses to records within the same table based on specific conditions, enabling more granular classification.
Filter Priority and Conditions: Filters have priorities to determine which subclass is assigned when multiple conditions apply. Only subclasses meeting the filter conditions appear on entity forms.
Workspace Integration: Entity class rules are accessible under the Lists section in the workspace view, where details such as table name, class, and filters can be reviewed and managed.

How Entity Classes Are Assigned

Entity classes are determined by evaluating the source record against the entity class rule filters:

If a record meets the conditions of a specific subclass filter, that subclass is assigned as the entity class.
If multiple filters match, the filter with higher priority determines the class.
If no filters apply, the base class associated with the table is assigned by default.

Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

Create Entity Class Rules: Define rules to assign appropriate classes to entities based on the table they belong to, ensuring consistent entity categorization.
Use Filters for Granular Classification: Add filters to an existing entity class rule to classify entities differently within the same table based on business logic or attributes.
Manage and Review Classes Easily: Utilize the workspace view to manage entity class rules and filters for streamlined entity classification.

Expected Outcomes

By implementing entity class rules and filters, you can automate and refine the classification of entities in your ServiceNow environment. This enhances data organization, improves reporting accuracy, and supports better operational management of configuration items and related records.

Entity class rules help to assign classes to the entities at the table level. Any new entity created on the table gets that entity class automatically. Entity classes are used to tag your entities.

When you create an entity for a table, the class associated with that table automatically gets assigned to the entity. You can set a new rule for the entity class. Entity class rules provide the categories of the entities at the class level. The Entity class rules option is displayed under Lists in the workspace view. Click an Entity class rule to display its details.

The Details tab in the Entity class rules form displays the following information:

Table 1. Details tab in the Entity class rules page
Field	Description
Table	Name of the table that the entity class is associated with after creating an entity class rule.
Class	Name of the entity class to be associated with the table that uses the new entity class rule.

Entity class rule filter

Entity class rule filter is added in the entity class rule page to provide additional filters. Earlier, records of a table can be associated to only one entity class. Using the entity class rule filter, you can associate different classes to the records of the same table.

The Entity class rule filter table displays the following information:

Table 2. Entity class rule filter
Field	Description
Filter Priority	Filter priority is the range for the subclass. The class is populated in the entity form based on the priority given.
Subclass	Subclass is the child class of the parent class that is displayed in the details tab of entity class rules.
Filter Condition	Filter Condition is used to filter out the records of the table that defines the entity class rule. For example, if there are two subclasses with different condition then the parent class is populated instead of the subclasses. Note: The subclasses are displayed in the entity forms only if they meet the same filter condition.

Logic for assigning entity classes

Assume that there is a record in the cmdb_ci_linux_server table and an entity class rule associated to this table. The entity class rule has these class rule filters:

Scenario 1: If the entity's source record belongs to the cmdb_ci_linux_server table and matches all the conditions of the second filter, then the entity's class is auto-populated as sub class, Department.

Scenario 2: If the entity's source record belongs to the cmdb_ci_linux_server table and its name starts with lnux (satisfies both the filters), then the sub class Application is auto-populated as an entity class.

Scenario 3: If the entity's source record doesn't satisfy any of the class rule filters, then the class Linux Server is auto-populated as an entity class.