---
sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/platform-administration

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration

ft:clusterId :

    - platadm

bundleId :

    - platadm

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Make a field mandatory

# Make a field mandatory {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated February 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Fields can be marked as mandatory, meaning they must contain a value before the
record can be saved. Mandatory fields are marked with a field status indicator before the
label.

## Before you begin

Role required: personalize_dictionary

## About this task

A mandatory field that is pre-populated by the platform with default data, such as a
value from a client script, does not display the indicator. If you delete this value
from the field, however, the indicator appears. The color of the indicator depends
on the field state.

Using a dictionary entry to make a field mandatory does not work when using
WebServices. You can use a data policy instead. For more information on data
policies, see [Data
policy](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~ki1p0DdTt4ygC_ER9~Kpw "Data policies enable you to enforce data consistency by setting mandatory and read-only states for fields.").

## Procedure

1. Right-click the field's label in the form and select Configure Dictionary.
2. In the Dictionary form, select the Mandatory check box.
3. Click Update.  
   The next time the form is opened, a field status indicator appears next to
   the field label, indicating that a value is mandatory. If the mandatory
   field is pre-populated for any reason, the mandatory field indicator does
   not appear.

   Mandatory fields are global. The field is marked as mandatory everywhere it
   appears in a form.

   Making a True/False mandatory will have no effect.
   True/False fields are always considered to have a
   value. A selected check box has a value of true and an unselected check box
   has a value of false. Either of these values satisfies the requirement of a
   mandatory field.

   A form can be saved with an empty mandatory field if that field is a
   reference field, and if the parent field is also blank. However, if the
   mandatory reference field shows a value from the parent field, then the form
   cannot be saved if this value is deleted. If the value in the referenced
   field is changed, the value for that field is changed everywhere it
   appears.
4. **Optional:** Use dictionary override\>override mandatory to make a field that is mandatory only in the child table and not the parent table.
**Related tasks**   

* [Define a dictionary override](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/puDADGd2rVM5mTF0H0a4Bg "Use a dictionary override to allow a field in a child table to have a different value or behavior than the same field in a parent table. For example, a dictionary override changes the default value of the priority field from 4 in the parent table to 5 in the Incident table.")  
**Related topics**   

* [Set a CI field to be mandatory](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_SetCIFieldMandatory&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US)