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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Create a question for a catalog item in Catalog Builder

Specify a question that the requester should answer before submitting the catalog item.

Before you begin

Role required: catalog_builder_editor, catalog_admin, or admin

About this task

If allowed in the template by the template owner (catalog_admin) while configuring the template, the following question types can be used in the item creation process in the catalog builder. These question types are grouped into types and subtypes:

  • Text
    • Single-line. Single-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Multi-line. Multi-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Rich text. HTML variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
  • Option
    • Check box. Check box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Yes/No. Yes/No variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
  • Choice
    • Drop down (fixed values). Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Drop down (values from a table). Lookup Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Record reference. Reference variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Radio. Multiple Choice variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Multi-select. List Collector variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Requested for
  • Date/Time
    • Date. Date variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Date &Time. Date and time variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Duration
  • Display label
    • Plain text. Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
    • Rich text. Rich Text Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
  • Attachment

For detailed information about these question types, see Types of service catalog variables.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to Catalog Builder > Create a new catalog item > Question and click Insert new question.

  2. On the Create question form, specify the required details.

    Note:

    • The fields on the form vary based on the question type and subtype.
    • While you configure each question, its preview is available.
    • The question preview doesn't show interactions for the following questions types until the question is saved and then edited.
      • Record reference
      • Multi-select
      • Drop down (values from a table)
    • The question preview doesn't show annotations.
    • Specify the details on the Question tab.
FieldDescription
Type
Question typeGroup under which the question type is categorized.
Question subtypeSubtype of the question.Only the question types allowed in the template are available.
Details
Map to fieldMaps the question to a specific field on the table for the record producer.
Question labelQuestion for a requester while ordering the catalog item. For the Rich text question subtype, you can specify a formatted label to be displayed on a catalog item form.
NameInternal name to identify the question.The name should not contain spaces or special characters. Only the underscore character is allowed.
MandatoryOption to specify if the question is mandatory.
HiddenOption to specify if the question is hidden.
Read-onlyOption to specify if the question is read-only.
Conversational labelOption to specify the text that you want to ask in the conversation for the question of your catalog item.
2.  Specify the details on the **Annotation** tab.

    This tab is available for the following question subtypes:

    -   Single-line
    -   Multi-line
    -   Rich text
    -   Yes/No
    -   Drop down \(fixed values\)
    -   Drop down \(values from a table\)
    -   Record reference
    -   Radio
    -   Date
    -   Date &Time
    -   Multi-select
    |Field|Description|
    |-----|-----------|
    |Instructions|
    |Show instructions|Option to specify if instructions should be displayed for the question.|
    |Instructions label|Instruction for the requester while ordering the catalog item.|
    |Instructions|Detailed instruction content.|

3.  Specify the details on the **Additional Details** tab.

    This tab is available for the following question subtypes:

    -   Single-line
    -   Drop down \(values from a table\)
    -   Record reference
    -   Multi-select
FieldDescription
Validation
Available for the Single-line question type
Text validationOption to validate the specified text value based on the regular expression validations that have been set up in the system.
Source
Available for the Dropdown \(values from a table\), Record reference, and Multi-select question subtypes
TableTable from which the choices are retrieved.
FieldField that should be displayed as a choice. This field is not available for the Record reference and Multi-select subtypes.
Filter conditionsConditions to filter the choices.
4.  Specify the details on the **Choices** tab.

    This tab is available for the following question subtypes:

    -   Drop down \(fixed values\)
    -   Drop down \(values from a table\)
    -   Yes/No
    -   Radio
FieldDescription
Settings
Include none choiceOption to include None as a choice for the question.
Choice directionDirection in which the choices should be displayed. Possible options are Down and Across. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype.
Do not select first choiceOption to ignore the first choice. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype.
Available Choices
Available for the Drop down \(fixed values\) and Radio question subtypes. You can add a name-value pair for each choice.
Display nameLabel for a choice.
ValueValue of the choice.
5.  Specify the details in the **Default Value** tab.

    The default value specified here is pre-selected as the answer for the question when a requester opens the catalog item form for the item. This tab is available for the following question subtypes:

    -   Single-line
    -   Multi-line
    -   Yes/No
    -   Radio
    -   Date
    -   Date &Time
    -   Multi-select
6.  Specify the question details on the **Auto-populate** tab.

    For more information about configuring auto-populate value, see [Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder](config-auto-populate-value-for-question-cat-builder.md).
  1. Click Insert Question to add the question to the item.

    Note:

    • If there are two consecutive check boxes, then a virtual container is created for a group of check boxes. Only check box variable types can then be added inside that group.
    • Even if a check box variable is added immediately after a group of check boxes, it's automatically added to the group.
  2. Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder
    Configure the value of a question to populate automatically whenever the value of another question of the reference type changes.

Parent Topic:Creating or editing catalog item template