--- sourceDocument: Yokohama ServiceNow AI Platform user interface sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/platform-user-interface Release : - yokohama ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Yokohama ServiceNow AI Platform user interface ft:clusterId : - platux bundleId : - platux workflow : - Platform --- # Comparing field values # Comparing field values {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Yokohama Updated January 30, 2025 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Comparing field values Field comparison in ServiceNow enables users to evaluate whether the values of two fields---either on the same table or related tables---are equal or fall within specified criteria. This feature is accessible through the condition builder and can be applied in list views and reports. It is particularly useful for comparing dates, such as planned versus actual start dates, or matching references like the Caller and Closed by fields on an incident. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Operators for Comparison:** * **is same:** True if two field values are identical. * **is different:** True if two field values differ. * **is less than / is more than:** For date fields, evaluates whether values fall within or outside a user-defined range. * **Choice List Comparison:** Compares the dictionary *Value* of choice fields, not their display labels. * **Empty Fields:** By default, filter operations exclude empty fields; to include these, explicitly add a condition with the *is empty* operator on the left operand. * **Operands and Field Type Matching:** The left operand's field type and selected operator determine the available right operand fields. For example, *is same* and *is different* require operands of the same type; *is less than* and *is more than* apply only to date fields. * **Supported Field Types:** Strings, choice, integer, boolean, reference fields (compares record references), and date/time fields. * **Date Field Comparisons:** Allows matching date components (hour, day, week, month, quarter, year) and evaluating if two dates fall within a specified range. Date comparisons respect the active user's time zone. ## Practical Application ServiceNow customers can use field comparison to create precise filters and reports that identify records based on relationships between fields. For example, to find incidents where the user who opened a record also closed it, or to analyze records created more than a certain number of months before closure. Date comparisons facilitate time-based analytics, enabling evaluations like whether two dates occur on the same day or within a certain number of weeks or months of each other. This helps in performance tracking, SLA compliance, and operational reporting. ## Important Considerations * Field comparison is not supported for journal, keyword, script, duration, list, or HTML fields. * Date comparison results depend on the user's time zone, which can affect filter outputs across different geographical locations. * When specifying ranges for date comparisons, numerical values must be integers up to two digits; for larger differences, use less granular time units (e.g., Months instead of Days). Field comparison allows users to evaluate equality between fields on the same table or on related tables by using operators in the condition builder. Also, you can compare date type fields to determine whether the values are within a certain range of each other. For example, you can compare the planned start date of a task to the actual start date. You can use field comparisons in a list view and to generate reports. The primary function of field comparison is evaluating whether two fields on a record or related record have identical values. For example, you can create a filter to display all incidents whose Caller field references the same user record as the Closed by field. ## Available operators Field comparison provides several filter operators for comparing field values. * \[is same\] if two field values are the same, evaluates to true. * \[is different\] if two field values are not the same, evaluates to true. * \[is less than\] if two date values are within a user-defined range of each other, evaluates to true. * \[is more than\] if two date values are not within a user-defined range of each other, evaluates to true. {#r_ComparingFieldValues__ul_imv_kd3_3p} ## Comparing choice list values Field comparison compares the dictionary Value field of a choice list, not the Label value. For example, a high priority incident has a priority value of 1, not 1 - High. To find the Value of a choice, right-click the field label and select Configure Dictionary. The Choices related list shows the Value for each choice. ## Comparing empty fields By default, most filter operations do not return empty fields in their result set. To include records with empty fields in a result set, add a filter condition for the left operand with an operator of \[is empty\]. For more information, see [Filtering on empty fields](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/SugMkIi6sZ1LnK5fzt8RcA "Most filter operations do not return empty fields in their result set. You can create a filter that displays records with an empty field value in addition to records that match the initial filter conditions."). ## Using operators and operands {#r_ComparingFieldValues__section_dzh_tby_r1b} When comparing fields, the two fields being compared are called the left operand and right operand. The type of field selected in the left operand, and the operator selected, determine which right operands are available. When using the \[is same\] or \[is different\] operators, the right operand choices include only fields of the same field type, such as String or Integer, as the left operand. For example, a filter on the Task \[task\] table with a left operand of \[Opened by\] and an operator of \[is same\], only allows you to choose user reference fields, such as the \[Closed by\] field, in the right operand. The \[is more than\] and \[is less than\] operators are only available with date type fields. This example filter returns records where the user who opened the record also closed the record.Figure 1. Example filter ## Comparable fields {#r_ComparingFieldValues__section_obd_yby_r1b} Field comparison supports the comparison of several fields. The fields that are comparable include the following types: * String, choice, integer, and boolean fields: Return true if both values match. * Reference fields: Return true if both reference fields refer to the same record. * Date and time fields: Can match date values based on hour, day, week, month, quarter, or year. Also, you can evaluate whether two dates fall within a certain range of each other. {#r_ComparingFieldValues__ul_fb4_zzh_3p} Note: Field comparison does not support journal, keyword, script, duration, list, or HTML fields. ## Comparing dates {#r_ComparingFieldValues__section_xkj_fcy_r1b} Date comparison allows you to evaluate equality between two components of the date, such as the hour of the day or the date within a month. Also, you can evaluate if two dates fall within a certain range of each other. Date comparisons are based on the active user's time zone. For example, as a user in the PST time zone, a filter of \[Created\] \[is same\] \[Day\] as \[Closed\] evaluates true for an incident created at 6 AM PST and closed at 3:00 PM PST as both times are within the same day. However, a user in the GMT time zone would not see this same incident record in response to the example filter; in GMT those times do not fall on the same date. You can [Evaluate equality between date values](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_wjQrLkQs7hyZQqehLkNJQ "Date comparison evaluates a match for one of several date increments.") and you can evaluate unequal dates within a range. ## Evaluate unequal dates within a range {#r_ComparingFieldValues__section_rdw_fdy_r1b} You can compare unequal date field values by evaluating whether two dates fall within a certain range of each other. For example, you can create a filter of \[Created on\] \[is more than\] \[3\] \[Months\] \[before\] Closed\] to display all records that were created at least three months before they were closed. The numerical value specified, such as the value 3 in the example, must be an integer of no more than two digits. For evaluations of differences larger than 99 units, select a less granular unit of time, such as Months instead of Days.Figure 2. Unequal dates field comparison {#r_ComparingFieldValues__table_xrz_3k3_3p__entry__2} | Choice field | Date Comparison Choices | |-|-| | Operator | is more than, is less than | | Unit of time | Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Quarters, Years | | Relative position of dates | before, after, before or after | [Table 1. Choice field date comparison choices] {#r_ComparingFieldValues__table_xrz_3k3_3p} * **[Evaluate equality between date values](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_wjQrLkQs7hyZQqehLkNJQ)** Date comparison evaluates a match for one of several date increments. **Related concepts** * [Values for date/time fields](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/7YRmccDcWLChjDhN7dBmWQ#c_ValuesForDateTimeFields "When you filter on fields of type date/time, such as the Created field on any task record, several time-related options are available, such as Today, This week, Last 3 months, and so on.") **Related tasks** * [Filtering on empty fields](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/SugMkIi6sZ1LnK5fzt8RcA "Most filter operations do not return empty fields in their result set. You can create a filter that displays records with an empty field value in addition to records that match the initial filter conditions.")