Adding a Work Notes Journal Field with a Post Button to a Custom ServiceNow Form

When managing records in ServiceNow, maintaining clear, detailed, and timely communication between team members is essential. A common tool used for this purpose is the Work Notes journal field, which provides a convenient method to track internal communications without revealing details externally to end users.

However, some administrators face challenges adding this functionality—especially the familiar "Post" button—to custom forms or tables that do not extend standard ServiceNow tables. This article addresses that exact issue. You'll learn the correct approach to adding a Work Notes journal input field with a working Post button, understand typical issues that arise, and find verified solutions to resolve them.

How to Properly Add a Work Notes Journal Field with Post Button to Your Custom Form

Common Issue Explained

Typically, after adding a journal input field directly through form layout or form designer, administrators discover that the "Post" button and corresponding activity log updates do not automatically appear or function as expected. While the field itself may show on the form, entries are not saved to the activity stream, or the Post button might be missing entirely.

This issue commonly occurs because simply adding a journal input field is not enough; additional configurations must be in place to enable the full functionality of the Work Notes and activity logging.

Verified Step-by-Step Solution

To effectively enable the Work Notes journal field functionality, follow these clear, verified steps:

Step 1: Create a Journal Input Field

• Navigate to your custom table within ServiceNow.

• Open the Form Designer or Form Layout and create a new field.

• Set the type of the new field as "Journal Input".

• Provide an intuitive name like "Work Notes" for easier reference.

  
  

Step 2: Configure the Activity Stream

• From the form configuration options, add the "Activities (filtered)" formatter to your form.

• This ensures the activity stream becomes visible beneath the Work Notes field.

  
  

Step 3: Adjust Activity Stream Field Visibility

• After adding "Activities (filtered)", open the activity stream by clicking the filter icon (gear icon) next to it.

• Select the option "Configure available fields".

• Ensure your newly created journal input field (e.g., "Work Notes") is moved from the available fields (left column) to selected fields (right column).

• Save your configuration. This step makes the "Post" button appear correctly alongside the journal field.

  
  

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Even after following these steps, some users report their activity streams remain empty or do not immediately update upon posting. If you encounter this issue:

• Unselect your custom field from the activity stream configuration, save, and then re-select it. This action refreshes the activity formatter and usually resolves display issues.

• Verify that auditing is enabled on your custom table. Navigate to "System Definition" > "Dictionary", search for your table, and ensure the "Audit" checkbox is selected. Without auditing enabled, the system cannot track and display changes accurately.

  
  

Alternative Solutions & Considerations

For certain complex customizations—especially within the CMDB or workspace applications—additional system property configurations may be required. For instance, when working with Configuration Item forms (like cmdb_ci_computer):

• Navigate to system properties (sys_properties.list).

• Find or create a property that matches the naming convention: "glide.ui.activity.fields".

• Append your custom journal fields (e.g., "u_custom_notes") to the property value, separated by commas.

• Save your changes, and your activity stream will correctly capture your new journal input.

  
  

While the solution provided initially covers most custom form use-cases, this alternative ensures compatibility with specialized forms and workspaces.

Conclusion

Effectively adding a Work Notes journal field with a functioning Post button to a custom ServiceNow form requires more than simply inserting a new field. The field must be correctly linked to the activity stream, auditing must be enabled, and visibility settings properly adjusted.

Follow the outlined steps carefully:

• Create and configure the journal input field.

• Enable and configure the Activities (filtered) formatter.

• Ensure auditing is activated.

• Adjust activity stream visibility settings appropriately.

  
  

By completing these steps, you'll enjoy clear, efficient internal communication, streamlined collaboration, and a robust audit trail within your ServiceNow forms. For continued improvements, regularly review ServiceNow documentation and update your knowledge of system property configurations as ServiceNow continues to evolve.

With these insights, administrators and developers can confidently customize forms to suit their organization's specific collaboration needs.