Filters and breadcrumbs

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Filters and breadcrumbs

    Filters in ServiceNow allow you to define conditions on a table to display a specific subset of records, improving data navigation and management. Breadcrumbs show a hierarchical list of these filter conditions above the table, providing quick navigation and visibility into the applied filter criteria. This feature helps users efficiently refine and adjust their data views.

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    Key Features

    • Filters: Apply, modify, create, and save conditions to restrict displayed records in a list based on specific criteria.
    • Breadcrumbs: Display the filter conditions in order from most general (left) to most specific (right). Clicking a breadcrumb removes conditions to the right, and clicking the separator removes only the associated condition.
    • Filter persistence on new records: When creating new records from a filtered list, the filter values preset fields on the new record form. You can exclude fields from this behavior by setting the dictionary attribute ignorefilteronnew=true.
    • Right-click breadcrumb options:
      • Open the filtered list in a new tab/window.
      • Copy the URL of the filtered list to the clipboard for sharing or reuse.
      • Copy the encoded query string representing the filter for use in URLs or reference qualifiers (except for the ‘All’ breadcrumb).
    • Quick filters: Right-click a field value to quickly apply filters such as Show Matching, Filter Out, or for dates, Show Before/After.
    • Filter management: Users can save filters for themselves, groups, or everyone based on permissions. Administrators can manage filters via the Filters table [sysfilter], including creation, editing, and deletion.
    • Encoded query strings: Represent complex filter conditions as a string that can be used in URLs or configuration fields, enabling advanced filtering capabilities.
    • Access control: By default, unauthenticated users cannot see filters or breadcrumbs; administrators can configure portal visibility using script includes.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    Using filters and breadcrumbs enhances your ability to quickly find relevant records and manage data views efficiently. Breadcrumb navigation simplifies adjusting or removing filter conditions, while right-click options empower you to reuse or share filter states easily. Presetting values on new records based on active filters speeds up data entry and maintains consistency. Administrators benefit from centralized filter management and can tailor filter visibility for different user roles, including unauthenticated access when needed.

    A filter is a set of conditions applied to a table to help you find and work with a subset of the data in that table.

    You can apply, modify, create, and save filters. A hierarchical list of conditions at the top of the table — breadcrumbs — indicates the current filter.

    Breadcrumbs offer a quick form of filter navigation. They are ordered from left to right. The left condition is the most general, and the right condition is the most specific. Clicking a breadcrumb removes all the conditions to its right. Clicking the condition separator (>) before a condition removes only that condition.

    By default, a user with no roles cannot see the breadcrumbs or filter. Administrators can configure the ESS portal to allow unauthenticated users to see breadcrumbs and filters by using a script include. For more information on using script includes to suppress breadcrumbs and filters, see Use script includes to suppress filters and breadcrumbs .

    Figure 1. Breadcrumbs, List v2
    Breadcrumbs.
    Examples:
    • Clicking Priority = 2 removes the condition Category = Software and returns all active incidents with a priority of 2.
    • Clicking the condition separator (>) before Priority = 2 removes the condition Priority = 2 and returns all active incidents in the software category.
    • Clicking All removes all conditions and returns all incidents in the system.

    Click a breadcrumb to refresh the list of records and show the latest information for those records.

    Note:
    Clicking the New button in a filtered list automatically applies the same filter to the new record. For example, clicking New in the Resolved Incidents list opens a record preset with State set to Resolved. In a list filtered for active, priority 1 incidents, clicking New opens a record preset with Active selected and Priority set to 1 - Critical.

    You can change the preset values on the form as needed. If there is a field you do not want to have populated in this way, you can add the following dictionary attribute to the field: ignore_filter_on_new=true.

    Additional navigational functions are available when you right-click a breadcrumb.

    Table 1. Breadcrumb right-click options
    Option Description
    Open new window Opens the results list for the breadcrumb in a new tab or window.
    Copy URL Copies the URL to the clipboard for the results list of the breadcrumb. Follow browser instructions if browser security measures restrict this function.
    Copy query Copies the encoded query to the clipboard for the breadcrumb. You can use this query in the URL of an instance or in the reference qualifier field of a dictionary entry.

    For example, if you are viewing a list of all active incidents with a high or medium impact, right-click the breadcrumb and copy the query active=true^impact=1^ORimpact=2. You can append this query to the end of the instance URL as follows:

    https://{instance_name}/incident_list.do?sysparm_query=active=true^impact=1^ORimpact=2

    This selection is not available for the All breadcrumb.