Update Record activity

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Update Record activity

    The Update Record activity in ServiceNow allows you to update a record with specified field values within a playbook. It is available as a common activity and can be added by users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles. This activity enables you to automate record updates as part of your workflows, improving process efficiency and accuracy.

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    Inputs

    When configuring the Update Record activity, you specify key inputs including:

    • Label and Description: Customize the display title and information for the activity card.
    • Run condition: Define conditions that must be met to run the activity, using data from prior activities.
    • Start Rule: Choose when the activity or stage starts, such as when the process starts, when the stage starts, or after specific activities or stages finish.
    • Start with delay: Optionally delay the start of the activity or stage.
    • Table and Record: Specify the table containing the record and the particular record reference to update.
    • Fields Template Value: Define the field values to be changed during the update.
    • Wait for user input: Optionally pause the playbook until a user manually completes or skips the activity (editable only by playbook.admin role).

    Additional advanced inputs include assignment group and assigned user references to specify responsibility for the task, and fields to show after the update to highlight updated record details.

    Outputs

    The activity outputs updated data that can be used by subsequent activities in the playbook, including:

    • Table name of the updated record.
    • Reference to the updated record’s document ID.

    Design considerations

    • Create tailored form views: Design form views to display only necessary fields for record updates, ensuring required and validated fields are included for user interaction.
    • Sequence non-interactive before interactive activities: To avoid blocking downstream playbook actions, run non-interactive Update Record activities before those that require user input.

    Update a record with the field values you specify.

    Roles and availability

    • This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.

    Inputs

    Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see Dot-walking examples.
    Input Type Description
    Label String Title to display as activity and playbook card.
    Description String Information to display about activity usage or outcome.
    Run condition Condition Builder Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Start Rule Choice Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:
    • When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
    • After specific stages: Your stage starts running after specified stage(s) have finished running.
    Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:
    • When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
    • After specific activities: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running.
    Start with delay True/False Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Table Table Name Table containing the record to update.
    Record Reference Reference to the record you want to update.
    Fields Template Value Field values to change during record update.
    Wait for user input Choice Option to pause the playbook until the end user manually completes or skips the activity. Only users with the playbook.admin role can edit this field. By default, the activity waits for user action or data before it completes.

    Advanced inputs

    After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select Show additional options to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see Activity experience.
    Input Type Description
    Assignment Group Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Group responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Assigned To Reference.User [sys_user] User responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Fields to show after update String Comma-separated list of fields to display for an updated record.

    Outputs

    These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
    Output Type Description
    Table Table Name Table containing updated record.
    Record Document ID Reference to record updated.

    Design considerations

    Create form views for activities that you want to render in a playbook
    Use a form view to display only the fields your users need to update a record. Your view should display required fields or those fields validated by other business logic. See View Management.
    Run non-interactive activities before interactive activities
    If an Update Record activity interactively gathers data from users, it prevents the playbook from starting any dependent activities. For example, an Update Record activity would prevent starting After Previous activities, which may be in other stages. Where possible, design your playbooks to run non-interactive activities before interactive activities that could block them.