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Workflow Automation CoE > Decision Tables > Getting Started with Decision Builder
What are Decision Tables?
Decision Tables decouple conditional logic from your flows and scripts into business decisions that can be edited in an intuitive interface or exported to, edited in, and imported from MS Excel. This grants process managers the option to edit decisions without needing to touch, commit, and deploy other business logic like flows. Decisions are available directly from flows or any script field on the Now Platform® and can drive your logic and replace complex if-then-else or case/switch constructs for better readability and maintenance.
Who can use Decision Tables?
Decision Tables are available for all levels of developers, including no- and low-coders. When working with Decision Tables, it’s important to consider who will be creating and maintaining the decisions.
For no- and low-coders, decision inputs can be kept simple (String, Decimal, Choice, etc.), while developers who are more experienced can use reference tables as inputs and build conditions based on multiple fields from the same table. This makes it faster to call the decision from flows or scripts later because it requires fewer inputs and you don’t risk asking for data that is not present on that table.
Further along the developer spectrum, you may want to include business process owners who don’t work in ServiceNow at all. Your developers will collect their decision requirements, set up the decision table with inputs, condition columns, and result columns, then export the decision table to Excel, allowing the decision owners to maintain and edit the decisions to be re-imported by the ServiceNow developer later.
How do I get started with Decision Tables?
Decision Tables are available in Workflow Studio for all customers. We recommend to check the Application Manager for the latest version and upgrade regularly.
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Step 1: Documentation
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Step 2: Training
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Step 3: Guidance & Best Practices |
Step 4: Further Resources
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Step 1: Documentation 
To familiarize yourself with the complete spectrum of Decision Tables features and the newest enhancements in a given release, ServiceNow Docs is the place to go.
Decision Tables in Workflow Studio Docs
Release Highlights
Washington DC
Decision Tables in Workflow Studio Washington DC Release Notes
- Decision Builder is now integrated into Workflow Studio. Access Decision Builder alongside other powerful tools such as Flow Designer and Playbooks to seamlessly integrate decision tables with workflows.
- Duplicate full decision tables under 300 rows or just the decision table structure (inputs and columns) for larger decision tables.
- Execute the decision table from any script and make it easier to replace hard-coded logic with decisions by inserting decision table code snippets copied from Decision Builder.
- Save time and effort writing decision rules by strategically duplicating rows of your decision table.
- View and access related objects that your decision tables are used in.
Vancouver
Decision Builder Vancouver Release Notes
- Test a decision table's function in Decision Builder to make sure it returns the results you expect.
- Edit decision tables even after they've been published by enabling draft authoring on decision tables.
- Simplify reference conditions and results by applying reference filters to inputs and result columns.
- Manage business logic with decision tables across a wider set of contexts with support for the Duration field type in result columns.
- Use Excel to manage complicated or large decision tables even when decision tables contain decisions with complex logic.
Utah
Decision Builder Utah Release Notes
- Account for changing business logic by defining default result values in your decision table.
- Simplify app development by using new APIs and API enhancements to create and manage decision tables programmatically.
- Manage business logic with decision tables across a wider set of contexts with new support for the currency field type and expanded support for the date and date/time field types.
- Build flexible, easy-to-manage applications by including decision tables in your App Engine Studio application templates.
- As of version 4.1, use existing choice lists for inputs and results.
Step 2: Training 
Now Learning Training
We currently don't have a dedicated Now Learning course for Decision Builder, but it's definitely recommended to start with learning how to use Flow Designer.
Knowledge
CreatorCon is a special program of sessions and training that runs every year during our Knowledge conference. Every year, we get access to new great presentations and courses about our Workflow Automation Products. These courses from the K23 content catalog are currently still available on Now Learning:
CCL1284-K23 - Lab: Simplify app development with Decision Builder
I will update with the K24 on demand content as soon as it's available.
Developer Program
Next, request a Personal Developer Instance (PDI) to practice what you learned.
Step 3: Guidance and Best Practices 
Whether you’re a first-time implementer or an experienced developer, if you’re only just starting to use the Workflow Automation products, or are looking to migrate off your legacy tech stack, the following resources will help you understand how to best approach using Decision Builder.
Center of Excellence
CoE/Decision Builder Best Practices
CoE/Running subflows dynamically with Decisions
CoE/Make Decisions from Script
CoE/Securing Workflow Automation Products
FAQ
Platform Academy
Nov 11th, 2021 - Getting Started with Decision Builder
April 23th, 2023 - Updates on Decision Builder
November 8th, 2023 - Securing Workflow Automation Products
Whitepaper
Decision Builder - System Administrator Guide
Step 4: Further Resources 
Developer Program
In addition to PDIs and courses, the developer program publishes blogs, podcasts, and videos about our Workflow Automation products.
Creator Toolbox | Decision Builder Testing and Publishing in Vancouver
Live Coding Happy Hour | Decision Table APIs in Utah
Creator Toolbox | Decision Builder
Live Coding Happy Hour | Decision Builder in San Diego
Community Content
Our greatest asset is YOU. Our ServiceNow community has a wide array of amazing ServiceNow developers, practitioners, admins, and content creators. Thank you!
Article: Validate Decision Table result values using Instance Scan (Author: Mark Roethof, Release: Rome)
Platform: Decision Management || Knowledge & Troubleshooting Resources (Author: Maik Skoddow, Release: San Diego)
Article: Populate Service Catalog Variable Choices from a Decision Table (Author: Laszlo Balla, Release: Vancouver)
