Tailoring the User Experience: Checking the View Name in ServiceNow Client Scripts

In the world of ServiceNow development, creating a user-friendly and context-aware experience is often a key requirement. One way to achieve this is by customizing the behavior of forms based on the specific view the user is currently using. For instance, you might want to display certain fields or enforce specific validations only when a user is accessing a record through the Self-Service portal versus the standard platform UI. This article will guide you on how to accurately determine the current view name within a ServiceNow client script, allowing you to implement such view-specific logic effectively.

Why Check the View Name in a ServiceNow Client Script?

ServiceNow offers different interfaces, or views, to cater to various user roles and access methods. The standard platform UI, the Self-Service portal, and mobile interfaces are common examples. There are scenarios where you need your client-side scripts to behave differently depending on which view the user is interacting with.

This could involve:

• Showing or hiding specific fields.

• Setting default values relevant to a particular user group or interface.

• Applying unique validations based on the context of the view.

• Modifying the user interface elements to optimize the experience for different screen sizes or user roles.

To implement such dynamic behavior, your client script first needs to identify the name of the currently active view.

The Reliable Method: Using g_form.getViewName()

ServiceNow provides a straightforward and reliable client-side function to retrieve the name of the current view: g_form.getViewName(). This function returns the system name of the view in which the form is currently being displayed.

How to Use It:

You can call this function within any client-side script, such as an onLoad script (to execute logic when the form first loads) or an onChange script (to react to changes in field values).

Here's a basic example of how to use g_form.getViewName() in an onLoad client script:

function onLoad() {
    // Get the name of the current view
    var currentView = g_form.getViewName();

    // Check if the view name matches a specific view (e.g., 'ess' for Self-Service)
    if (currentView == 'ess') {
        // Perform actions specific to the Self-Service view
        g_form.setValue('state', '2'); 
	   // Example: Set the state field to 'Active'
    } else {
        // Perform actions for other views if needed
        g_form.setMandatory('some_field', true);
    }
}

In this example, the script checks if the currentView variable is equal to 'ess', which is a common system name for the Self-Service view. If it is, it sets the 'state' field to '2' (assuming '2' represents 'Active').

Identifying the Correct View Name

It's crucial to use the system name of the view in your script, not just the label that users see. The system name is a unique identifier for the view within ServiceNow. To find the system name of a view:

1. Navigate to System UI > Views.

2. Locate the view you are interested in (for example, "Self Service").

3. The value in the Name column for that view is the system name you should use in your g_form.getViewName() comparison within your client script. For the standard Self-Service portal, this name is often ess.

Tip for Verification:

During development, you can temporarily add an console.log() to your client script to display the current view name:

function onLoad() {
    var currentView = g_form.getViewName();
    console.log('Current View Name: ' + currentView);
    // Your other logic here
}

This will show you the exact system name of the view when you load the form in different interfaces, helping you ensure your conditional logic is based on the correct view names.

Practical Use Cases for View-Specific Client Scripts

The ability to check the view name in a client script opens up various possibilities for tailoring the user experience:

• Self-Service Portal Customizations: You can hide complex or internal fields from end-users accessing the system through the Self-Service portal while still making them available to IT staff in the standard UI.

• Mobile Optimization: You can adjust the layout or behavior of forms specifically for users accessing ServiceNow on mobile devices.

• Role-Based Views: If you have different views configured for specific user roles, you can use client scripts to further customize the form based on the view being used by that role.

Conclusion: Enhancing ServiceNow Forms with View Awareness

By leveraging the g_form.getViewName() function in your ServiceNow client scripts, you gain the power to create more dynamic and user-centric forms. This allows you to tailor the user experience based on the specific interface they are using, ensuring that the right information is presented at the right time and in the most appropriate format. Remember to always use the system name of the view for accurate comparisons and to test your scripts thoroughly in different views to ensure they function as expected.