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Creating Application Menus

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • When to create your own application menu
  • The fields on an application menu record
  • How to create one, step by step

1 Your own menu

SNWR’s Facilities team has a few tables and lists they use every day. Instead of searching the All menu, they want one tidy group called SNWR Facilities. You can build it as an admin. 🏗️

Creating a new menu is configuring, not customizing, because you’re adding something new, not changing something ServiceNow made.

2 The fields

A new application menu record. 1: Title, SNWR Facilities, the name shown in the All menu. 2: Roles, facilities_user, so only users with that role see the menu. 3: Order, 100, which sets its place in the menu. 4: Category, which sets the menu's style. 5: Active, checked. 6: Hint, a short tip shown when hovering. After saving, a Modules related list appears at the bottom, ready for new modules.
Figure 1. An application menu record. Save it, then add modules.
Field What it does
Title The name people see in the All menu
Roles Only users with one of these roles see the menu. Empty = everyone
Order Where the menu appears. Lower numbers show higher up
Category Sets the menu’s style
Active Shows or hides the whole menu
Hint A short tip shown when someone hovers over it

3 Create an application menu

  1. Go to System Definition > Application Menus.
  2. Click New.
  3. Fill in the Title, like “SNWR Facilities”.
  4. Add Roles if only some people should see it.
  5. Set the Order and check Active.
  6. Right-click the header and choose Save, so you stay on the record.
  7. Scroll down. The Modules related list is ready for your first module (Lesson 18.3). ✅

⚠️ Heads up: An application menu with no modules is empty and confusing. Always add at least one module right after you create it.

💡 Good to know: Don’t see your new menu? Click the refresh icon in the All menu, or reload the page. Also check that you have one of its roles.

⭐ Remember: Empty Roles field = everyone who can log in sees the menu. Add roles to limit it.

4 Let’s try it: build SNWR Facilities

  1. Go to System Definition > Application Menus and click New.
  2. Title: SNWR Facilities. Roles: itil. Order: 100. Active: checked.
  3. Save and stay on the record.
  4. Refresh the All menu and type snwr. Is your menu there? (It’s empty for now. You’ll add modules next.)

5 Quick recap

  • Create menus in System Definition > Application Menus
  • Key fields: Title, Roles, Order, Category, Active, Hint
  • Empty Roles = everyone sees it
  • Lower Order numbers show higher up
  • Add modules right after creating the menu

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Where do you create a new application menu? Show answer

System Definition > Application Menus > New.

2 You leave the Roles field empty. Who sees the menu? Show answer

Everyone who can log in.

3 Menu A has order 100 and Menu B has order 200. Which one shows higher? Show answer

Menu A. Lower numbers show higher up.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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