Decoding Dashboard Access in ServiceNow: Resolving the "Report View ACLs" Error for Knowledge Articles

ServiceNow dashboards are powerful tools for visualizing key performance indicators and gaining insights into your organization's processes. Often, these dashboards include widgets that display data from various ServiceNow modules, including the Knowledge Base. However, you might encounter a situation where certain users, despite having access to the dashboard itself, are unable to view specific widgets, particularly those displaying statistics related to Knowledge Articles. The error message "Access to this content denied based on report_view ACLs" is a common indicator of this issue. This article will shed light on why this error occurs and provide clear steps to resolve it, ensuring that the right users can access the Knowledge insights they need within your ServiceNow environment.

The "Access to this content denied based on report_view ACLs" error message signifies that a user is attempting to view a report (which underlies the dashboard widget) but lacks the necessary permissions as defined by Access Control Lists (ACLs) specifically for viewing reports. When this happens for widgets displaying Knowledge Article statistics, it usually points to ACL restrictions on the tables containing this data, most likely the kb_knowledge table or a related table from which the report is built.

Understanding the Root Cause: Access Control Lists (ACLs)

In ServiceNow, ACLs are security rules that control which users or groups have permission to access and interact with different parts of the platform, including data records, UI elements, and, in this case, reports. When a user tries to view a report, the system checks if there are any active "report_view" ACLs that apply to the underlying table. If such ACLs exist and the user does not meet the conditions specified in those ACLs (typically requiring specific roles), access will be denied.

Troubleshooting and Solutions

To resolve this "report_view ACLs" error for Knowledge Article dashboard widgets, you need to examine and potentially adjust the relevant ACLs or the roles assigned to your users. Here are the steps you can take:

Solution 1: Reviewing and Adjusting the "report_view" ACLs:

1. Navigate to Access Control Lists: In your ServiceNow instance, type "ACL" in the navigation filter and select System Security > Access Control (ACLs).

2. Filter for Relevant ACLs: On the Access Control list page, use the filters to narrow down the results. You'll want to look for ACLs that meet the following criteria:

   • Operation: Set this to report_view.

   • Table: Search for KB Knowledge or the specific table name that the Knowledge Article statistics report is based on. You might also need to check ACLs on tables related to Knowledge Base statistics.

3. Examine the Required Roles: Once you find the relevant "report_view" ACL record(s), open them. Look at the Requires role field. This field specifies the ServiceNow roles that a user must possess to pass this ACL and be allowed to view reports based on the associated table.

4. Determine the Necessary Roles: Identify the roles listed in the Requires role field. These are the roles that are currently preventing your non-admin users from seeing the dashboard widget.

5. Grant Access: You have two main options at this point:

   • Option A: Add Existing User Roles to the ACL: If your non-admin users already have certain roles that you believe should grant them access to these Knowledge Article statistics, you can add those roles to the Requires role field of the "report_view" ACL. To do this, click the edit icon next to the field and add the appropriate roles.

   • Option B: Assign the ACL's Required Roles to Users: Alternatively, you can assign the role(s) listed in the Requires role field of the ACL to the non-admin users who need to view the dashboard widget. You can do this by navigating to User Administration > Users, opening the user's record, and adding the role in the Roles related list.

Solution 2: Verifying Report and Widget Permissions:

While ACLs are the primary cause, it's also good practice to quickly verify the permissions directly on the report and the dashboard widget itself:

1. Locate the Report: Identify the specific report that is feeding the problematic dashboard widget. You can usually find this information within the widget's configuration.

2. Check Report Sharing: Open the report and examine its sharing settings. Ensure that the report is shared with the appropriate users or groups who need to view it.

3. Check Widget Visibility: Similarly, review the settings of the dashboard widget to confirm that it is configured to be visible to the intended users or groups.

Practical Example

Let's say your non-admin users have the role itil. You find a "report_view" ACL on the kb_knowledge table that requires the role knowledge_admin. In this scenario, you could either add the itil role to the "Requires role" field of the ACL (if you deem ITIL users should have this access) or assign the knowledge_admin role to the specific non-admin users who need to see the Knowledge Article statistics on the dashboard.

Conclusion

The "Access to this content denied based on report_view ACLs" error on your ServiceNow dashboard widgets, especially those displaying Knowledge Article data, is almost always related to restrictive Access Control Lists. By carefully examining the "report_view" ACLs on the relevant tables (primarily kb_knowledge) and either adjusting the required roles or assigning those roles to your users, you can effectively resolve this issue and ensure that the necessary Knowledge insights are accessible to the right individuals within your organization. Remember to always consider the security implications of modifying ACLs and grant access based on the principle of least privilege. Your next step should be to navigate to your ACL list and begin investigating the "report_view" rules for your Knowledge Base tables.