wf_workflow Table — ServiceNow Reference

Table Reference/wf_workflow

The wf_workflow table stores legacy Workflow definitions from the Workflow module, used before Flow Designer was introduced. These workflows are still heavily used on older instances, and developers need to understand their state management and execution context when scripting against them.

What This Table Is

The wf_workflow table stores definitions for legacy Workflow processes that were the primary automation tool before Flow Designer. Each record represents a complete workflow definition including its activities, transitions, and variables. These workflows operate on a graphical flowchart model where activities are connected by transitions with conditions.

The Workflow module owns this table and supports end-to-end process automation through visual workflow design. Workflows can be triggered by database operations, scheduled events, or manual execution. They're particularly common in HR processes, approval chains, and complex IT service management scenarios where Flow Designer wasn't available or suitable.

This table doesn't extend any parent table and isn't extended by child tables. However, it has a complex relationship with wf_activity, wf_transition, and wf_context tables that define the workflow's structure and execution state. Workflow execution creates records in wf_executing to track running instances.

Enterprise instances typically have 50-200 workflow definitions, but record volume is low since this table only stores definitions, not executions. Performance is generally good, though workflows with many activities or complex conditions can impact execution performance rather than query performance on this table.

When You'll Script Against This Table

Developers typically script against wf_workflow in Script Includes that manage workflow lifecycle, Business Rules that trigger workflows programmatically, and Scheduled Jobs that start workflows on schedule. Most workflow interaction happens through the Workflow Script Include rather than direct table queries.

Access is controlled by the workflow_admin role for write operations and itil role for read operations. Most developers work in global scope when scripting workflows, though scoped applications can contain their own workflow definitions.

Common scripting patterns:

Starting workflows programmatically using workflow.startFlow() with the workflow sys_id
Querying active workflows for specific tables to understand automation coverage
Checking workflow published state before attempting to execute
Building workflow management utilities that activate/deactivate workflows in bulk
Creating reports on workflow usage by table and trigger conditions
Cloning workflows programmatically for similar processes across different tables
Auditing workflow configuration changes for compliance and troubleshooting

Table Gotchas

⚠️

The 'published' field is a string ('true'/'false'), not a boolean. Many developers expect workflow.published == true but must use workflow.published == 'true' instead.

⚠️

Workflows can appear active but still not execute if they're unpublished. Always check both active=true AND published='true' before expecting execution.

The table field stores the target table name, but workflows can operate on multiple tables through their activities. Don't assume the table field represents all tables the workflow touches.
Workflow execution doesn't create records in this table - it creates records in wf_executing. Query wf_executing for runtime information, not wf_workflow.

⚠️

Deleting workflow records doesn't clean up related wf_activity, wf_transition, or wf_executing records automatically. Use the workflow designer's delete function instead of direct record deletion.

The condition field uses encoded query syntax, not JavaScript. Parse it with GlideRecord.addEncodedQuery() if you need to understand trigger conditions programmatically.
Workflow versioning isn't automatic. The version field is manually managed and doesn't increment on changes like Flow Designer versions do.

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The wf_activity table stores individual workflow steps and references this table through its workflow field. Each workflow can have dozens of activities. The wf_transition table defines the connections between activities and also references workflows. These three tables form the core workflow definition structure.

Runtime execution creates records in wf_executing which references both this table and the target record being processed. The wf_context table stores variable definitions and current values during execution. Developers commonly join these tables when building workflow monitoring or debugging utilities.

The sys_metadata table tracks workflow customizations and update set inclusion. Since workflows are complex objects with many related records, developers often query metadata when managing workflow deployments across instances.

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Instance:sourdoughdev·Version:Yokohama

Instance StateONLINE

System StatusFully Operational

Session Timeout90 minutes

Logged-In Sessions2 (20 active)

Build Nameyokohama-12-18-2024_p1

IP Address10.159.128.43

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Key Fields

Column	Type	Label	Notes
name	string	Name	Human-readable workflow name. Must be unique per table but can be duplicated across different tables.
table	string	Table	Target table name where this workflow operates. Stored as string table name, not a reference to sys_db_object.
active	boolean	Active	Controls whether workflow can be triggered. Inactive workflows won't start new executions but running instances continue.
published	string	Published	String value 'true' or 'false' indicating if workflow is published. Unpublished workflows won't execute even if active=true.
condition	string	Condition	Encoded query string defining when workflow triggers. Uses same format as GlideRecord.addEncodedQuery(), not JavaScript.
on_insert	boolean	Run on Insert	Triggers workflow when new records are created on the target table. Combines with condition field for filtering.
on_update	boolean	Run on Update	Triggers workflow when records are updated on the target table. Most common trigger type for approval workflows.
on_delete	boolean	Run on Delete	Triggers workflow when records are deleted from the target table. Rarely used due to cleanup timing issues.
description	string	Description	Free-text description of workflow purpose. Important for documentation since workflows can be complex.
version	string	Version	Manual version identifier. Unlike Flow Designer, this doesn't auto-increment and must be managed manually.
begin	reference	Begin Activity	References wf_activity record that serves as workflow entry point. Required for workflow execution to start.
stage	choice	Stage	Workflow lifecycle stage: 'development', 'test', 'production'. Affects visibility in workflow designer.
expected_time	integer	Expected Duration	Expected runtime in seconds. Used for SLA calculations and workflow performance monitoring.
relative_duration	string	Relative Duration	Duration specification using relative time format. Can reference field values from the triggering record.
checked_out	boolean	Checked Out	Indicates if workflow is currently being edited in workflow designer. Prevents concurrent modifications.
checked_out_by	reference	Checked Out By	References sys_user who has workflow checked out for editing. Automatically cleared when designer is closed.
run_as	reference	Run As	References sys_user whose permissions workflow activities inherit. Defaults to system user if not specified.

Common Queries

Get all active and published workflows

// Basic query for executable workflows
var gr = new GlideRecord('wf_workflow');
gr.addQuery('active', true);
gr.addQuery('published', 'true'); // String, not boolean
gr.query();
while (gr.next()) {
    gs.info('Active workflow: ' + gr.name + ' on table: ' + gr.table);
}

Find workflows for specific table that trigger on insert

// Query workflows that will fire when creating incident records
var gr = new GlideRecord('wf_workflow');
gr.addQuery('table', 'incident');
gr.addQuery('on_insert', true);
gr.addQuery('active', true);
gr.addQuery('published', 'true');
gr.query();
gs.info('Found ' + gr.getRowCount() + ' insert workflows for incidents');

Get workflows checked out by specific user for workflow management

// Find all workflows currently being edited by a user
var userSysId = 'user_sys_id_here';
var gr = new GlideRecord('wf_workflow');
gr.addQuery('checked_out', true);
gr.addQuery('checked_out_by', userSysId);
gr.query();
while (gr.next()) {
    gs.info('User has checked out workflow: ' + gr.name);
    // Optionally force check-in if needed
    // gr.checked_out = false;
    // gr.checked_out_by = '';
    // gr.update();
}

Count active workflows by target table

// Use GlideAggregate to count workflow distribution
var ga = new GlideAggregate('wf_workflow');
ga.addQuery('active', true);
ga.addQuery('published', 'true');
ga.groupBy('table');
ga.addAggregate('COUNT');
ga.query();
while (ga.next()) {
    var tableName = ga.getValue('table');
    var count = ga.getAggregate('COUNT');
    gs.info('Table ' + tableName + ' has ' + count + ' active workflows');
}

Wrong vs right way to check if workflow will execute

// WRONG: This misses unpublished workflows
// var gr = new GlideRecord('wf_workflow');
// gr.addQuery('active', true);
// // Missing published check!

// RIGHT: Check both active and published status
var gr = new GlideRecord('wf_workflow');
gr.addQuery('active', true);
gr.addQuery('published', 'true'); // Published is string, not boolean
gr.query();
// Only these workflows will actually execute

Related Tables

wf_context sys_user

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