InServiceNow,Dot-Walkingis a technique used to retrieve information fromreferenced fields across different tables. It allows users to access data stored inrelated records without writing complex scripts.
When a field references another table,dot notation (.)is used totraversethe relationship and retrieve additional information from the referenced table.
It works informs, lists, reports, workflows, business rules, and scripts.
How Dot-Walking Works:Example 1: Retrieving User Information from an Incident RecordLet's say we have anIncidenttable where thecaller_idfield references theUser (sys_user) table.
If we need to retrieve the caller’semail address, we use:
caller_id.email
Here’s how it works:
caller_id→ References thesys_usertable
email→ Retrieves theemail field from the sys_user record
Example 2: Retrieving Department Name of an Incident CallerTo get thedepartmentof the caller, we use:
caller_id.department.name
caller_id→ References theUser table
department→ References theDepartment table
name→ Retrieves thedepartment name
(A) Table-Walking – Incorrect
There isno such termas "Table-Walking" in ServiceNow.
The correct term for referencing related fields isDot-Walking.
(B) Sys_ID Pulling – Incorrect
Thesys_idis a unique identifier for each record in ServiceNow, butpulling sys_ids alone does not retrieve referenced field data.
Dot-Walking allows access to fields in related tables, not just the sys_id.
(C) Dot-Walking – Correct
Dot-Walking is the correct techniqueused in ServiceNow to access referenced fields across tables.
It is used in scripting, reporting, workflows, Business Rules, and UI Policies.
(D) Record-Hopping – Incorrect
There isno such featureas "Record-Hopping" in ServiceNow.
The correct method for referencing data in related tables isDot-Walking.
Explanation of Each Option:
Dot-Walking reduces the need for complex queriesand makes scripting easier.
Use it in filters, reports, and workflowsto dynamically retrieve related data.
Limit excessive Dot-Walking in large tablesto avoid performance issues.
Alternative for scripts: If Dot-Walking does not work in advanced scripts, use GlideRecord queries to retrieve referenced records manually.
Additional Notes & Best Practices:
ServiceNow Docs: Understanding Dot-Walking
https://docs.servicenow.com
ServiceNow Community: Best Practices for Dot-Walking
https://community.servicenow.com
References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:
