Report on function fields

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Report on function fields

    Function fields in ServiceNow Yokohama release present dynamic fields that display values generated from database queries and computations based on other fields and constants, rather than storing fixed values. These fields enhance reporting and data visualization by enabling calculations and string manipulations directly within reports.

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    Only users assigned the functionfieldadmin role can create, edit, and deactivate function fields. By default, no user has this role after an upgrade, so an administrator must assign it to appropriate users.

    Key Features

    • Operations Supported: Function fields utilize glidefunction syntax with multiple operations:
      • Arithmetic: add(), subtract(), multiply(), divide() allow numerical calculations on fields or constants.
      • String Manipulation: concat() concatenates multiple fields/strings; substring() extracts parts of strings; position() finds substring positions; length() returns string length.
      • Date and Time: datediff() calculates duration between two dates; dayofweek() returns the day number based on week start.
      • Other: coalesce() returns the first non-empty value from multiple fields.
      Constants must be enclosed in single or double quotes when used as inputs.
    • Configuration Limits: Up to 20 active function fields can be configured per table using the Report Designer.
    • Report Usage: Function field results can be used for grouping and stacking data in reports.
    • Management: Users with the functionfieldadmin role or admins can edit function field definitions (except label and return type), deactivate, or delete them. Deactivation is necessary to create new fields if the 20-field limit is reached.
    • Control: A system property can disable the ability to create function fields in the Report Designer if desired.

    Key Outcomes

    • ServiceNow customers can extend reporting capabilities by incorporating computed values directly in reports without altering database storage.
    • Function fields enable more insightful data analysis through on-the-fly calculations, string operations, and date/time computations.
    • Role-based control ensures only authorized users manage function fields, maintaining governance over report customization.
    • Administrators can control the creation and lifecycle of function fields to optimize report performance and maintain clarity.

    While regular fields store a value in the database, a function field displays the results of a database query. The function field generates the value based on computations of other fields and constants. You can use these fields in reports and data visualizations as you would other fields.

    The responsibility for creating, editing, and deactivating function fields belongs to the user with the role function_field_admin. On upgrade, no user has this role. An admin must give this role to a non-admin user. See Create a role.

    Learn about function fields here: Function field.

    Function field operations

    Function fields can perform the following operations using the glidefunction:<operation> syntax.
    Note:
    Specify constants in single or double quotes. The examples for the concat(), dayofweek(), position(), and substring() operations show the use of constants in function fields.
    Table 1. Function field operationsthe Function field operations table contains columns for the names of function field operations, a detailed description of what the operation does, and an example that includes both code and what the code returns.
    Operation Description Example
    add() Takes two number fields as input, adds them, and returns the results as a field value.

    This function also takes numerical values for either input. Place numerical values in single or double quotation marks.

    		 glidefunction:add(child_incidents, parent_incident)

    Returns 6 if the incident has five child incidents and one parent incident.

    Possible return types: Decimal, Floating Point Number, Large Whole Number, Whole Number
    subtract() Takes two number fields as input, subtracts the second from the first, and returns the result as a field value.

    This function also takes numerical values for either input. Place numerical values in single or double quotation marks.

    		 glidefunction:subtract(u_num1, u_num2)

    Returns 2 if num1 = 8 and num_2 = 6.

    Possible return types: Decimal, Floating Point Number, Large Whole Number, Whole Number
    multiply() Takes two number fields as input, performs the multiplication, and returns the results as a field value.

    This function also takes numerical values for either input. Place numerical values in single or double quotation marks.

    		 glidefunction:multiply(u_num1, u_num2)

    Returns 48 if num1 = 8 and num_2 = 6.

    Possible return types: Decimal, Floating Point Number, Large Whole Number, Whole Number
    divide() Takes two number fields as input, divides the first by the second, and returns the result as a field value.

    This function also takes numerical values for either input. Place numerical values in single or double quotation marks.

    		 glidefunction:divide(u_num2,u_num1)

    Returns 5 if num2 = 10 and num1 = 2.

    Possible return types: Decimal, Floating Point Number, Large Whole Number, Whole Number
    concat() Takes any number of comma-separated fields and constants as input, concatenates the input, and returns a single string as a field value. glidefunction:concat(incident_number, '/', short_description)

    Returns "INC0001 / My client needs a new laptop." if the value of the number field is 'INC0001' and the short_description is 'My client needs a new laptop'.

    Return type: Text
    datediff() Takes two date/time fields as input, calculates the difference between the dates in days, minutes, and seconds, and returns the results as a duration field value. glidefunction:datediff(closed_at, sys_created_on)

    Returns the duration of an incident from the creation date to the close date. Example result: 10 days, 8 hours 23 minutes 11 seconds

    Return type: Duration
    dayofweek() Takes two arguments: A date field and a constant of either '1' (week starts on Sunday) or '2' (week starts on Monday). Returns the results as an integer value that represents the day of the week.

    The dayofweek() function uses UTC dates, but adjusts comparison values based on the instance's time zone.

    		 glidefunction:dayofweek(resolved_at, '1').

    If resolved_at occurs on a Wednesday, returns 4 if the integer is 1 and returns 3 if the integer is 2.

    Return type: Whole number
    length() Takes a string field as input, calculates the field length in characters, and returns the results as a field value. glidefunction:length(short_description)

    Returns 37 if short_description = "This application is performing a test".

    Return type: Whole number
    coalesce() Takes any number of comma-separated fields as input and returns the first non-empty value. glidefunction:coalesce(closed_at, resolved_at, sys_updated_on)

    If the value of closed_at is empty, the function returns the value of resolved_at. If the value of resolved_at is also empty, the function returns the value of sys_updated_on.

    Return type: Text
    position() Takes two text fields or two text fields and a whole number as input. One or both of the text fields can also be strings.
    1. Returns the position of the first occurrence of the string of the first text field in the second.
    2. If a whole number is specified, this function returns the position of the second text field after the position of the whole number.

    Returns 0 if the first text field is not present in the second (after the position of the whole number if specified).
    • glidefunction:position('e',short_description)

      If the value of the short_description field is "This computer is performing an upgrade", returns 12.

    • glidefunction:position('e',short_description,'14')

      If the value of the short_description field is "This computer is performing an upgrade", returns 19.

    Return type: Whole number
    substring() Takes a text field and two whole numbers as input. Returns the first instance of a string that starts at the position of the first whole number and is the length of the second. glidefunction:substring(short_description, '7', '2')

    If the value of the short_description field is 'We're going to the store', returns 'go'.

    Return type: Text