Create an action as an activity automation plan
Create an example action to configure and run as an activity from Playbooks.
Before you begin
Role required:
- This task requires some knowledge of creating flows in Workflow Studio environment. For more information, see Building flows.
- This task requires some knowledge of server-side scripting. For more information, see Server-side scripting.
- admin
About this task
Each activity definition requires an automation plan to run Workflow Studio content. The automation plan tells the Workflow Studio Playbooks builder what input values to use when running an action or subflow. An automation plan can specify static default values or can prompt playbook owners to provide dynamic values when they add an activity to a playbook.
In this example, you create a reusable Workflow Studio action to use as an activity's automation plan. The action you create associates a Task [task] record with a parent record.
Procedure
Navigate to All > Process Automation > Flow Designer.
In the main header, click + New > Action.
The Action Properties screen appears.
In the Action Properties screen, fill in the following fields:
Field Action Name Enter Associate Record with Parent.Application Leave Global selected. Accessible From Leave All application scopes selected. Click Submit.
The Workflow Studio design environment appears.
Under the Action Outline, click Inputs.
In the Action Input header, click + Create Input, and then fill in the following fields:
Field Action Label Enter Record.Name Enter record.Type Select Reference.Task[task] In the Action Input header, click + Create Input, and then fill in the following fields:
Field Description Label Enter Parent Record.Name Enter record.Type Select Reference.Task[task] Click the add a new step icon (
Add a new step icon\).
The Select Step to add screen appears.
Under ServiceNow Data, select the Update Record step.
The Update Record step appears in the Action Outline under Inputs.
In the Record field, click the data pill picker icon (
Data pill picker icon\), and then dot-walk to **Inputs** > **Record**.
Under Field Values, click +Add Field Value, and then select Parent from the list.
Next to the Parent field, click the data pill picker icon (
Data pill picker icon\), and then dot-walk to **Inputs** > **Parent Record**.
Under the Action Outline, click Outputs.
Under Action Output, click + Create Output, and then fill in the following fields:
Field Action Label Enter Record.Name Enter record.Type Select Reference.Task[task] In the Action Output header, click + Create Output, and then fill in the following fields:
Field Action Label Enter Parent Record.Name Enter record.Type Select Reference.Task[task] In the Action Output header, click Exit Edit Mode.
Next to the Record output's Value column, click the data pill picker icon (
Data pill picker icon\), and then dot-walk to **Inputs** > **Record**
- Next to the Parent Record output's Value column, click the data pill picker icon (
Data pill picker icon\), and then dot-walk to **Inputs** > **Parent Record**.
- In the main header, click Save > Publish to make your action available to add to an activity definition's automation plan.
Result
You can now add your custom Workflow Studio action to an automation plan for your custom activity definition.
What to do next
Add your custom action to an automation plan when you Create an activity definition.
Parent Topic:Activity definitions
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