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ServiceNow ACL Interview Questions 2026

What is an ACL?

An access control is a security rule defined to restrict the permissions of a user from viewing and interacting with data. Most security settings are implemented using access controls.

All access control list rules specify:
1. The object and operation being secured
2. The permissions required to access the object

What are the different type of ACL?

Based on the operation, it is divided into 4 type i.e. Create, Read, Write, Delete.

Based on the level, it is divided into 3 type
Table level ACL with None
Table level ACL with * Wildcard
Field level ACL

What is the difference between Table.none and Table.* ACL?

- Table.none is a row level ACL which allows you to access records.
- Table.* is a field level ACL which gives Access to all field on the table.

Below are the scenario's to understand how none and * acl works together :

1. If we define a READ ACL with Table.None for users with role ITIL and ITIL_ADMIN

Result : Both ITIL_ADMIN and ITIL users will be able to view all records because they have read access to all records with no field level restrictions.

2. If we define a READ ACL with Table.None for ITIL_ADMIN, ITIL and Table.* for ITIL_ADMIN

Result : Only ITIL_ADMIN will have read access because the Table.* is an explicit rule at the field level that grants only ITIL_ADMIN read access to all fields.

3. If you define a READ ACL with Table.None for ITIL_ADMIN and Table.* for ITIL

Result : ITIL will not be able to view any records because they only have read access at the field level and not at the Record/Row level.

If we have ACL to make field read only and we have UI policy to make it editable, what would be the result?

A Field will still be read only. It doesn't matter if UI policy or client script is making it editable, user has to pass ACL rules to gain edit access.

Provide all ACL details which are required to achieve below scenario :
Users with Role A should have write access to all field except Configuration Item on incident table and Role B should have write access to Configuration Item field and all other fields should be read only?

1. Create new Table.None Read ACL and add both Role A and Role B which will allow both users to get row level read access.

2. Create new Table.None Write ACL and add both Role A and Role B which will allow them to get row level write access.

3. Create new Table.* Write ACL and add Role A only which will allow Role A users to edit all fields on incident table.

4. Create new Table.configuration_item Write ACL and add Role B which will allow only Role B to edit configuration item and it will not provide editable access to Role A users.

When we include roles, conditions and script in ACL, is it mandatory to satisfy all condition or only one of it?

Logged in user should satisfy all of three criteria then only ACL will grant access to user.

Can we configure ACLs being admin?

No, we need to elevate Security Admin role to configure ACL.

What is admin override in ACL?

Admin Override provides access to admin even if they don't satisfy ACL criteria.

Assignment for you:

1. What are the different ways to make particular field read only?

2. Is there anything above ACL which also can apply security restriction?

3. Why most of the entities like ACL forces developer to set result in 'answer' variable?

Real Time Sample Questions:

1. Many developer find ACL difficult to deal with, what is your opinion about this?

2. Did you ever face any issue/challenges while implementing ACLs?

4. What is your opinion about ACL debug functionality provided by servicenow? Did you ever use it? Do you find it useful? Do you think it needs improvement to make it easy for developers?

5. Did you ever create any ACL other than CRUD operation purpose?

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Real Interview Questions & Answers

Questions shared by ServiceNow professionals and reviewed for clarity, relevance, and interview usefulness.

Adarsh 23 Apr 2025
If we do not apply any ACL on the table then what will happen? Will the table be visible to normal users of not with limited or no role.
2 answers
Vishal 25 Apr 2025
Access Control Lists (ACLs) are the primary mechanism for controlling access to tables, records, and fields. If no ACLs are applied to a table, the behavior depends on the ServiceNow instance's security configuration, particularly whether High Security Settings are enabled, and the default access behavior of the platform. Below is a detailed explanation of what happens when no ACLs are applied to a table and whether the table is visible to normal users (including those with limited or no roles).
0 helpful
Teja 23 Jun 2026
If no ACL is created directly on a table, it does not mean every user automatically gets access. ServiceNow first checks whether ACLs are inherited from a parent table and then checks wildcard ACLs. For a standalone custom table, normal users are generally denied because the default wildcard rules restrict access unless another ACL grants it. If the custom table extends Task or another secured table, the parent ACLs also apply. Table visibility in the navigator is controlled by application and module roles, but those roles do not secure the data. Even if the module is hidden, a user could access the table through another route when the ACL permits it. Therefore, I always create explicit CRUD ACLs for custom tables and test them by impersonating users with the intended roles.
0 helpful
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Ammy Singh 17 Apr 2025
Please can someone provide answer to this question: How to show incidents to users only if they are part of current assignment group?
5 answers
Sainath 11 Jun 2025
IN ACL Script : if(gs.getuser().isMemberOf('current.assignment_group'){ answer=ture; }else{ answer=false }
0 helpful
Unknown 04 Nov 2025
filter condition: assignment group is(dynamic) one of my group.
1 helpful
Anonymous 05 Feb 2026
if(gs.getuser().isMemberOf('current.assignment_group')){ answer=ture; }else{ answer=false; }
0 helpful
Priyanka 06 Apr 2026
Using script or dynamic condition, which is the best practice of these two?
0 helpful
N Cinthala 11 Apr 2026
We can execute this in two Ways; 1. Using Before Query Business Rule--> Condition (Assignment Group is one of my group) OR current.addEncodedQuery('assignment_groupDYNAMICd6435e965f510100a9ad2572f2b47744'); 2. Using Record Level DENY Unless ACL Data Condition or Script--> If Condition (Assignment Group is one of my group) or Script --> answer=gs.getUser().isMemberOf(current.assignment_group); Always Choose Before Query Business rule instead of ACL for Record Visibility
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A 24 Sep 2024
How to bypass ACL for specific users which has nobody role added, without creating new ACL? (and without admin override)
No answers yet
0 helpful
Shubham J 04 Jul 2024
i have been asked a question, Hide a specific field from Incident, problem, change, Service Portal, LIST VIEW from all this places in one go? how can we achieve it?
3 answers
Kamini 10 Aug 2024
Make the field inactive
0 helpful
Snowexpertaastik 30 Nov 2024
Hi Shubham, You can create an ACL on the task table with the operation set to add_to_list. By doing this, users will not be able to personalize that particular field. As a result, they won’t be able to see it in the list view or interact with it
1 helpful
Samaksh 26 Jun 2025
Dictionary Attribute (Global Control) Go to: System Definition > Dictionary Search for the field (e.g., cmdb_ci) Open the dictionary entry Add or modify the Attributes: glide.ui.hidden = true → hides the field from form view glide.list.hidden = true → hides the field from list view
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Narasimha 14 May 2024
Hi All, I have been asked a question where i need to show only 2 state choices (InProgress and Pending) in List View only to the users based on the logged in user if he has specific role. Can anyone please help me if it is possible to hide few choices of state field to few users from List View in ServiceNow.
3 answers
Lata 26 May 2024
I think they wanted to ask that user with the specific role user can see the state but they shouldn't be able to close incident form from list view in this case you can use oncell edit client script you can specify role first thn we can check if state is closed thn don't update record by sending false perameter to callback function which prevent record update else send true to callback.
0 helpful
Narasimha 04 Jun 2024
Hi Lata, Thank You for your response i got your point. But they have clearly mentioned how to hide few choices from list view.
0 helpful
Mahendra 20 Sep 2024
To show only the "In Progress" and "Pending" state choices in the list view based on the logged-in user's role, I would create an on-cell edit client script. This script will check if the user has the specific role and, if so, it will filter the state choices in the list view. This way, only the relevant options are displayed to the user in the list view, making it user-friendly and role-specific. I chose an on-cell edit client script because it runs only when a cell is edited in the list, providing a dynamic experience without affecting other users. This solution ensures that the right state choices are available based on the user's role without impacting performance or other areas of the platform.
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Narasimha 08 May 2024
I have been asked a question that, The incident should be filtered based on the logged in Users country. I told it is possible using Before Query BR but interviewer is expecting this functionality to be done using ACL. does anyone have any idea about it?
2 answers
Abhinandan 09 Jun 2024
You can create an ACL with a script, in the script you can compare the user's country and incident's country(if there is such field on the incident table), if they come out to be true then answer is true, else its false.
0 helpful
Abel Tuter 30 Nov 2024
Hi Narasimha , you can write below script in ACL Script var currentUser = gs.getUserID(); var loggedInUser = new GlideRecord('sys_user'); if (loggedInUser.get(currentUser)) { // Get the Sys ID or name of the location for the logged-in user var currUserLocation = loggedInUser.location; // This will return Sys ID // Get the Sys ID of the incident location var incidentLocation = current.location; // This should already be a Sys ID // Compare the two Sys IDs if (currUserLocation == incidentLocation) { answer = true; // User can access } else { answer = false; // User cannot access } }
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Nira 27 Oct 2023
For Incident form, There is ACL which is restricting write access for a role and there is another ACL which allows user with same role to write. Which ACL will work, Will the user with that role able to write or not?
2 answers
Tony 08 Nov 2023
Yes, user will be able to write. If user satisfies at least 1 ACL criteria then he will get required access.
2 helpful
Srushti 06 May 2025
If one ACL denies and another allows, denial wins in ServiceNow. The user will not have write access unless there’s an ACL with a more permissive condition that explicitly allows it, and no ACLs deny it.
0 helpful
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Vinay Kumar 07 Apr 2023
execution order of Acl in ServiceNow ? and Read ,write, delete, create which one excute first ?
3 answers
Robert 13 Apr 2023
Hi Vinay, If user don't have READ access then providing WRITE, DELETE or CREATE access doesn't make any sense so I believe, READ ACL should be executing first which will make sure to not evaluate further ACL if user does not pass READ access.
1 helpful
Dhruv 13 Mar 2024
Execution order is always : Role >> Condition >> Script
0 helpful
Aurobinda Behera 28 Feb 2025
Create --> read --> write --> delete
0 helpful
2 helpful
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