Workflow Automation CoE > Decision Tables > Getting Started with Decision Builder

What are Decision Tables?

Decision Tables decouple conditional logic from your flows and scripts into business decisions that can be edited in an intuitive interface or exported to, edited in, and imported from MS Excel. This grants process managers the option to edit decisions without needing to touch, commit, and deploy other business logic like flows. Decisions are available directly from flows or any script field on the Now Platform® and can drive your logic and replace complex if-then-else or case/switch constructs for better readability and maintenance.

Who can use Decision Tables?

Decision Tables are available for all levels of developers, including no- and low-coders. When working with Decision Tables, it’s important to consider who will be creating and maintaining the decisions.

For no- and low-coders, decision inputs can be kept simple (String, Decimal, Choice, etc.), while developers who are more experienced can use reference tables as inputs and build conditions based on multiple fields from the same table. This makes it faster to call the decision from flows or scripts later because it requires fewer inputs and you don’t risk asking for data that is not present on that table.

Further along the developer spectrum, you may want to include business process owners who don’t work in ServiceNow at all. Your developers will collect their decision requirements, set up the decision table with inputs, condition columns, and result columns, then export the decision table to Excel, allowing the decision owners to maintain and edit the decisions to be re-imported by the ServiceNow developer later.

How do I get started with Decision Tables?

Decision Tables are available in Workflow Studio for all customers. We recommend to check the Application Manager for the latest version and upgrade regularly.

Step 1: Documentation	Step 2: Training	Step 3: Guidance & Best Practices	Step 4: Further Resources

Step 1: Documentation

To familiarize yourself with the complete spectrum of Decision Tables features and the newest enhancements in a given release, ServiceNow Docs is the place to go.

Decision Tables in Workflow Studio Docs

Release Highlights

Xanadu

Decision tables in Workflow Studio release notes

• Create a decision table inline while authoring a flow or subflow in Workflow Studio.
• Use decision tables directly in your playbooks in Workflow Studio. Add the Make a Decision - First
• Match activity with inputs from your playbook to manage complex decisions.
• In large decision tables, scroll within the table to see more rows.
• Rank the order in which decision rows are read in your table, and reorder rows as needed.

Washington DC

Decision Tables in Workflow Studio Washington DC Release Notes

• Decision Builder is now integrated into Workflow Studio. Access Decision Builder alongside other powerful tools such as Flow Designer and Playbooks to seamlessly integrate decision tables with workflows.
• Duplicate full decision tables under 300 rows or just the decision table structure (inputs and columns) for larger decision tables.
• Execute the decision table from any script and make it easier to replace hard-coded logic with decisions by inserting decision table code snippets copied from Decision Builder.
• Save time and effort writing decision rules by strategically duplicating rows of your decision table.
• View and access related objects that your decision tables are used in.

Vancouver

Decision Builder Vancouver Release Notes

• Test a decision table's function in Decision Builder to make sure it returns the results you expect.
• Edit decision tables even after they've been published by enabling draft authoring on decision tables.
• Simplify reference conditions and results by applying reference filters to inputs and result columns.
• Manage business logic with decision tables across a wider set of contexts with support for the Duration field type in result columns.
• Use Excel to manage complicated or large decision tables even when decision tables contain decisions with complex logic.

Step 2: Training

Now Learning Training

We currently don't have a dedicated Now Learning course for Decision Builder, but it's definitely recommended to start with learning how to use Flow Designer.

CoE/Training

Knowledge

CreatorCon is a special program of sessions and training that runs every year during our Knowledge conference. Every year, we get access to new great presentations and courses about our Workflow Automation Products.

Developer Program

Next, request a Personal Developer Instance (PDI) to practice what you learned.

Step 3: Guidance and Best Practices

Whether you’re a first-time implementer or an experienced developer, if you’re only just starting to use the Workflow Automation products, or are looking to migrate off your legacy tech stack, the following resources will help you understand how to best approach using Decision Builder.

Center of Excellence

CoE/Decision Builder Best Practices

CoE/Running subflows dynamically with Decisions

CoE/Make Decisions from Script

CoE/Securing Workflow Automation Products

FAQ

CoE/Decision Tables FAQ

Platform Academy

Nov 11th, 2021 - Getting Started with Decision Builder

April 23th, 2023 - Updates on Decision Builder

November 8th, 2023 - Securing Workflow Automation Products

Workflow Academy

March 14th, 2024 - Decisions in Service Catalog Flows

NEW: June 13th, 2024 - Getting Started with Decision Tables in 2024

Whitepaper

Decision Builder - System Administrator Guide

Step 4: Further Resources

Developer Program

In addition to PDIs and courses, the developer program publishes blogs, podcasts, and videos about our Workflow Automation products.

Creator Toolbox | Decision Builder Testing and Publishing in Vancouver

Live Coding Happy Hour | Decision Table APIs in Utah

Creator Toolbox | Decision Builder

Live Coding Happy Hour | Decision Builder in San Diego

Community Content

Our greatest asset is YOU. Our ServiceNow community has a wide array of amazing ServiceNow developers, practitioners, admins, and content creators. Thank you!

Article: Validate Decision Table result values using Instance Scan (Author: Mark Roethof, Release: Rome)

Platform: Decision Management || Knowledge & Troubleshooting Resources (Author: Maik Skoddow, Release: San Diego)

Article: Populate Service Catalog Variable Choices from a Decision Table (Author: Laszlo Balla, Release: Vancouver)

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