Flash a field to draw attention

The g_form.flash() method draws user attention by briefly pulsing a field's background color. Most developers stumble on the color parameter — it requires hex colors without the # prefix, and silently fails if you include it. The flashing is purely cosmetic — it doesn't affect field validation or data processing, making it perfect for highlighting auto-populated values without interfering with business logic.

When to use this

• After auto-populating fields based on user selections (caller ID populates department, location)
• When validation rules modify field values and users need to notice the changes
• To highlight calculated fields that update based on form interactions
• After successful GlideAjax calls that populate multiple fields simultaneously

When NOT to use this

• Don't flash error states — use g_form.addErrorMessage() or field-level validation instead
• Don't flash on every field change — users will ignore it if overused
• Don't use for critical alerts that require user acknowledgment — flash is easily missed
• Don't flash readonly or hidden fields — the animation won't be visible

Key behaviors and gotchas

• Color parameter must be 6-digit hex without # prefix — FF0000 not #FF0000
• Count parameter defaults to 2 flashes — values above 5 become annoying to users
• Flash executes immediately — no delay parameter exists, so sequence multiple flashes carefully
• Works on reference fields but flashes the display value field, not the dropdown button
• No effect in mobile UI — the animation only works in desktop browsers