Date/time input setup for different action item types

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Date/time input setup for different action item types

    This guide explains how to configure date/time inputs for different action item types in ServiceNow, specifically after creating an input form screen with theIncludeTimezoneattribute enabled. Proper setup depends on whether the action item type is New/Update or Script-based, ensuring accurate date/time handling and storage in the system.

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    Setup for New or Update Action Items

    Date/time inputs must be mapped directly to date/time fields in the back-end instance. The back-end instance uses the device's time zone from the input form screen and converts the date/time values to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC/GMT) before saving them to the database. This setup requires minimal customization and leverages automatic time zone conversion.

    Setup for Script Action Items

    When using Script action items, you must manually convert date/time input values to UTC/GMT within the script. The documentation provides GlideDateTime and GlideScheduleDateTime script examples demonstrating how to handle date/time strings formatted with time zone data (YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssTZD) by initializing GlideDateTime objects with these strings.

    • GlideDateTime example: Updates fields like expectedstart and estimatedend by converting input strings to GlideDateTime objects and setting them directly on date/time columns. It also includes validation for logical start/end times and checks for scheduling conflicts.
    • GlideScheduleDateTime example: Sets schedule entry fields such as startdatetime and enddatetime using the getDisplayValueInternal() method to provide date/time values in the user profile’s time zone. This example handles non-date/time columns used for scheduling.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure your input forms have the IncludeTimezone attribute enabled to capture the user’s device time zone.
    • For New/Update action items, map date/time inputs directly to back-end fields and rely on automatic UTC conversion.
    • For Script action items, incorporate proper conversion logic using GlideDateTime constructors and methods to handle time zone-aware date/time strings accurately.
    • Validate date/time logic (e.g., start time before end time) and implement checks like double booking to maintain scheduling integrity.
    • Understand differences in handling standard date/time columns versus schedule-specific date/time fields to set values appropriately.

    Following these guidelines ensures consistent, accurate date/time data management across various action item types in ServiceNow, improving scheduling reliability and user experience.

    After you create an input form screen and define its IncludeTimezone attribute for date/time inputs, you must associate the input form screen with an action item. How you set up the date/time inputs depends on the type of action item you use.

    Action item type Set up
    New or Update Make sure that date/time inputs are mapped to date/time fields in the back-end instance. The back-end instance uses the Device Time Zone information sent by the input form screen. Then the back-end instance converts the date/time value to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC/GMT) before saving it to the database.
    Script You must convert the date/time input value to UTC/GMT. Refer to the following script examples for more information. For more information about scripting in general for ServiceNow, see Scripting
    Note:
    Customizations might be needed depending on the use case involved.

    GlideDateTime script example

    The following example sets fields of the GlideDateTime type.

    /sys_sg_write_back_action_step.do?sys_id=b390e6a7c1120110fa9b5abd6a7dbb64
(function WriteBackAction(parm_input, parm_variable, actionResult) {
	var shortDescription = parm_input.shortdescription;
	var scheduledStart = parm_input.expectedstart;
	var estimatedEnd = parm_input.estimatedend;
	var description = parm_input.description;
	var wotSysId = parm_variable['sys_id'];
	
	var wotGr = new GlideRecord("wm_task");
	wotGr.get(wotSysId);
	wotGr.setValue("description", description);
	wotGr.setValue("short_description", shortDescription);
	
	var newEnd = new GlideDateTime(estimatedEnd);
	var endMS = newEnd.getNumericValue();
	
	var newStart = new GlideDateTime(scheduledStart);
	var startMS = newStart.getNumericValue();
	
	if (endMS - startMS < 0) {
		gs.addErrorMessage(gs.getMessage("The start date should come before the end date"));
	} else {
		//set the time on screen all the time
		wotGr.setValue("expected_start", newStart);
		wotGr.setValue("estimated_end", newEnd);
		var duration = endMS - startMS;
		var newDur = new GlideDuration();
		newDur.setValue(duration);
		wotGr.setValue("estimated_work_duration", newDur);
		
		//check double booking no matter which field is changed. set needs_attention so that dispatcher can review it.
		var info = new global.FSMAgentInfo(gs.getUserID());
		var doubleBooking = info.allowAgentDoubleBookingTask();
		if (doubleBooking){
			var conflict = !(new global.SMDDateValidation().checkSchedulingConflictSimple(wotGr));
			if (conflict) {
				//BR Date Checks will display conflict message as Warning: {0} has been scheduled for a time the assigned
				//only when time change.
				wot.Gr.setValue("needs_attention", true);
			}
		}
    • In this example, the expected_start and estimated_end fields are edited based on the values of their corresponding date/time inputs of expectedstart and estimatedend.
    • Because the IncludeTimezone attribute is set to true, the parm_input.expectedstart variable returns a date/time string in the format YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssTZD. To enable the system to handle this date/time format, initialize a GlideDateTime object by passing the string into the constructor.
    • Because expected_start and estimated_end are Date Time columns in the database, you can directly call GlideRecord.setValue() and pass the GlideDateTime object as the value.

    GlideScheduleDateTime script example

    The following example sets fields of the GlideScheduleDateTime type.

    /sys_sg_write_back_action_item.do?sys_id=539b20d6b72120107be0e34e9e11a971
(function WriteBackAction(parm_input,parm_variable,actionResult) {

	var personalSchedule = new global.FSMMobileUtil().getUserSchedule(parm_variable.user);
	if (gs.nil(personalSchedule)) {
		gs.error("create_event: personal schedule id is not found.");
		gs.addErrorMessage(gs.getMessage("Create Event Failed"));
		return;
	}
	
	if(gs.nil(parm_input.type))
		parm_input.type = "";
	
	var scheduleEntryGR = new GlideRecord("cmn_schedule_span");
	scheduleEntryGR.initialize();
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("name", parm_input.name);
	
	var start_time = new GlideDateTime(parm_input.start_time);
	scheduleEntryGR.start_date_time = start_time.getDisplayValueInternal();
	
	var end_time = new GlideDateTime(parm_input.end_time);
	scheduleEntryGR.end_date_time = end_time.getDisplayValueInternal();
	
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("show_as", parm_input.show_as);
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("type", parm_input.type);
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("user", parm_variable.user);
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("schedule", personalSchedule);
	scheduleEntryGR.setValue("repeat_type", parm_input.repeats);
	if(parm_input.repeats!=""){
		scheduleEntryGR.setValue("repeat_count", parm_input.repeat_every);
		scheduleEntryGR.repeat_until = parm_input.repeat_until;
	}
	scheduleEntryGR.insert();
	
	
})(parm_input,parm_variable,actionResult);
    • In this example, the start_date_time and end_date_time fields of a schedule entry are set based on the values of their corresponding date/time inputs of start_time and end_time.
    • Because the IncludeTimezone attribute is set to true, the parm_input.start_time variable returns a date/time string in the format YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss.sssTZD. To enable the system to handle this date/time format, initialize a GlideDateTime object by passing the string into the constructor.
    • Because start_date_time and end_date_time are not Date Time Columns in the database (instead, they are Schedule Date/Time columns), their value are set with gr.start_date_time = {date_time_value}.
      Note:
      The date_time_value is expected to be in the User Profile Time Zone (the value provided is expected to be the Display Value of a GlideDateTime). This configuration makes it possible to call the GlideDateTime.getDisplayValueInternal() method, which returns a date/time string in the internal format of YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss and in the User Profile Time Zone.