Use the Format component
Provide a placeholder and a value in a body of text by using the Format component in RPA Desktop Design Studio.
Before you begin
Role required: none
About this task
You can configure the properties for the Format component. For more information about these properties, see Properties of the String Utilities components.
Procedure
-
In the Toolbox pane, navigate to Utilities > String Utilities.
-
Drag the Format component to the Design surface.
-
To configure the input fields, see Configure port properties.
You must insert is {0} as the placeholder.
-
Connect the data and control ports of the Format component to the corresponding ports of the other components as described in the following table.
|
Port type |
Purpose of connection |
|---|---|
|
Data In (_Format) |
Passes the text body and the placeholder from a previously executed component.Used to specify the format. Data type: String |
|
Data In (Input) |
Used to specify the input string that is replaced in given format.Data type: String |
|
Data Out (Return) |
Returns the text body with the placeholder value inserted in the placeholder. This method returns a string that represents formatted text. Data type: String |
|
Control In |
Connects to the Control Out port of one or more components. |
|
Control Out |
Connects to the Control In port of another component or the default end component. |
Parent Topic:String utilities
---
title: Use the Format component
description: Provide a placeholder and a value in a body of text by using the Format component in RPA Desktop Design Studio.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/integrate-applications/use-utilities-stringutilities-format.html
release: brazil
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [String utilities, Utilities, Automation components, RPA Desktop Design Studio, Robotic Process Automation \(RPA\) Hub, Workflow Data Fabric]
---
# Use the Format component
Provide a placeholder and a value in a body of text by using the Format component in RPA Desktop Design Studio.
## Before you begin
Role required: none
## About this task
You can configure the properties for the Format component. For more information about these properties, see [Properties of the String Utilities components](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/integrate-applications/util-stringutil-prop.md).
## Procedure
1. In the Toolbox pane, navigate to **Utilities** > **String Utilities**.
2. Drag the Format component to the Design surface.
3. To configure the input fields, see [Configure port properties](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/integrate-applications/configure-input-port-properties.md).
You must insert is \{0\} as the placeholder.
4. Connect the data and control ports of the Format component to the corresponding ports of the other components as described in the following table.
<table id="table_jnw_jn1_krb"><thead><tr><th>
Port type
</th><th>
Purpose of connection
</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>
Data In \(\_Format\)
</td><td>
Passes the text body and the placeholder from a previously executed component.Used to specify the format.
Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
Data In \(Input\)
</td><td>
Used to specify the input string that is replaced in given format.Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
Data Out \(Return\)
</td><td>
Returns the text body with the placeholder value inserted in the placeholder. This method returns a string that represents formatted text.
Data type: String
</td></tr><tr><td>
Control In
</td><td>
Connects to the Control Out port of one or more components.
</td></tr><tr><td>
Control Out
</td><td>
Connects to the Control In port of another component or the default end component.
</td></tr></tbody>
</table>5. To test the component, under the **DESIGN** tab, click **Run**.
**Parent Topic:**[String utilities](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/integrate-applications/string-utilities.md)
| title | Use the Format component |
| description | Provide a placeholder and a value in a body of text by using the Format component in RPA Desktop Design Studio. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/integrate-applications/use-utilities-stringutilities-format.html |
| release | brazil |
| topic_type | task |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 1 |
| breadcrumb | String utilitiesUtilitiesAutomation componentsRPA Desktop Design StudioRobotic Process Automation \(RPA\) HubWorkflow Data Fabric |