Create a question for a catalog item in Catalog Builder
task australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 5 min read create-question-cat-builder.md
Specify a question that the requester should answer before submitting the catalog item.
Before you begin
Role required: catalog_builder_editor, catalog_admin, or admin
About this task
If allowed in the template by the template owner (catalog_admin) while configuring the template, the following question types can be used in the item creation process in the catalog builder. These question types are grouped into types and subtypes:
- Text
- Single-line. Single-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Multi-line. Multi-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Rich text. HTML variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Option
- Check box. Check box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Yes/No. Yes/No variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Choice
- Drop down (fixed values). Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Drop down (values from a table). Lookup Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Record reference. Reference variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Radio. Multiple Choice variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Multi-select. List Collector variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Requested for
- Date/Time
- Date. Date variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Date &Time. Date and time variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Duration
- Display label
- Plain text. Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Rich text. Rich Text Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Attachment
For detailed information about these question types, see Types of service catalog variables.
Procedure
-
Navigate to Catalog Builder > Create a new catalog item > Question and click Insert new question.
-
On the Create question form, specify the required details.
Note:
- The fields on the form vary based on the question type and subtype.
- While you configure each question, its preview is available.
- The question preview doesn't show interactions for the following questions types until the question is saved and then edited.
- Record reference
- Multi-select
- Drop down (values from a table)
- The question preview doesn't show annotations.
- Specify the details on the Question tab.
|
Field |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Type | |
|
Question type |
Group under which the question type is categorized. |
|
Question subtype |
Subtype of the question.Only the question types allowed in the template are available. |
|
Details | |
|
Map to field |
Maps the question to a specific field on the table for the record producer. |
|
Question label |
Question for a requester while ordering the catalog item. For the Rich text question subtype, you can specify a formatted label to be displayed on a catalog item form. |
|
Name |
Internal name to identify the question.The name should not contain spaces or special characters. Only the underscore character is allowed. |
|
Mandatory |
Option to specify if the question is mandatory. |
|
Hidden |
Option to specify if the question is hidden. |
|
Read-only |
Option to specify if the question is read-only. |
|
Conversational label |
Option to specify the text that you want to ask in the conversation for the question of your catalog item. |
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Multi-line
- Rich text
- Yes/No
- Drop down \(fixed values\)
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Record reference
- Radio
- Date
- Date &Time
- Multi-select
|Field|Description|
|-----|-----------|
|Instructions|
|Show instructions|Option to specify if instructions should be displayed for the question.|
|Instructions label|Instruction for the requester while ordering the catalog item.|
|Instructions|Detailed instruction content.|
3. Specify the details on the **Additional Details** tab.
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Record reference
- Multi-select
|
Field |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Validation | |
|
Available for the Single-line question type | |
|
Text validation |
Option to validate the specified text value based on the regular expression validations that have been set up in the system. |
|
Source | |
|
Available for the Dropdown (values from a table), Record reference, and Multi-select question subtypes | |
|
Table |
Table from which the choices are retrieved. |
|
Field |
Field that should be displayed as a choice. This field is not available for the Record reference and Multi-select subtypes. |
|
Filter conditions |
Conditions to filter the choices. |
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Drop down \(fixed values\)
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Yes/No
- Radio
|
Field |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Settings | |
|
Include none choice |
Option to include None as a choice for the question. |
|
Choice direction |
Direction in which the choices should be displayed. Possible options are Down and Across. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype. |
|
Do not select first choice |
Option to ignore the first choice. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype. |
|
Available Choices | |
|
Available for the Drop down (fixed values) and Radio question subtypes. You can add a name-value pair for each choice. | |
|
Display name |
Label for a choice. |
|
Value |
Value of the choice. |
The default value specified here is pre-selected as the answer for the question when a requester opens the catalog item form for the item. This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Multi-line
- Yes/No
- Radio
- Date
- Date &Time
- Multi-select
6. Specify the question details on the **Auto-populate** tab.
For more information about configuring auto-populate value, see [Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/config-auto-populate-value-for-question-cat-builder.md).
-
Click Insert Question to add the question to the item.
Note:
- If there are two consecutive check boxes, then a virtual container is created for a group of check boxes. Only check box variable types can then be added inside that group.
- Even if a check box variable is added immediately after a group of check boxes, it's automatically added to the group.
- Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder
Configure the value of a question to populate automatically whenever the value of another question of the reference type changes.
Parent Topic:Creating or editing catalog item template
341 lines · 9.5 KB
---
title: Create a question for a catalog item in Catalog Builder
description: Specify a question that the requester should answer before submitting the catalog item.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/create-question-cat-builder.html
release: australia
product: Service Catalog
classification: service-catalog
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 5
breadcrumb: [Creating or editing catalog item template, Catalog Builder, Service Catalog, Manage service capabilities, Extend ServiceNow AI Platform capabilities]
---
# Create a question for a catalog item in Catalog Builder
Specify a question that the requester should answer before submitting the catalog item.
## Before you begin
Role required: catalog\_builder\_editor, catalog\_admin, or admin
## About this task
If allowed in the template by the template owner \(catalog\_admin\) while configuring the template, the following question types can be used in the item creation process in the catalog builder. These question types are grouped into types and subtypes:
- Text
- Single-line. Single-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Multi-line. Multi-line text variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Rich text. HTML variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Option
- Check box. Check box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Yes/No. Yes/No variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Choice
- Drop down \(fixed values\). Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Drop down \(values from a table\). Lookup Select Box variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Record reference. Reference variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Radio. Multiple Choice variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Multi-select. List Collector variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Requested for
- Date/Time
- Date. Date variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Date &Time. Date and time variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Duration
- Display label
- Plain text. Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Rich text. Rich Text Label variable type in ServiceNow AI Platform.
- Attachment
For detailed information about these question types, see [Types of service catalog variables](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/r_VariableTypes.md).
## Procedure
1. Navigate to **Catalog Builder** > **Create a new catalog item** > **Question** and click **Insert new question**.
2. On the Create question form, specify the required details.
**Note:**
- The fields on the form vary based on the question type and subtype.
- While you configure each question, its preview is available.
- The question preview doesn't show interactions for the following questions types until the question is saved and then edited.
- Record reference
- Multi-select
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- The question preview doesn't show annotations.
1. Specify the details on the **Question** tab.
<table id="table_okf_km2_g4b"><thead><tr><th>
Field
</th><th>
Description
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Type
</td></tr><tr><td>
Question type
</td><td>
Group under which the question type is categorized.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Question subtype
</td><td>
Subtype of the question.Only the question types allowed in the template are available.
</td></tr><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Details
</td></tr><tr><td>
Map to field
</td><td>
Maps the question to a specific field on the table for the record producer.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Question label
</td><td>
Question for a requester while ordering the catalog item. For the Rich text question subtype, you can specify a formatted label to be displayed on a catalog item form.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Name
</td><td>
Internal name to identify the question.The name should not contain spaces or special characters. Only the underscore character is allowed.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Mandatory
</td><td>
Option to specify if the question is mandatory.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Hidden
</td><td>
Option to specify if the question is hidden.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Read-only
</td><td>
Option to specify if the question is read-only.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Conversational label
</td><td>
Option to specify the text that you want to ask in the conversation for the question of your catalog item.
</td></tr></tbody>
</table> 2. Specify the details on the **Annotation** tab.
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Multi-line
- Rich text
- Yes/No
- Drop down \(fixed values\)
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Record reference
- Radio
- Date
- Date &Time
- Multi-select
|Field|Description|
|-----|-----------|
|Instructions|
|Show instructions|Option to specify if instructions should be displayed for the question.|
|Instructions label|Instruction for the requester while ordering the catalog item.|
|Instructions|Detailed instruction content.|
3. Specify the details on the **Additional Details** tab.
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Record reference
- Multi-select
<table id="table_edr_jm2_g4b"><thead><tr><th>
Field
</th><th>
Description
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Validation
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">
Available for the Single-line question type
</td></tr><tr><td>
Text validation
</td><td>
Option to validate the specified text value based on the regular expression validations that have been set up in the system.
</td></tr><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Source
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">
Available for the Dropdown \(values from a table\), Record reference, and Multi-select question subtypes
</td></tr><tr><td>
Table
</td><td>
Table from which the choices are retrieved.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Field
</td><td>
Field that should be displayed as a choice. This field is not available for the Record reference and Multi-select subtypes.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Filter conditions
</td><td>
Conditions to filter the choices.
</td></tr></tbody>
</table> 4. Specify the details on the **Choices** tab.
This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Drop down \(fixed values\)
- Drop down \(values from a table\)
- Yes/No
- Radio
<table id="table_fll_bn2_g4b"><thead><tr><th>
Field
</th><th>
Description
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Settings
</td></tr><tr><td>
Include none choice
</td><td>
Option to include **None** as a choice for the question.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Choice direction
</td><td>
Direction in which the choices should be displayed. Possible options are **Down** and **Across**. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Do not select first choice
</td><td>
Option to ignore the first choice. This option is available only for the Radio question subtype.
</td></tr><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">
Available Choices
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">
Available for the Drop down \(fixed values\) and Radio question subtypes. You can add a name-value pair for each choice.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Display name
</td><td>
Label for a choice.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Value
</td><td>
Value of the choice.
</td></tr></tbody>
</table> 5. Specify the details in the **Default Value** tab.
The default value specified here is pre-selected as the answer for the question when a requester opens the catalog item form for the item. This tab is available for the following question subtypes:
- Single-line
- Multi-line
- Yes/No
- Radio
- Date
- Date &Time
- Multi-select
6. Specify the question details on the **Auto-populate** tab.
For more information about configuring auto-populate value, see [Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/config-auto-populate-value-for-question-cat-builder.md).
3. Click **Insert Question** to add the question to the item.
**Note:**
- If there are two consecutive check boxes, then a virtual container is created for a group of check boxes. Only check box variable types can then be added inside that group.
- Even if a check box variable is added immediately after a group of check boxes, it's automatically added to the group.
- **[Configure an auto-populate value for a question in Catalog Builder](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/config-auto-populate-value-for-question-cat-builder.md)**
Configure the value of a question to populate automatically whenever the value of another question of the reference type changes.
**Parent Topic:**[Creating or editing catalog item template](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/create-cat-item-template-cat-builder.md)
| title | Create a question for a catalog item in Catalog Builder |
| description | Specify a question that the requester should answer before submitting the catalog item. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/servicenow-platform/service-catalog/create-question-cat-builder.html |
| release | australia |
| product | Service Catalog |
| classification | service-catalog |
| topic_type | task |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 5 |
| breadcrumb | Creating or editing catalog item templateCatalog BuilderService CatalogManage service capabilitiesExtend ServiceNow AI Platform capabilities |