Linking inputs in decision tree nodes

Release version: Yokohama

Updated January 30, 2025

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Summary of Linking inputs in decision tree nodes

Linking inputs in decision tree nodes allows ServiceNow users to reuse input values (answers) from previous nodes, streamlining the interaction process for agents and customers. This feature eliminates the need to repeatedly ask the same questions, ensuring input values are automatically filled during runtime and improving efficiency in decision tree execution.

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Linking Inputs in Question and Guidance Nodes

Question Nodes: When an input is linked to a prior input, the linked question is not presented to the agent, as the input value is reused automatically. This reduces redundant data entry and supports creating path conditions based on reused inputs. For example, a credit card number collected in an initial node can be reused in subsequent nodes without re-asking.
Guidance Nodes: Inputs can also be linked to supply guidance inputs with previously collected answers. For instance, the task input from a start node can be linked to guidance inputs to pass the record reference the agent is working on, such as a case number needed for reassignment.

Special Cases and Input Type Compatibility

Generally, inputs can only be linked to prior inputs of the same type, but the Guided Decisions Experience application supports specific exceptions:

String Input: Can accept links from various field types including integer, decimal, choice, and others, since it is a flexible text field.
Reference Input: Can only link to reference fields where the current question node’s input table matches the prior node’s input table at the same or child level (e.g., Task table linked to Task or Case tables).
Choice Input: Accepts linking from choice or string types, as choices are stored as strings.
Date and Date/Time Inputs: Acceptable types include glidedatetime, glidedate, date, datetime, duedate, and calendar.

Note: The application does not support linking glidevar type fields.

Linking of inputs enables decision tree authors to reuse input values (answers) from prior nodes.

Linking inputs in question and linking nodes

Most questions are presented to an agent to provide answers. When you link an input to another input, the question is not displayed to the agent. Because the input reuses values from the input it is linked to, the agent does not need to provide any answer.

Similar to other inputs, you can use linked inputs to create path conditions.

Question related to credit card number in a decision node that reuses the answer from the start node. — Figure 1. Example of linking inputs in a question node

For example, if you have already asked the credit card number in the start node, you can reuse that input in the following question node. This question is not presented to the agent again and the value is automatically filled out during run time.

Linking inputs in guidance nodes

With linking inputs, you can reuse the answers that customer provided to supply input values to the guidance inputs. You can link the task input in the start node to the guidance inputs to pass the information about the record that the agent is working on.

The reassign case guidance uses the input mapping feature to link the task input in the start node to the guidance input. — Figure 2. Example of linking inputs in a guidance node

For example, you can connect the start node’s task input to the following guidance. The task input holds a reference of the record the agent is working on in a workspace. You need a case number, which is provided by the task input, for reassigning the case to someone else.

Special cases for linking inputs

In most cases, you can only link inputs to other prior node’s inputs of the same type. For example, you can link a string input field type to another string input field type.

The Guided Decisions Experience application supports the following special cases.

Table 1. Cases supported in the Guided Decisions
Input type	Description
String input field type	Accepts any type of field to be linked. For example, string accepts integer, decimal, choice, and others. String is a text field which accepts any characters.
Reference input field type	Accepts only reference type of field. You can link reference input types only if the current question node’s input table matches the prior node’s input table at the same level or at the child level. For example, the Task table can be linked to the Task table or the Task table can be linked to the Case table, which is a child of the Task table.
Choice input field type	Accepts choice type and string type because a choice in a choice list is a string.
Date and Date/Time input field types	Accepts the following types: `glide_date_time` `glide_date` `date` `datetime` `due_date` `calendar`

Note:

The Guided Decisions Experience application does not support glide_var type fields to map to any inputs.