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GlideRecord Basics

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What GlideRecord is
  • The steps to query records
  • How to read, update, and insert records with a script

1 Talking to the database

A list filter shows records on screen. GlideRecord does the same thing in a server-side script. It’s the most used tool in ServiceNow scripting! 🗄️

Key term: GlideRecord

A server-side helper for reading and writing records in a table. It lets you query, loop through, update, insert, and delete records without SQL.

2 The five steps

The five steps of a GlideRecord query. Step 1: create it with new GlideRecord('incident'). Step 2: add filters with addQuery('priority', 1). Step 3: run it with query(). Step 4: loop through results with while (gr.next()). Step 5: use each record, for example read gr.number or change a field and call gr.update().
Figure 1. Create, filter, query, loop, use.
var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');     // 1. which table
gr.addQuery('active', true);              // 2. filters
gr.addQuery('priority', 1);
gr.query();                               // 3. run it
while (gr.next()) {                       // 4. loop
  gs.info(gr.getValue('number') + ': ' + gr.getValue('short_description'));  // 5. use it
}

3 Handy GlideRecord methods

Method What it does
addQuery('field', value) Adds a filter (field equals value)
addEncodedQuery('active=true^priority=1') Adds a filter copied from a list (right-click the breadcrumb > Copy query)
query() Runs the query
next() Moves to the next record. Returns false when there are no more
get(sys_id) Gets one record by its sys_id
getValue('field') Reads a field’s value as a string
setValue('field', value) Changes a field’s value
update() / insert() Saves changes / creates a new record
getRowCount() How many records matched
setLimit(10) Returns only the first 10 records

4 Creating a record

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');
inc.initialize();
inc.setValue('short_description', 'Test from a script');
inc.setValue('caller_id', gs.getUserID());
var newId = inc.insert();   // returns the new sys_id
gs.info('Created ' + newId);

⚠️ Heads up: A query with no filter gets every record in the table. If you then call update(), you change them all! Always add filters, and test with gs.info() before you update.

💡 Good to know: Use getValue() to read values. It returns a clean string, which avoids strange bugs when comparing values.

⭐ Remember: new GlideRecord → addQuery → query() → while (next()) → use it.

5 Let’s try it: list your P1s

  1. Open Scripts – Background in snwrdev or your PDI.
  2. Paste the five-step example above and run it. Do you see numbers and short descriptions?
  3. Change the filter to addQuery('category', 'network'). Run it again.
  4. Run the “Creating a record” example. Find the new incident in the incident list.

6 Quick recap

  • GlideRecord reads and writes records on the server
  • Steps: create, filter, query, loop, use
  • getValue() reads, setValue() + update() changes
  • initialize() + insert() creates a new record
  • Always filter before you update

7 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Which method actually runs the query? Show answer

query().

2 How do you loop through every matching record? Show answer

while (gr.next()) { … }

3 You have a list filter you like. How can you use it in GlideRecord? Show answer

Copy the query from the breadcrumb and use addEncodedQuery().

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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