When working with ServiceNow, you may often encounter situations where you have a sys_id value but need to display the corresponding human-readable value. This can be particularly useful when building UI components or reports. Luckily, ServiceNow provides a simple way to retrieve the display value from a sys_id using a GlideRecord query. Here’s how you can do it:
Steps to get display value from sys_id in ServiceNow:
- Step 1: Create a new GlideRecord object for the table where the sys_id resides.
- Step 2: Add a query condition to find the record with the specific sys_id.
- Step 3: Use the getDisplayValue() method on the field to retrieve the human-readable value.
By following these steps, you can easily retrieve the display value associated with a sys_id in ServiceNow and use it in your applications.
FAQs on retrieving display value from sys_id in ServiceNow:
1. Can I use getDisplayValue() on any field in ServiceNow?
No, the getDisplayValue() method can only be used on reference fields in ServiceNow to retrieve the corresponding display value.
2. How can I determine if a field is a reference field in ServiceNow?
You can check if a field is a reference field by looking at its dictionary entry in ServiceNow. Reference fields will have a reference table specified.
3. What happens if the sys_id does not exist in the table?
If the sys_id does not exist in the table, the getDisplayValue() method will return null.
4. Can I retrieve multiple display values for a list of sys_ids?
Yes, you can loop through a list of sys_ids and retrieve their display values using the getDisplayValue() method for each sys_id.
5. Is there a performance impact when using getDisplayValue() method?
Using the getDisplayValue() method is efficient as it directly queries the database for the display value associated with the sys_id.
6. Can I use getDisplayValue() in client-side scripts in ServiceNow?
Yes, you can use getDisplayValue() in client-side scripts to retrieve display values for sys_ids in ServiceNow.
7. Can I customize the display value returned by getDisplayValue() method?
By default, the getDisplayValue() method returns the display value as stored in the reference field’s display value field. You can customize this display value through field configurations in ServiceNow.
8. Is there an alternative method to retrieve display values from sys_ids in ServiceNow?
While the getDisplayValue() method is the most straightforward way to retrieve display values from sys_ids, you can also use a GlideRecord query to fetch the entire record and then extract the display value.
9. Can I use getDisplayValue() in business rules or UI policies in ServiceNow?
Yes, you can use the getDisplayValue() method in business rules, UI policies, or any other server-side scripts in ServiceNow.
10. What should I do if the reference field’s display value is empty?
If the reference field’s display value is empty, the getDisplayValue() method will return an empty string.
11. Can I retrieve display values from multiple reference fields in a single query?
Yes, you can retrieve display values from multiple reference fields by creating separate GlideRecord queries for each field.
12. Is there a way to cache display values retrieved using getDisplayValue() method?
While there is no built-in caching mechanism for display values retrieved using getDisplayValue(), you can implement your caching strategy to optimize performance.
By leveraging ServiceNow’s getDisplayValue() method, you can easily retrieve display values from sys_ids and enhance the user experience of your applications.