UI Builder FAQ

[Ashley Snyder]

 Center of Excellence / UI Builder / UI Builder FAQ

1. What is UI Builder?

UI Builder is a web user interface builder to create and configure workspace, portal, or custom experience pages using Next Experience Components and custom web components. For a quick overview and demo, visit our Demo Library.

2. Are there two versions of UI Builder?

Yes. There is a Legacy UI Builder that was launched in Orlando that works with Agent Workspace and our full-featured UI Builder tool launched in Quebec that works with Configurable Workspaces, Portal Experiences, and custom experiences. 

3. What is UI Builder used for?

UI Builder is a page builder to create and configure pages for workspace, portal, and custom experiences.

4. How can I get UI Builder?

UI Builder is part of the Now Platform and available to users who are on Quebec or a newer release. It is also embedded into App Engine Studio.

5. Is UI Builder a paid feature? 

UI Builder is a platform feature and available to all platform customers.

6. Can I configure Agent Workspace in UI Builder?

Agent Workspace is not compatible with the Quebec full-featured release version of UI Builder. Agent Workspace users will see the Legacy Orlando release version of UI Builder, which only supports creating or copying and editing Workspace Landing Pages. The new UI Builder is separate from the legacy Orlando release version.

Users of Agent/legacy Workspaces will be taken to the legacy UI Builder if they choose to edit their Landing Pages. Users of the new WEP (Configurable) Workspaces will be taken to the new UI Builder if they choose to edit pages within that experience.

7. I cannot see any of the new features such as page creation and components in the product documentation when launching UI Builder for Agent Workspace.

UI Builder was introduced in the Quebec release and is used for creating Configurable Workspace, Portal, and custom experiences. Agent Workspace is not compatible with the Quebec release version of UI Builder. Agent Workspace users will see the pre-Quebec version of UI Builder, which is a more scaled down version that allows users to configure Agent Workspace landing pages with limited component and styling options. For users who wish to use the full featured version of UI Builder, see the product documentation on migrating to a Configurable Workspace as well as the Center of Excellence Migrate to a Configurable Workspace article.

8. Can UI Builder be used to change the header for Unified Navigation, Workspace, or Portal experiences?

No, UI Builder enables users to design the pages that fit within an experience. Elements such as the Unified Navigation header, Workspace header/sidebar, and Portal header are App shells which are not configurable within UI Builder.

9. Can I create components within UI Builder?

The Next Experience UI Framework library of components is available for use in UI Builder. For users who wish to create custom components, the Now CLI is available for component creation and has information on setting up the CLI for component creation. See the section on UI Builder for configuring a component for usage in UI Builder.

10. Will ServiceNow support my custom components?

No. ServiceNow supports the Next Experience UI Framework and ServiceNow CLI technologies that are used to create custom components but will not support any custom components customers are creating and deploying to their instances, nor will we provide guidance on creating a custom component. We encourage customers to use the Next Experience Component Library to see if an out-of-the-box component meets their needs before creating their own custom components.

11. Where can I find best practices when it comes to creating my own components?

Best practices for custom component configuration are on the Developer site.

12. Where can I find more information on Next Experience UI Framework?

See the Developer site for information on the Next Experience UI Framework (previously called Now Experience UI Framework) for getting started information, concepts, best practices, and more. 

13. Where can I find more information on ServiceNow CLI?

See the Developer site for information on the ServiceNow CLI for information such as required operating systems, software requirements, getting started, and more.

14. Where can I find information on the Next Experience components that are created by ServiceNow?

See the Next Experience Component Library on the Developer site for information on available components by release, how to set them up in UI Builder, the properties available to components, and how to utilize them in your custom components.

15. Where can I find best practices and design considerations when using Next Experience components on my page?

Each Next Experience component will have it's own design recommendations listed under the Usage tab of the component in the Next Experience Component Library as well as usability information such as accessibility, keyboard interactions, etc. when applicable. When working with adding components to your page, or pre-existing page templates that have components pre-configured, see this documentation first on how the components should work before logging a support case.

16. Can I use components in existing Core UI forms in place of Formatters/UI Macros?

No, at this time components are not supported in Core UI.

17. Can I use UI Builder components in the Service Portal?

No, at this time components are not supported in Service Portal pages.

18. Can I use Service Portal widgets in UI Builder?

No, at this time Jelly and AngularJS is not supported in UI Builder pages.  

19. Is it mandatory to upgrade to the new layouts in UI Builder introduced in San Diego?

It is not mandatory to upgrade to the new layouts, existing users can continue to use the legacy version of layouts. We advise customers to take advantage of the new layouts introduced as soon as possible to take advantage of performance improvements and new features such as Flexbox and CSS Grid. 

20. Can all of the newly available UI configurations be performed using the Next Experience UI Builder?

Not all UI configurations for Configurable Workspaces are done in UI Builder at this time. Some configurations must be performed in the admin side rather than UI Builder. See the Center of Excellence Migrate to a Configuration Workspace article.

21. Are the changes made in UI Builder automatically captured in an update set?

Yes, the changes will be captured in update sets.

22. I think I've found a bug or defect with UI Builder, what do I do?

If you believe you have a defect with UI Builder, log a case using the Now Support portal.

23. There is functionality missing that I would like in UI Builder, where can I communicate this?

For functionality you wish to be implemented, log an idea on our Idea portal.

[BWhiting]

Finally! I just spent the last hour or more trying to figure out why I do not have all the UI Builder options that are shown in training and other videos and you explained it all right here. Thank you! Now trying to figure out if I can do something similar to variant pages in the legacy UI Builder. 

[aneta_koleva]

Hello @Ashley Snyder , I was wondering if there is a way for UI builder to interact with flow designer flows (for instance, to be used in triggers) and integration hub, for example?

[Brad Tilton]

Hi @aneta_koleva at the moment you'd need to create a transform data resource that calls the flow through a script and execute that from your UIB page.

[aneta_koleva]

OK, @Brad Tilton Is there any chance to have this topic covered during one of the live sessions you are hosting (You & I Builder, for example)?

[Brad Tilton]

We might possibly be able to work it into a July session, but it's fairly straightforward. Flow designer provides you with the code you can paste into a transform data resource, and this is a good resource for transforms: https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do#!/learn/courses/rome/app_store_learnv2_uibuilder_rome_ui_bui...

[aneta_koleva]

Thank you, Brad. You are right, indeed the code provided in Flow designer should be enough. Thank you so much!

[Dipu_9999]

how to show customs UI Pages on service portal which is created by ui-builder?