User Records and Fields are fundamental components in ServiceNow that store and manage information about individuals who interact with the platform. Understanding these elements is essential for ServiceNow Certified System Administrators.
A User Record represents a single person within the Service…User Records and Fields are fundamental components in ServiceNow that store and manage information about individuals who interact with the platform. Understanding these elements is essential for ServiceNow Certified System Administrators.
A User Record represents a single person within the ServiceNow instance, whether they are employees, contractors, customers, or external users. Each user record contains various fields that capture essential information about that individual.
Key fields in User Records include:
**User ID**: A unique identifier used for login purposes. This field is mandatory and must be distinct across the instance.
**Name Fields**: First name, last name, and full name fields help identify users throughout the system.
**Email**: The primary email address used for notifications, password resets, and communication.
**Department**: Links the user to their organizational department for reporting and access control purposes.
**Manager**: References another user record, establishing reporting hierarchies within the organization.
**Location**: Identifies where the user is physically based, useful for asset management and service delivery.
**Title**: The users job title or position within the organization.
**Active**: A boolean field indicating whether the user account is currently active or has been deactivated.
**Roles**: Determines what permissions and access levels the user has within ServiceNow.
**Groups**: Collections of users that share common responsibilities or access requirements.
Administrators can customize user records by adding additional fields to meet organizational needs. User data can be populated manually, through imports, or synchronized from external directories like LDAP or Active Directory.
Proper management of user records ensures accurate assignment of tasks, appropriate access controls, and effective collaboration across teams. Maintaining clean user data is crucial for reporting accuracy, workflow automation, and overall system integrity within the ServiceNow environment.
User Records and Fields in ServiceNow
Why User Records and Fields Are Important
User records form the foundation of identity management in ServiceNow. They control who can access the platform, what they can see, and what actions they can perform. Understanding user records and fields is essential for system administration, security, and ensuring proper collaboration across your organization.
What Are User Records?
A user record in ServiceNow is a database entry in the sys_user table that contains all information about an individual who interacts with the platform. Each person who logs into ServiceNow has a corresponding user record that stores their personal details, organizational information, and system access credentials.
Key Fields in User Records
User records contain numerous fields, but the most important ones include:
• User ID - The unique login identifier for the user • First Name / Last Name - The user's name • Email - Primary email address for notifications and communications • Active - A boolean field indicating whether the account is enabled • Locked Out - Indicates if the user is temporarily prevented from logging in • Password - Encrypted authentication credential • Department - Reference to the department the user belongs to • Manager - Reference to the user's direct supervisor • Company - The organization the user is associated with • Location - Physical or assigned location • Title - Job title or position • Roles - Security roles assigned to the user • Groups - Related list showing group memberships • Time Zone - User's preferred time zone setting
How User Records Work
When a user is created in ServiceNow, the system generates a record in the sys_user table. This record serves multiple purposes:
1. Authentication - Validates user credentials during login 2. Authorization - Determines access through roles and groups 3. Assignment - Allows tasks, incidents, and other records to be assigned to users 4. Notification - Enables email and other communications 5. Reporting - Tracks user activity and workload
The Active Field
The Active field is particularly important. When set to false, the user cannot log into ServiceNow, but their record remains for historical reference. This is preferred over deleting user records, which would break referential integrity.
Reference Fields and Relationships
Many user fields are reference fields that link to other tables: • Manager references another user record • Department references the cmn_department table • Company references the core_company table • Location references the cmn_location table
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on User Records and Fields
1. Know the sys_user table - Questions often reference this table name specifically
2. Understand the Active field - Remember that deactivating users is preferred over deletion for maintaining data integrity
3. Recognize reference relationships - Be familiar with how Manager, Department, Company, and Location fields link to other tables
4. Distinguish between User ID and sys_id - User ID is the login name; sys_id is the unique 32-character system identifier
5. Remember Groups vs Roles - Groups organize users for assignment purposes; Roles grant permissions and access
6. Focus on security implications - Understand how the Locked Out field differs from the Active field
7. Read questions carefully - Look for keywords like 'login,' 'access,' or 'assignment' to determine which field or concept is being tested
8. Consider practical scenarios - When an employee leaves, you deactivate their record rather than delete it