Configure guest user access to playbooks

Set up a playbook, public audience record, and UI experience so that guest users can run playbooks without a ServiceNow login through a public URL.

Before you begin

Role required: playbook.admin, pd_author, playbook.write, ui_builder_admin, admin

An admin must create a public table to receive guest-submitted records. The public table must be registered in sys_public, have the public role applied, and have create ACLs configured. For more information, see Configure tables to work with guests.

Note: Standalone playbooks can't be configured for guest user access. The playbook must use a public table as its parent table.

Procedure

In Workflow Studio configure a record driven playbook with a parent table to permit public access.

Playbooks must be configured to be publicly accessible when you create them. You can't change a playbook to be embedded on public pages later.

Navigate to All > Process Automation > Workflow Studio.
Select New and Playbook.

On the form, fill in the fields.

Field	Action
Type	Select Standard playbook.
Playbook name	Enter a unique, user-facing name for your playbook. This name appears to agents and fulfillers during runtime of your playbook.
Now assist input	Enter a short description about your playbook.
Application	Choose an application scope that you want your playbook to run in. Selecting Global lets your playbook run in any application scope. For more information, see Application scope.
Execution type	Select Record driven to tie the playbook to a public record. You can't make a standalone playbook public.
Parent table	Set the parent table to the public table you created as the prerequisite. This field is activated when you select Record driven Execution type.
Allow this playbook to be publicly accessible and embedded on public pages	Select this option to permit embedding the playbook on public pages. The playbook can be made public only after embeddables setup is complete.

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Screenshot showing the required fields for a guest user playbook.

4.  Select **Generate playbook preview**.

5.  Review the generated playbook, and select **Save and edit playbook**.

The builder displays in **Diagram view**.

Configure the trigger for the publicly accessible playbook.
1. On the left sidebar of the Diagram view, select the Triggers icon (

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).

2.  Select **Add trigger**.

3.  Under **Record based**, select **When record is created**.

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Screenshot showing the menu flow to add the trigger When record is created.

4.  Enter a label for the trigger.

5.  Select **Save and close**.

6.  Select **Activate** so the playbook runs when its related form is created or updated on your development instance.

Create a public audience record.
1. Navigate to All > Now Experience Framework > Building Blocks > Audiences.
2. Select New.
3. Enter a descriptive Name.
4. Select the Unlock roles icon (

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) and add the public role to the audience.

    The public role allows users without a ServiceNow login to be included in this audience.

5.  Select **Submit**.

Create a page in UI Builder to host the playbook experience, and assign the public audience to the page to designate it for guest users without authentication.
1. Navigate to All > Now Experience Framework > UI Builder > Experiences.
2. Select an existing Experience or create an Experience to work in.
3. Select the + icon next to Pages to create a page.
4. Select Create a new page.
5. On the Select a template screen, choose one:
  - To use the Standard record template, select the Standard record template tile, then confirm by selecting Use template.
  - To start with an empty page, select Create from scratch instead.
    1. Enter a Name, review generated URL path, parameters, and select Looks Good.
6. In the Tell us about your variant window, select + Add next to Audiences.
7. Search for and select the public audience you created in step 3.
8. Select Create.
The page opens in UI Builder. Configure the user experience according to your requirements.
Add a route ACL to grant the public role access to the page's route.
1. All > System Security > Access Control (ACL)
2. Select New.
3. On the form, fill in the fields.

Field	Action
Type	Select ux_route.
Name	Enter the page's path with each forward slash replaced by a period. Note: For example, the path `now/myapp/test-form` becomes `now.myapp.test-form`.
Requires role	Under Conditions, in the Requires role section, add the public role.

4.  Select **Submit**.

Test the guest user experience.
1. Open the experience URL in an incognito or private browser window to simulate a guest user session.
2. Submit a record through the experience and confirm that the playbook starts and displays stages and activities.