User Preferences and Personalization in ServiceNow allow administrators and end-users to customize their experience within the platform, enhancing productivity and user satisfaction. These settings enable individuals to tailor the interface according to their specific needs and working styles.
Use…User Preferences and Personalization in ServiceNow allow administrators and end-users to customize their experience within the platform, enhancing productivity and user satisfaction. These settings enable individuals to tailor the interface according to their specific needs and working styles.
User Preferences encompass various configurable options that control how information is displayed and how the system behaves for each user. Key preference areas include:
**Display Settings**: Users can modify date and time formats, number formats, and timezone settings to match their regional requirements. This ensures data appears in familiar formats across all modules.
**Homepage Configuration**: Users can personalize their homepage by adding, removing, or rearranging gauges, reports, and content blocks. This creates a dashboard that highlights the most relevant information for their role.
**List and Form Preferences**: Users can configure default list views, set the number of records displayed per page, and customize form layouts. Column arrangements, field visibility, and related list preferences can be adjusted to streamline daily tasks.
**Notification Preferences**: Email notification settings allow users to control which system-generated emails they receive, reducing inbox clutter while ensuring critical communications reach them.
**Theme and Accessibility**: ServiceNow offers theme options and accessibility features that users can enable based on visual preferences or accessibility requirements.
Administrators access these settings through the gear icon or by navigating to System Settings. Changes can be made at the user level or system-wide by administrators with appropriate roles.
Personalization extends beyond preferences to include features like favorites, which allow quick access to frequently used modules, and history tracking that remembers recently viewed records.
For System Administrators, understanding these customization options is essential for supporting users and configuring appropriate default settings that align with organizational standards while still permitting individual flexibility.
User Preferences and Personalization in ServiceNow
Why User Preferences and Personalization Matter
User preferences and personalization are essential components of the ServiceNow platform because they allow individual users to customize their experience according to their specific needs and workflows. This increases productivity, improves user adoption, and creates a more efficient working environment. Understanding these features is crucial for the CSA exam as they demonstrate how ServiceNow accommodates diverse user requirements.
What Are User Preferences?
User preferences are individual settings that control how the ServiceNow interface behaves for a specific user. These settings are stored in the sys_user_preference table and override system-level defaults. Common user preferences include:
• Time zone settings - Controls how dates and times are displayed • Date format - Determines the format for displaying dates • List page size - Sets the number of records shown per page in lists • Homepage - Defines which page loads upon login • Language preference - Sets the preferred language for the interface • Notification settings - Controls email and push notification behavior
How User Preferences Work
User preferences follow a specific hierarchy in ServiceNow:
1. User-level preferences take the highest priority 2. Group-level preferences apply when no user preference exists 3. System-level defaults apply when neither user nor group preferences exist
Users can access their preferences through the System Settings gear icon in the banner frame or by navigating to Self-Service > My Profile. Administrators can also set preferences on behalf of users through the user record.
Personalization Features
Personalization extends beyond basic preferences and includes:
• List Personalization - Users can add, remove, or reorder columns in list views • Form Personalization - Users can personalize form layouts and field arrangements • Homepage Personalization - Users can add, remove, or rearrange dashboard widgets • Favorites - Users can bookmark frequently accessed modules and records • History - The system tracks recently viewed records for quick access
Key System Settings Panel Options
The System Settings panel (gear icon) provides access to:
• General - Accessibility, date/time format, and compact user interface toggle • Theme - UI color schemes and appearance settings • Lists - Default list behavior and display options • Forms - Form-related display preferences • Notifications - Email and system notification settings • Developer - Application scope and update set preferences (for developers)
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on User Preferences and Personalization
Tip 1: Know the Hierarchy Remember that user preferences override group preferences, which override system defaults. Questions often test your understanding of which setting takes precedence.
Tip 2: Understand Access Points Be familiar with the multiple ways users can access preferences: the gear icon, My Profile, and user record. Exam questions may ask about the location of specific settings.
Tip 3: Distinguish Between Preferences and Personalization Preferences are system behavior settings, while personalization refers to layout and display customizations. Know the difference for scenario-based questions.
Tip 4: Remember the sys_user_preference Table This table stores user preferences. Questions about where preferences are stored or how administrators manage them often reference this table.
Tip 5: Focus on Common Settings Time zone, date format, homepage, and list settings are frequently tested. Understand what each controls and where to configure them.
Tip 6: Know Personalization Scope List and form personalizations apply only to the user who created them unless an administrator uses the personalization feature to apply changes more broadly.
Tip 7: Read Questions Carefully Pay attention to whether questions ask about user-level settings, system-level defaults, or administrator capabilities. The correct answer often depends on the specific context provided.