DocumentService - Scoped, Global

concept australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 5 min read DocumentServiceBothAPI.md
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The DocumentService API provides methods for creating, deleting, and updating a document.

This API requires the Document Management plugin (com.snc.platform_document_management) and is provided within the sn_doc_services namespace. For information, see Document Services.

A document is a collection of information about a document record. The methods used to create or update a record modify fields using the SystemDocument object.

Document content is managed using versions. The following APIs enable you to define and manage document versions:

  • SystemDocumentVersion – Define a document version as the source of the document content. Each version is an element containing the document content and is provided using a single URL or attachment. An attachment can only be added in the Document Versions [ds_document_version] table UI and not with the API.
  • DocumentVersionService – Document content is managed using versions.

Use the DocumentReferenceService API to manage documents referenced in a target table, such as the Incidents [incident] or Knowledge [kb_knowledge] table.

The Document Management plugin also supports creating lists of document templates to associate with your document. For example, a job application requiring multiple documents such as a diploma, ID, or passport.

Parent Topic:Server API reference

DocumentService - DocumentService()

Instantiates a DocumentService object.

Name Type Description
None

The following example shows how to instantiate a DocumentService object.

JavaScript
var s = new sn_doc_services.DocumentService();

DocumentService - createDocument(SystemDocument doc)

Creates a document record in the Documents [ds_document] table.

Name Type Description
doc SystemDocument One or more properties representing fields of a new record. The name property is required and can be set using the SystemDocument constructor or name() method.

Type

Description

Object

Sys_id of the new record in the Documents [ds_document] table with a success message. Error message otherwise.``` { "message": "String", "request_id": "String", "status": "String" }

Text
</td></tr><tr id="row_pdfgen_ret_msgCnv"><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.message
</td><td>
Message confirming success or error. Possible values:
-   Create document sysId : &lt;sys\_id&gt; is successful.-   Document Name is mandatory and should be valid.-   Document Name is mandatory and it should not be null or empty.-   &lt;[SystemDocument](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/api-reference/server-api-reference/SystemDocumentBothAPI.md) property requiring sys\_id input&gt; with SysId: "&lt;sys\_id&gt;" does not exist
 Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.request\_id
</td><td>
Sys\_id of the record in the Documents \[ds\_document\] table.Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.status
</td><td>
Status indicating whether the operation is successful.Possible values:
-   success - The operation was successful.-   failure – The operation was not successful. The **message** provides details.
 Data type: String
</td></tr></tbody></table>The following example shows how to populate SystemDocument object properties and create a new document record.

var d = new sn_doc_services.SystemDocument('My document');

// Define the document fields var reviewers = '62826bf03710200044e0bfc8bcbe5df1,a8f98bb0eb32010045e1a5115206fe3a'; d.description('description'); d.classification('restricted'); d.state('review'); d.department('93b25282c0a8000b0b55c8ab34e2f1e6'); d.template(false); d.type('policy'); d.reviewers(reviewers); d.audience('external');

var s = new sn_doc_services.DocumentService(); gs.info(JSON.stringify(s.createDocument(d), null, 2));

Text
Output:

{ "message": "Create document sysId : 1040420224503410f877a6fed1c2b031 is successful.", "request_id": "1040420224503410f877a6fed1c2b031", "status": "success" }

Text
## DocumentService - deleteDocument\(String docSysId\)
Removes a document record from the Documents \[ds\_document\] table.
|Name|Type|Description||----|----|-----------||docSysId|String|Sys\_id of a document record in the Documents \[ds\_document\] table.|
<table id="table_x4z_2cg_tpb" class="returns"><thead><tr><th>
Type
</th><th>
Description
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>
Object
</td><td id="entry-docserv-ret-obj-basic">
Success or error message. ```{  "message": "String",  "request_id": "String",  "status": "String"}

<Object>.message

Message confirming success or error. Data type: String

<Object>.request_id

Sys_id of the record in the Documents [ds_document] table.Data type: String

<Object>.status

Status indicating whether the operation is successful.Possible values:

  • success - The operation was successful.
  • failure – The operation was not successful. The message provides details.

Data type: String
The following example shows how to delete an existing document record.
JavaScript
var docid = "<sys_id>";var svc = new sn_doc_services.DocumentService();gs.info(JSON.stringify(svc.deleteDocument(docid), null, 2));

Output:

JSON
{  "message": "Delete document sysId : <sys_id> is successful.",  "request_id": "<sys_id>",  "status": "success"}

DocumentService - updateDocument(String docSysId, SystemDocument doc)

Updates the field values of an existing document record.

Name Type Description
docSysId String Sys_id of a document record in the Documents [ds_document] table.
doc SystemDocument One or more properties representing document fields to be updated.

Type

Description

Object

Success or error message. ``` { "message": "String", "request_id": "String", "status": "String" }

Text
</td></tr><tr><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.message
</td><td>
Message confirming success or error. Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.request\_id
</td><td>
Sys\_id of the record in the Documents \[ds\_document\] table.Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
&lt;Object&gt;.status
</td><td>
Status indicating whether the operation is successful.Possible values:
-   success - The operation was successful.-   failure – The operation was not successful. The **message** provides details.
 Data type: String
</td></tr></tbody></table>The following example shows how to change a document name. See also [SystemDocument](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/api-reference/server-api-reference/SystemDocumentBothAPI.md).

var dId = "19aab54e24103410f877a6fed1c2b03d"; var d = new sn_doc_services.SystemDocument(); d.name("c22.txt");

var s = new sn_doc_services.DocumentService(); gs.info(JSON.stringify(s.updateDocument(dId, d), null, 2));

Text
Output:

{ "message": "Update document sysId : 19aab54e24103410f877a6fed1c2b03d is successful.", "request_id": "19aab54e24103410f877a6fed1c2b03d", "status": "success" }

Text
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