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Saving Options (Save, Update, Insert, Insert and Stay)

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • The difference between Submit, Save, and Update
  • How Insert and Insert and Stay make a copy of a record
  • Which option to pick in each situation

1 Many ways to save

ServiceNow gives you several ways to save a form. They look alike, but they do different things. Picking the wrong one can create a copy you didn’t want, or send you back to the list too early. 💾

Five saving options compared. Submit: saves a new record and returns to the list. Update: saves changes to an existing record and returns to the list. Save: saves changes and stays on the same form. Insert: creates a new copy of the record with the changes, leaves the original unchanged, and returns to the list. Insert and Stay: creates the copy and stays on the new copy's form.
Figure 1. Save and Update change this record. Insert makes a new copy.

2 The options

Option What it does Where you end up
Submit Saves a new record Back to the list
Update Saves changes to this record Back to the list
Save Saves changes to this record Stays on the form
Insert Makes a new copy. The original doesn’t change Back to the list
Insert and Stay Makes a new copy. The original doesn’t change Stays on the new copy

📝 Note: Submit and Update are buttons on the form. Save, Insert, and Insert and Stay are in the form’s context menu (☰). Remember it from Lesson 13.1?

3 Insert: a quick way to copy

Insert is great when you need a record that’s almost the same as one you have.

  1. Open the record you want to copy, like a user record for Riya.
  2. Change the fields that should be different, like the User ID and name.
  3. Choose ☰ > Insert and Stay.
  4. A brand-new record is created with your changes. The original record stays exactly as it was. ✅

⚠️ Heads up: People often click Insert when they meant Update. Then they wonder why the original record didn’t change, and why there’s a new copy. Update changes this record. Insert makes a new one.

💡 Good to know: Use Save when you’re making several changes and want to keep working on the same form. It’s like pressing Ctrl+S in a document.

⭐ Remember: Save / Update = change this record. Insert / Insert and Stay = make a new copy.

4 Let’s try it: save vs insert

  1. Open any incident. Change the short description. Choose ☰ > Save. Are you still on the form?
  2. Change the short description again. Choose ☰ > Insert and Stay. Look at the Number field. Is it a new number?
  3. Go back to the original incident. Did its short description change the second time? (No!)
  4. Delete the copy you made, to keep your PDI clean. 🧹

5 Quick recap

  • Submit saves a new record
  • Update saves and goes back. Save saves and stays
  • Insert makes a copy and goes back. Insert and Stay makes a copy and stays
  • Insert never changes the original record

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 You want to save changes and keep working on the same form. Which option? Show answer

Save.

2 You need a new user almost the same as Riya. Which option helps? Show answer

Change the fields that differ, then use Insert (or Insert and Stay).

3 After using Insert, does the original record change? Show answer

No. Insert creates a new record and leaves the original as it was.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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