List Enhancements

Most features for lists also work on related lists and embedded lists on forms.

You can navigate to any table list using slash commands. For example, use /incident to navigate to the incident table (trigger slash commands with CTRL-/, ALT-/, or CMD-/).

View / Edit Encoded Query

There are three ways to open the encoded-query editor:

• Double-click the breadcrumb area — the whitespace or one of the crumbs
• Click the filter button that SN Utils adds next to the list-header hamburger
• Choose Edit encoded query… from the table-name popover

The query includes the list's active ORDERBY or ORDERBYDESC sorting, and any GROUPBY.

You can paste an encoded query like:

caller_id.nameSTARTSWITHfred^caller_id=5137153cc611227c000bbd1bd8cd2005^priority=1^state=3^ORDERBYDESCnumber

Replace the existing query and click Apply query (or press CTRL/CMD+Enter). The new filter is applied immediately. Split lines puts each clause on its own line for long queries, Reset restores the query the editor opened with, and Cancel leaves the list untouched.

In the Split lines view, Pro users can reorder the clauses: each condition becomes its own row — drag a row by its handle, or move the focused row with Alt/⌥+↑ and Alt/⌥+↓. Typing in the empty Add condition… row at the bottom appends a new clause (and a fresh empty row appears below it). OR and NQ clauses are badged so query structure stays visible, and the active sorting and grouping stay pinned below the list. Switching back to Single line returns to the plain text view.

Pro, Trial, and Enterprise users also get a compact Pro actions row:

• Script builder — preview and configure a read, update or count script for the current query, generated from your own list-query snippet template, with a live count of matching records
• REST URL — copy the Table API URL with the list columns as sysparm_fields
• New slash command — save this list as a reusable slash command, like /newcmd
• Related data — find records in other tables that reference the records matching this query

The Free plan keeps the complete query editor and shows a trial or official-build option when Unlock Pro query tools is selected.

Use cases:

• Test encoded queries you find in documentation or code
• Build an encoded query in the list, then copy it for use in scripts or condition fields

Expanding Complex Filters

When you have OR conditions or complex filters, the search bar may be hidden and the icon to show it disabled.

SN Utils adds an icon behind each field name that lets you add an AND condition for that field.

After clicking the icon:

1. The filter gets pinned
2. A placeholder for the field is added
3. You can easily adjust and dot-walk to create complex filters

Inject Missing Filter Operators

Some field types in the filter builder don't expose every operator that the ServiceNow platform actually supports — for example contains (LIKE) on numeric fields, or is one of on string fields.

CTRL/CMD-click the operator dropdown in any condition row to inject the missing operators on the spot:

• [SN Utils] contains (LIKE)
• [SN Utils] does not contain (NOT LIKE)
• [SN Utils] is one of (IN)
• [SN Utils] is not one of (NOT IN)

The injected operators behave exactly like their built-in counterparts when the filter is applied. They are added per-dropdown on click, so they don't pollute every filter row by default.

Switch to Application Scope from a List

Right-click a cell that links to an application, like the Application column on Update Sets or Customer Updates, and the list context menu gets a Switch to Application Scope entry.

Selecting it sets your current application to that scope and reloads the page, saving the round trip through the application picker. It works on any list cell that links to an application record, including the name column on the Applications list itself, in classic lists (UI16 and the Polaris backstage). As with the picker, switching scope requires a role that is allowed to change the current application.

This entry is a built-in Command Automation that is on by default: you can scope it to specific instances or switch it off under Settings → Commands → Automations, and with Pro you can add your own right-click menu actions the same way.

Quick Add Fields

As an admin or developer, you often need to see who created or edited records and when. These fields aren't always on default lists.

Click the insert button added by SN Utils to quickly add common fields like Created, Updated, Created by, Updated by, and Scope.

The fields to add are configurable in the Settings tab of the Manage page.

Copy Cells and Copy Column

Select one or more cells in a list, then use the /copycells command to copy the text of selected cells.

ServiceNow's native list lets you select cells within a single column at a time, so /copycells always produces a one-per-line list of values from that column.

/copycolumn — copies every non-empty value in the column where a cell is selected, even if only one cell is highlighted. Use /copycolumn -s for sys_ids instead of display values.

Cell Select / Copy Mode

ServiceNow opens its inline editor on a single click in a list cell. Cell Select / Copy Mode flips that around so a click copies the cell instead — handy for grabbing values without accidentally editing the record.

Click the Cell Select / Copy Mode icon next to the personalize-list gear to toggle the mode on. While it's on, ServiceNow's single-click inline editor stays out of the way, clicking a reference link no longer navigates away, and you can still drag across a cell to select its text by hand (an active text selection won't trigger a copy).

Free — click any cell to copy its value straight to the clipboard (the cell flashes to confirm), or drag to select text by hand — inside a single cell or across several — and copy just that with your normal copy shortcut. Press Esc to turn the mode off. The copy confirmation also shows what Pro adds and stays visible long enough to use the upgrade link (trial for official builds, installation guidance for the unpacked GitHub edition); when a list value reaches ServiceNow's 1000-character limit, it specifically explains that Pro can fetch the full content.

Pro / Trial / Enterprise — the mode grows into a full multi-cell picker with a floating toolbar:

• Click cells to add or remove them from a selection — picked cells stay highlighted.
• Drag across cells to rubber-band a rectangular range in one gesture (drag within a single cell still selects its text).
• Click a column header to pick (or unpick) that column across all visible rows at once. Click individual cells when you only want specific rows.
• Pick the output format — TSV (default, pastes into Excel as columns), CSV, Pipe, or Markdown — tick Header to prepend column labels, and sys_id to add a <field> - sys_id column next to each picked column. Reference fields give the referenced record's sys_id, the record-link column gives the row's own sys_id, and plain values stay blank.
• When a selected value was truncated by ServiceNow at 1000 characters, Cell Select automatically fetches the complete field value. A small, subtle download icon at the right edge of the selected cell marks that its full content is ready without changing the cell text. The toolbar briefly confirms Full content ready in an animated row below the controls; if preparation takes a moment, that row first shows Preparing selected text…. After copying, the same row confirms when full content from long cells was included, or warns that some text may be incomplete.
• Tick Links to keep values that show as hyperlinks in the list (like a task.number reference) clickable when you paste into a rich-text destination (Excel, Word, Outlook, Google Docs). Markdown output writes them as [text](url); plain-text targets still get the values.
• Copy assembles your picks into a row × column grid (aligned by column position) and writes it to the clipboard. When the mode opens, the toolbar status row shows the shortcut for your OS (Ctrl+C on Windows/Linux or ⌘C on macOS) and keeps that hint visible while you pick cells. A manually selected piece of text or focused form field keeps the browser's normal copy behavior. Clear drops the cell selection.
• Press Esc to clear the current selection; press Esc again (with nothing selected) to turn the mode off. If the ⋯ menu is open, Esc closes that menu first.
• The ⋯ menu has bulk actions — Select all cells and Invert selection — plus Fetch complete long values automatically, which is enabled by default.
• The toolbar is draggable by its title, and the × turns the mode off.

/copycolumns opens this same Pro toolbar from the slash palette — useful on records with related / embedded lists.

Targets classic UI16 list2 views (including related and embedded lists on forms). Polaris / Workspace list views inside macroponent shadow roots are not yet wired up.

Linkify Lists

In tables like sys_update_xml, SN Utils generates clickable links to target records from the list.

The name column becomes clickable (except for deleted records). This lets you navigate directly to the target record without opening the update record first.

Similar linking happens in log messages - when a table.sys_id pattern is found, it creates a link to that record. Try /log .script to see examples.

Technical Names Basics

Technical Names is one of the most popular features. Toggle it using:

• Slash command /tn
• Double-click whitespace below the list
• Checkbox in the Settings tab
• Extension shortcut (default CTRL/CMD-2)
• InstanceTag play button click

When enabled:

1. Table name appears next to the Table label
2. Field names appear next to Field labels (easy to identify dot-walked fields)
3. Same for field names in list columns

Run /tn again to toggle off.

Technical Names - Advanced Features

In the personalize list columns modal (click the cog icon), Technical Names unlocks additional features:

1. Trigger /tn to make the popup larger
2. Filter shown when there are 20+ options
3. Add dot-walked fields by clicking a field on the right, then typing the path (e.g., caller_id.manager) and pressing Enter
4. Quick link to add the Sys ID column

Browse Dotwalked Fields Pro

Next to the dot-walk box is a Browse dotwalked fields button that opens a field browser for the current table. Click a field to add it as a column, and click it again to take it back out; a tick marks everything that is already selected. Use the › on a reference field to step into the table it points at, up to four levels deep, so a path like caller_id.location.country can be assembled without typing it. Drag the browser by its header to move it out of the way, and it stays where you put it as you drill deeper.

Removing a plain field puts it back in the available list on the left. A dot-walked path is simply dropped, since it was never in that list to begin with.

Without Pro or an active trial the button is still there, dimmed, and clicking it offers the trial. The manual dot-walk box, the field filter and the Sys ID link above it are free.

Adding Child Table Columns with ref_

When working with parent tables (like task), you can add columns from child tables using the ref_ prefix. This lets you display child-specific fields on a parent table list without switching tables.

Syntax: ref_<child_table>.<field_name>

Examples on the Task table:

To add these columns:

1. Open the personalize columns modal (cog icon)
2. Enable Technical Names (/tn)
3. In the dot-walk field, type the ref_ path (e.g., ref_incident.caller_id)
4. Press Enter to add the column

This is particularly useful for building unified dashboards across task types or creating reports that span multiple child tables.

Shareable List Column URLs

Share your list column layout with other SN Utils users via a portable URL. This makes it easy to standardize list views across your team or carry column layouts between instances.

Copy a List Column URL

1. Open the personalize columns modal (cog icon) on any list
2. Arrange the columns in the right slushbucket as desired
3. Click the [SN Utils] Copy Personalize List URL link added by SN Utils below the selected fields

SN Utils reads the selected columns and the current view, then copies a portable URL to your clipboard. The snuparm_fields value preserves the order of fields as they appear in the selected-columns list (top to bottom), including on Washington / newer personalize dialogs that use a different control id than classic #slush_right.

/incident_list.do?snuparm_fields=number,short_description,priority,assigned_to,state&sysparm_view=default

The URL is relative (no hostname), so it works on any ServiceNow instance with the same table. Click (include instance URL) to copy the full URL including the instance hostname.

Apply Columns from a URL

When you open a list URL that contains snuparm_fields, SN Utils shows a confirmation modal with a side-by-side diff of your current columns vs. the proposed columns. Removed fields are highlighted in red, added fields in green.

• Click Apply Columns to set the new column layout on your list
• Click Cancel to keep your current columns

If the columns in the URL already match your current list, no modal is shown. The snuparm_fields parameter is automatically removed from the URL after you make your choice.

Use in Slash Commands

You can use snuparm_fields URLs as custom slash commands. Create a custom command in Manage Settings with a URL like:

incident_list.do?sysparm_query=active=true^priority=1&snuparm_fields=number,short_description,caller_id,assigned_to,state

This combines a filter with a column layout in a single command. When the column confirmation modal appears, click Apply to set the columns.