<h2>Service Catalog variable attributes</h2><br/><div style="overflow-x:auto"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"><head><meta content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /><meta name="copyright" content="(C) Copyright 2025" /><meta name="DC.rights.owner" content="(C) Copyright 2025" /><meta name="generator" content="DITA-OT" /><meta name="DC.type" content="reference" /><meta name="DC.title" content="Service Catalog variable attributes" /><meta name="abstract" content="There are a few Service Catalog variables support specific attributes to define the behavior and restrictions for variables." /><meta name="description" content="There are a few Service Catalog variables support specific attributes to define the behavior and restrictions for variables." /><meta name="DC.subject" content="Variable attributes, service catalog" /><meta name="keywords" content="Variable attributes, service catalog" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/t_CreateAVariableForACatalogItem.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../administer/general/concept/capabilities-bundle-landingpage.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../administer/general/concept/manage-services.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/service-catalog.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/service-catalog-reference.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/c_ServiceCatalogVariables.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/t_DefineHelpInformation.html" /><meta name="DC.relation" scheme="URI" content="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/define-question-choice-var.html" /><meta name="DC.creator" content="ServiceNow" /><meta name="DC.date.created" content="2023-08-03" /><meta name="DC.date.modified" content="2023-08-03" /><meta name="mini-toc" content="yes" /><meta name="page-type" content="platform" /><meta name="DC.format" content="XHTML" /><meta name="DC.identifier" content="variable-attributes" /><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../../CSS/commonltr.css" /><title>Service Catalog variable attributes</title></head><body id="variable-attributes"> <div class="breadcrumb"><a class="link" href="../../../administer/general/concept/capabilities-bundle-landingpage.html" title="Extend the Now Platform with additional applications and features.">Extend Now Platform capabilities</a> > <a class="link" href="../../../administer/general/concept/manage-services.html" title="Give your customers tailored catalogs for products, and create portals for service requests, using the ServiceNow Service Catalog app.">Manage service capabilities</a> > <a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/service-catalog.html" title="Use the ServiceNow Service Catalog application to create service catalogs that provide your customers with self-service opportunities. Customize portals where your customers can request catalog items such as service and product offerings. You can also standardize request fulfillment to ensure the accuracy and availability of the items in the catalogs.">Service Catalog</a> > <a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/service-catalog-reference.html" title="Reference topics provide additional information about the lists and forms.">Service Catalog Reference</a> > <a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/concept/c_ServiceCatalogVariables.html" title="Service catalog variables capture and pass on information about choices a customer makes when ordering a catalog item. Variables help define the structure of a catalog item form that is displayed to the customer.">Service catalog variables</a> > </div> <h1 class="title topictitle1" id="ariaid-title1"><span class="ph">Service Catalog</span> variable attributes</h1> <div class="body refbody"><p class="shortdesc">There are a few <span class="ph">Service Catalog</span> variables support specific attributes to define the behavior and restrictions for variables.</p> <div class="section"> <p class="p">In the Catalog variable form, under the <span class="ph uicontrol">Type Specifications</span> tab, you can specify the variable attributes in the <span class="ph uicontrol">Variable attributes</span> field.</p> <div class="note"><span class="notetitle">Note:</span> <ul class="ul" id="variable-attributes__ul_fjs_mwh_bmb"><li class="li">You can enter multiple attributes for a variable type by separating each with a comma.</li><li class="li">You can enter multiple values for an attribute by separating each with a semicolon.</li><li class="li">If you don't see the <span class="ph uicontrol">Variable attributes</span> field, enable the <span class="ph uicontrol">Show attributes when Type is One of Certain Values</span> UI policy.</li><li class="li">Pre-selected values are not cleared automatically when the dependent variable value changes when using an attribute or reference qualifier. Create a client script to clear the values based on your needs and the needs of your customer.</li></ul> </div> </div> <div class="section" id="variable-attributes__section_wlf_1hz_dmb"><h2 class="title sectiontitle">Variable attributes</h2> <dl class="dl"> <dt class="dt dlterm">allowed_extensions</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Specifies a list of allowed file types. For example, allowed_extensions=txt;pdf.</p> Applicable variables: Attachment</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">barcode</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Specifies if the barcode can be scanned using the mobile camera for identifying a variable value of a catalog item. For example, barcode=true.</p> Applicable variables: Single Line Text</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">max_file_size</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Specifies the maximum file size in MB. For example, max_file_size=2.</p> Applicable variables: Attachment</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">glide_list</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Changes the list collector interface from slushbucket to glide list.</p> Applicable variables: List collector<div class="p"><div class="fig fignone" id="variable-attributes__fig_uvc_jkf_cz"><span class="figcap"><span class="fig--title-label">Figure 1. </span>Collapsed glide_list</span> <img class="image" id="variable-attributes__image_vvc_jkf_cz" src="../image/VarGlideListCollapsed.png" alt="Screenshot for the glide_list attribute when collapsed" /> </div> </div> <div class="p"><div class="fig fignone" id="variable-attributes__fig_psy_mkf_cz"><span class="figcap"><span class="fig--title-label">Figure 2. </span>Expanded glide_list</span> <img class="image" id="variable-attributes__image_qsy_mkf_cz" src="../image/VarGlideListExpanded.png" alt="Screenshot for the glide_list attribute when expanded" /> </div> </div> </dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">is_searchable_choice</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">If set to <span class="ph uicontrol">true</span>, enables you to search for and select the required value for the variable. For example, is_searchable_choice=true.</p> <div class="note"><span class="notetitle">Note:</span> <ul class="ul" id="variable-attributes__ul_p4t_vjd_t2b"><li class="li">For Lookup select box, a default value is available at the page load itself.</li><li class="li">This attribute is not applicable in <span class="ph">Service Portal</span>.</li></ul> </div> Applicable variables: Lookup select box, Select box<div class="p"><div class="fig fignone" id="variable-attributes__fig_qnz_rkz_zy"><span class="figcap"><span class="fig--title-label">Figure 3. </span>is_searchable_choice</span> <img class="image" id="variable-attributes__image_iqj_bvr_zy" src="../image/VA_SearchableChoice.png" alt="Screenshot for the is_searchable_choice attribute" /> </div> </div> </dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">max_length</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Sets the maximum number of characters allowed in the field. By default, the field accepts long strings of text, several thousand characters. Set the <span class="keyword parmname">max_length</span> attribute as appropriate for the information that the variable is collecting. For example, to allow for entry of an address, set max_length=200, or other appropriate length.</p> Applicable variables: Single-line text, Wide single-line text</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">max_unit</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Sets the maximum unit of time for the duration. Possible values are max_unit=days,max_unit=hours,max_unit=minutes, and max_unit=seconds.</p> <p class="p">For example, if max_unit=minutes, the duration is displayed in minutes and seconds. In this case, a duration of 2 days 3 hours 5 minutes 15 seconds is displayed as 3065 minutes 15 seconds.</p> Applicable variables: Duration</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">no_filter</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Hides the filter fields that appear above a list collector.</p> Applicable variables: List collector<div class="p"><div class="fig fignone" id="variable-attributes__fig_tzs_zjf_cz"><span class="figcap"><span class="fig--title-label">Figure 4. </span>no_filter</span> <img class="image" id="variable-attributes__image_uzs_zjf_cz" src="../image/VarNoFilter.png" alt="Screenshot for the no_filter attribute" /> </div> </div> </dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">ref_ac_columns</dt> <dd class="dd">Specifies the columns with display values that appear in an auto-completion list in addition to the name. Separate column names with a semicolon. For example, ref_ac_columns=user_name;email;sys_created_on allows auto-complete to match text from the user_name, email, and sys_created_on columns.<p class="p">Applicable variables: Reference, Requested For</p> </dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">ref_ac_order_by</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Specifies the column that is used to sort the auto-completion list. For example, ref_ac_order_by=name sorts the auto-completion choices alphabetically by name.</p> Applicable variables: Reference</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">ref_auto_completer</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">Specifies the name of a JavaScript class (client-side) that creates the list for auto-completion choices. Valid class values include:</p> <ul class="ul" id="variable-attributes__ul_gjv_qy2_cz"><li class="li"><span class="ph uicontrol">AJAXReferenceCompleter</span>: Displays matching auto-complete choices as a drop-down list. The list only displays the display value column of the reference table. If there is no other auto-completion class specified, reference fields automatically use this class.</li><li class="li"><span class="ph uicontrol">AJAXTableCompleter</span>: Displays matching auto-complete choices as rows in a table. The table displays the display value column of the reference table and any columns listed in the ref_ac_columns attribute.</li><li class="li"><span class="ph uicontrol">AJAXReferenceChoice</span>: Displays matching auto-complete choices as a drop-down list. The list only displays the display value column of the reference table. The list only displays up to 25 matching choices. If there are more than 25 auto-complete choices, the reference field instead displays the choices with the AJAXTableCompleter class.</li></ul> Applicable variables: Reference</dd> <dt class="dt dlterm">ref_qual_elements</dt> <dd class="dd"><p class="p">A list of fields to be sent back to the server to get an updated reference.</p> Applicable variables: Lookup multiple choice, Lookup select box, List Collector.</dd> </dl> <div class="note important"><span class="importanttitle">Important:</span> Attribute behavior is specific to the service catalog desktop.</div> </div> </div> <div class="related-links"> <div class="familylinks"> <div class="parentlink"><strong>Parent Topic:</strong> <a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/t_CreateAVariableForACatalogItem.html" title="Create service catalogs variables to gather information from users ordering a catalog item, for example, to ask users which options they want for the item.">Create a service catalog variable</a></div> </div> <div class="linklist relinfo reltasks"><strong>Related tasks</strong><br /> <ul class="linklist"><li class="linklist"><a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/t_DefineHelpInformation.html" title="Enter help information for a variable to help users determine what info they must provide for a service catalog variable.">Define help information for a service catalog variable</a></li><li class="linklist"><a class="link" href="../../../product/service-catalog-management/task/define-question-choice-var.html" title="Define a question choice for a variable with service catalog.">Define a question choice for a variable</a></li></ul></div> </div></body></html></div>