happy-technologies-llc/debugging-techniques

ServiceNow Debugging Techniques

Overview

Master the art of debugging ServiceNow applications using built-in tools and techniques. This skill covers server-side debugging, client-side debugging, log analysis, and common error resolution.

• What problem does it solve? Identifies and resolves issues in business rules, script includes, client scripts, workflows, and flows
• Who should use this skill? ServiceNow developers, administrators, and support engineers
• What are the expected outcomes? Faster issue identification, efficient troubleshooting, and cleaner code

Prerequisites

• Required ServiceNow roles: admin or script_write for Script Debugger
• Access to System Logs (System Logs > All)
• Browser Developer Tools knowledge (Chrome DevTools, Firefox Developer Tools)
• Understanding of JavaScript fundamentals

Procedure

Server-Side Debugging

Logging Functions

ServiceNow provides multiple logging functions for server-side scripts. Choose based on log level and visibility requirements.

| Function | Log Level | Use Case | |----------|-----------|----------| | gs.log(message, source) | Debug | Development/testing - legacy, prefer gs.debug | | gs.debug(message) | Debug | Detailed troubleshooting (requires debug enabled) | | gs.info(message) | Info | Informational messages for normal operations | | gs.warn(message) | Warning | Potential issues that don't stop execution | | gs.error(message) | Error | Errors that need attention |

Best Practice: Always include context in log messages:

// BAD - No context
gs.info('Record updated');

// GOOD - Full context
gs.info('[IncidentHandler] Incident ' + current.number + ' updated by ' + gs.getUserName() +
        ' - State changed from ' + current.state.getDisplayValue() + ' to ' + previous.state.getDisplayValue());

Querying System Logs:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: syslog
  query: source=IncidentHandler^sys_created_onONToday@javascript:gs.beginningOfToday()@javascript:gs.endOfToday()
  fields: sys_created_on,level,message,source
  limit: 50
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Script Debugger

The Script Debugger allows step-by-step execution of server-side scripts.

Enabling the Script Debugger:

1. Navigate to System Diagnostics > Script Debugger
2. Click Enable Debugging for your session
3. Set breakpoints in scripts using the debugger UI
4. Trigger the script (e.g., update a record)
5. Step through code using F10 (step over), F11 (step into), F5 (continue)

Debugging Business Rules:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_script
  query: collection=incident^active=true
  fields: name,order,when,script,condition
  limit: 50
  order_by: order

Key Features:

• Variable inspection (hover over variables)
• Call stack visualization
• Watch expressions
• Conditional breakpoints

Session Debug Modules

Enable detailed logging for specific components during your session.

Common Session Debug Modules:

| Module | Purpose | Enable Path | |--------|---------|-------------| | Session Debug | All session debugging | System Diagnostics > Session Debug > All | | Business Rules | Log BR execution | System Diagnostics > Session Debug > Business Rules | | SQL | Log database queries | System Diagnostics > Session Debug > SQL | | Security | ACL debugging | System Diagnostics > Session Debug > Security | | Client Scripts | Log client script data | System Diagnostics > Session Debug > Client Scripts |

Enable via Script:

// Enable business rule debugging for current session
gs.setProperty('glide.debugger.current.enabled', 'true');

Script Execution History

Track script execution for troubleshooting.

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_script_execution_history
  query: sys_created_onONLast 1 hour@javascript:gs.hoursAgo(1)@javascript:gs.nowDateTime()
  fields: script,execution_time,status,error_message,sys_created_on
  limit: 100
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Client-Side Debugging

Browser Console Methods

| Method | Purpose | |--------|---------| | console.log() | General logging | | console.info() | Informational messages | | console.warn() | Warning messages | | console.error() | Error messages | | console.table() | Display data in table format | | console.trace() | Show call stack |

ServiceNow-Specific:

// jslog - ServiceNow legacy logging (outputs to console when enabled)
jslog('Client script executed: ' + g_form.getValue('number'));

// Check if debug mode is enabled
if (window.NOW && NOW.debug) {
    console.log('[DEBUG] Form loaded for: ' + g_form.getValue('sys_id'));
}

Browser DevTools Debugging

Chrome DevTools Workflow:

1. Open DevTools (F12 or Cmd+Option+I)
2. Navigate to Sources tab
3. Find client scripts under scripts.do?sysparm_type= or in the page source
4. Set breakpoints by clicking line numbers
5. Use Watch panel to monitor variables
6. Use Scope panel to inspect local/closure variables

Useful DevTools Commands:

// In Console - Inspect form field
g_form.getValue('short_description');

// Get all form values
g_form.serialize();

// Check if field is mandatory
g_form.isMandatory('priority');

// Inspect GlideAjax response
// Set breakpoint in callback function to inspect 'response' object

Network Tab Analysis

Monitor AJAX calls and API requests:

1. Open DevTools > Network tab
2. Filter by XHR/Fetch
3. Look for calls to:
   • xmlhttp.do - GlideAjax calls
   • api/now/ - REST API calls
   • sysparm_processor - Form submissions

Common Network Issues:

• 401/403 errors - Authentication/ACL issues
• 500 errors - Server-side script errors
• Slow responses - Check Timing tab for breakdown

Transaction Logs

Analyzing Transaction Performance

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: syslog_transaction
  query: sys_created_onONLast 1 hour@javascript:gs.hoursAgo(1)@javascript:gs.nowDateTime()^urlLIKEincident
  fields: url,response_time,user,sys_created_on,status
  limit: 50
  order_by: response_time
  order_by_desc: true

Slow Query Detection

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: syslog
  query: messageLIKEslow query^sys_created_onONToday@javascript:gs.beginningOfToday()@javascript:gs.endOfToday()
  fields: sys_created_on,message,source
  limit: 100

Debugging Business Rules

Understanding Business Rule Execution Order

Business rules execute in this order for each operation (insert, update, delete):

1. before rules (order ascending) - Execute before database write
2. after rules (order ascending) - Execute after database write
3. async rules - Execute asynchronously

Critical: Order Matters!

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_script
  query: collection=incident^active=true^when=before
  fields: name,order,when,condition,script
  limit: 100
  order_by: order

Debugging Order Issues:

// Add to each business rule to trace execution order
gs.info('[BR Debug] ' + current.sys_class_name + ' - ' +
        'Name: ' + current.getTableName() + '_BR_Name - ' +
        'Order: ' + 100 + ' - ' +
        'When: before - ' +
        'Record: ' + current.number);

Common Business Rule Debugging Patterns

Check if Script is Running:

(function executeRule(current, previous) {
    gs.info('[BR_NAME] Script starting for: ' + current.getDisplayValue());

    // Your logic here

    gs.info('[BR_NAME] Script completed');
})(current, previous);

Debug Condition:

// Log condition evaluation
gs.info('[BR_NAME] Condition check - current.state: ' + current.state +
        ', previous.state: ' + previous.state +
        ', Result: ' + (current.state != previous.state));

Inspect Current vs Previous:

// Log all changed fields
var changes = current.changesLog();
if (changes) {
    gs.info('[BR_NAME] Changes: ' + changes);
}

Debugging Workflows and Flows

Workflow Debugging

Query Workflow Context:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: wf_context
  query: active=true
  fields: name,state,started,ended,id,scratchpad
  limit: 50
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Check Workflow History:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: wf_history
  query: context.active=false^sys_created_onONLast 7 days@javascript:gs.daysAgo(7)@javascript:gs.nowDateTime()
  fields: activity,from_state,to_state,additional_info,sys_created_on
  limit: 100
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Flow Designer Debugging

Query Flow Executions:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_flow_context
  query: state!=complete^ORstate=error
  fields: name,state,started,ended,error_message
  limit: 50
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Enable Flow Debug Mode:

1. Open the flow in Flow Designer
2. Click More Actions (three dots) > Debug
3. Trigger the flow
4. Review execution in the Debug panel

Common Error Messages and Solutions

"Record not found in table"

Cause: GlideRecord query returned no results Solution:

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');
gr.addQuery('number', 'INC0000001');
gr.query();
if (gr.next()) {
    // Record found
} else {
    gs.warn('Record not found: INC0000001');
}

"User not authorized"

Cause: ACL blocking access Solution:

1. Enable Session Debug > Security
2. Check ACL logs: System Logs > Security
3. Query ACLs:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_security_acl
  query: name=incident
  fields: name,operation,condition,script,role
  limit: 100

"Invalid script" or "Script error"

Cause: JavaScript syntax error or runtime exception Solution:

1. Check System Logs for stack trace
2. Use Script Debugger to step through
3. Validate syntax with browser console

"Maximum execution time exceeded"

Cause: Script running too long (30+ seconds) Solution:

• Add GlideAggregate for counting instead of looping
• Use setLimit() to restrict result sets
• Move to Scheduled Job for large operations

"Mutual exclusion violation"

Cause: Same record being updated by multiple processes Solution:

• Check for recursive business rules
• Add condition to prevent re-entry:

if (current.update_in_progress) return;
current.update_in_progress = true;

"Nested call limit exceeded"

Cause: Too many nested GlideRecord operations or recursive calls Solution:

• Refactor to reduce nesting depth
• Use GlideAggregate for counts
• Break into separate transactions

Tool Usage

MCP Tools (Claude Code/Desktop)

| Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | SN-Query-Table | Query syslog, execution history, script records | | SN-Execute-Background-Script | Run diagnostic scripts on the instance | | SN-Get-Record | Retrieve specific log or script records |

REST API (ChatGPT/Other)

| Endpoint | Method | Purpose | |----------|--------|---------| | /api/now/table/syslog | GET | Query system logs | | /api/now/table/sys_script_execution_history | GET | Query script execution history | | /api/now/table/syslog_transaction | GET | Query transaction logs |

Native Tools (Claude Code)

| Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | Bash | Execute curl commands for REST API | | Read | Read local script files for comparison |

Best Practices

• Always include context: Log function name, record identifier, and operation type
• Use appropriate log levels: Debug for development, Info for production tracing, Error for issues
• Clean up debug code: Remove or disable verbose logging before promoting to production
• Use conditional logging: Wrap debug statements in property checks
• Structured logging: Use consistent format: [Component] Action - Details
• Test in sub-production: Always debug in dev/test before touching production

Troubleshooting

Logs Not Appearing

Symptom: gs.log/gs.info statements not showing in System Logs Cause: Log level filtered or property disabled Solution:

1. Check System Properties for glide.log.level
2. Ensure glide.script.log.level allows your log level
3. Use gs.error() which always logs

Script Debugger Not Triggering

Symptom: Breakpoints not hit when script executes Cause: Wrong session, script cached, or condition not met Solution:

1. Ensure debugging enabled for YOUR session (not another admin)
2. Clear cache: System Diagnostics > Cache Management > Flush Cache
3. Verify script condition evaluates to true

Business Rule Not Firing

Symptom: Business rule appears inactive despite being enabled Cause: Condition not met, wrong table, or filter condition Solution:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_script
  query: name=YOUR_BUSINESS_RULE_NAME
  fields: name,active,collection,when,order,condition,filter_condition,script
  limit: 1

Examples

Example 1: Trace Business Rule Execution

// Add to business rule for debugging
(function executeRule(current, previous) {
    var startTime = new Date().getTime();
    var brName = 'Validate Incident Priority';

    gs.info('[' + brName + '] START - Record: ' + current.number);

    try {
        // Original business rule logic
        if (current.priority == 1 && !current.assignment_group) {
            gs.info('[' + brName + '] Setting mandatory assignment group');
            gs.addErrorMessage('Critical incidents require an assignment group');
            current.setAbortAction(true);
        }
    } catch (e) {
        gs.error('[' + brName + '] ERROR: ' + e.message + '\nStack: ' + e.stack);
    }

    var duration = new Date().getTime() - startTime;
    gs.info('[' + brName + '] END - Duration: ' + duration + 'ms');
})(current, previous);

Example 2: Query Recent Errors

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: syslog
  query: level=error^sys_created_onONLast 24 hours@javascript:gs.hoursAgo(24)@javascript:gs.nowDateTime()
  fields: sys_created_on,source,message
  limit: 100
  order_by: sys_created_on
  order_by_desc: true

Example 3: Debug Client Script with GlideAjax

// Client Script
function onLoad() {
    console.log('[MyClientScript] Form loaded, fetching data...');

    var ga = new GlideAjax('MyAjaxProcessor');
    ga.addParam('sysparm_name', 'getData');
    ga.addParam('sysparm_record_id', g_form.getUniqueValue());

    ga.getXMLAnswer(function(response) {
        console.log('[MyClientScript] Response received:', response);

        if (!response) {
            console.error('[MyClientScript] Empty response from server');
            return;
        }

        try {
            var data = JSON.parse(response);
            console.table(data);
        } catch (e) {
            console.error('[MyClientScript] Failed to parse response:', e);
        }
    });
}

Example 4: Background Script for Log Analysis

Tool: SN-Execute-Background-Script
Parameters:
  script: |
    // Find all errors in last hour with stack traces
    var gr = new GlideRecord('syslog');
    gr.addQuery('level', 'error');
    gr.addQuery('sys_created_on', '>=', gs.hoursAgo(1));
    gr.orderByDesc('sys_created_on');
    gr.setLimit(20);
    gr.query();

    var results = [];
    while (gr.next()) {
        results.push({
            time: gr.sys_created_on.getDisplayValue(),
            source: gr.source.toString(),
            message: gr.message.toString().substring(0, 200)
        });
    }

    gs.info('=== Recent Errors ===\n' + JSON.stringify(results, null, 2));
  description: Analyze recent error logs

Related Skills

• development/script-includes - Writing reusable server-side scripts
• development/business-rules - Business rule development and best practices
• development/client-scripts - Client-side scripting techniques
• administration/system-logs - System log configuration and management

References

• ServiceNow Script Debugger Documentation
• Debugging Business Rules
• Session Debug Modules
• Client Script Debugging