Unleash the Power of ServiceNow Tags
- kelly.ryu
- Apr 30
- 3 min read
ServiceNow offers a wealth of features to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. Among these, tags provide a flexible way to organize and categorize records. This article delves into the world of ServiceNow tags, exploring their purpose, best practices, potential drawbacks, and how to use them effectively. Whether you are a seasoned administrator or a new user, understanding tags can significantly enhance your ServiceNow experience.
Understanding ServiceNow Tags
Tags in ServiceNow are essentially labels that you can attach to various records, such as incidents, problems, changes, and knowledge articles. Think of them as digital sticky notes that help you group and organize information in a way that makes sense to you and your team. This organizational method can dramatically improve how efficiently you find and manage records.
Why Use Tags? Common Use Cases
Tags shine in scenarios where you need to create custom categories or groupings beyond the standard ServiceNow fields. Here are some examples.
Prioritization: Tag records with "High Priority" to quickly identify urgent tasks.
Customer Grouping: If you're a consultant, tag incidents with client names for easier batch processing.
Project Tracking: Tag all records related to a specific project, like a software release, allowing you to filter tasks, changes, and other related information.
Knowledge Management: Tag knowledge articles with relevant keywords to improve searchability and categorization, even when those keywords aren't explicitly in the article content.
Personal Organization: Tag tasks that require follow-up, adding context to the task.
Troubleshooting and Usage Tips
Tag Visibility: By default, tags can be configured as Personal, Global, or limited to specific groups or users. Personal tags are only visible to the user who created them. Global tags are visible to all users in the ServiceNow instance. Ensure you configure the correct visibility setting based on your use case.
Reporting on Tags: While direct reporting on tags can be tricky in some ServiceNow versions, you can often use reports to filter HR cases by certain tags. Explore HR Agent Workspace, which provides more granular filtering options for tags (including "has," "does not have," and excluding tags).
Searching for Tags: To find records with a specific tag, use the magnifying glass search functionality within the relevant list view. However, be aware that the default search behavior for tags in some list views may be limited. If you encounter issues, reports or HR Agent Workspace may offer more flexible search options.
Negative Filtering: Unfortunately, defining a query that EXCLUDES tagged cases directly can be challenging. Workarounds, such as using reports, are necessary.
Community Tags: If you are looking for user-generated tagging functionality in the ServiceNow Community product, consider using topics. Topics provide a structured way to categorize conversations and are designed to help build your knowledge base. Note: users need the admin role to create it.
Navigating Potential Downsides
While tags offer numerous benefits, it's important to be aware of potential limitations.
Sensitive Information: Due to the potential for broader visibility (especially with global tags), avoid using tags to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or other sensitive data.
Reporting limitations: As previously mentioned, reporting directly on tags requires workarounds in certain ServiceNow versions. Consider alternative solutions, such as custom fields, if robust reporting is a primary requirement.
Maximizing the Value of ServiceNow Tags
To make the most of ServiceNow tags, follow these best practices.
Establish a Tagging Strategy: Before implementing tags widely, define clear guidelines for their usage. This includes determining when to use tags versus standard fields, defining naming conventions, and establishing rules for tag visibility.
Promote Consistent Usage: Encourage users to adopt the tagging strategy consistently. This helps ensure that tags are used effectively and that information is organized in a standardized manner.
Regularly Review and Refine: Periodically review your tagging strategy to ensure it remains relevant and effective. Remove outdated tags and adjust your guidelines as needed.
Consider Governance: For larger organizations, implement a governance process to manage tag creation and usage. This can help prevent tag sprawl and ensure that tags are used appropriately.
Access the Label Table: Tags are stored on the "label" table. This is called "Tag," but the legacy "Labels" functionality has been repurposed.
Tags - A Powerful Tool for Organization
ServiceNow tags are a powerful tool for organizing and categorizing records, improving searchability, and streamlining workflows. By understanding their capabilities, best practices, and potential limitations, you can effectively leverage tags to enhance your ServiceNow experience. Take the time to develop a clear tagging strategy, promote consistent usage, and regularly review your approach. The result will be a more organized, efficient, and user-friendly ServiceNow environment.
