{"revision":"c10276e953456835cdbb1f3a60d58ae1980be353","document":{"id":3802,"path":"build-workflows/legacy-workflow/t_CreateAWorkflowStageField.md","title":"Create a workflow stage field","bundle":null,"doc_type":null,"release":"australia","body":"\n# Create a workflow stage field\n\nWorkflows can provide a summary of workflow progress by updating any field of the **Workflow** type. If the field is a workflow field, it displays an icon to indicate the workflow stage progress.\n\n## Before you begin\n\nRole required: admin\n\n## About this task\n\nIn a form, the workflow field displays the current stage as a choice list value.\n\nIn a list, the workflow field displays stage icons that represent the series of states, stages, phases, or tasks within a workflow. The stage icons are populated using the activity stages from the associated workflow. For more information, see [Workflow stages](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/c_WorkflowStages.md).\n\n\\[Omitted image \"400pxWorkflowList.png\"\\] Alt text: Workflow stage field in a list\n\nTo create a workflow stage field:\n\n## Procedure\n\n1.  Navigate to **All** > **Workflow** > **Default Stages \\(by table\\)**.\n\n2.  Right-click near a column header and select **Configure** > **List Layout**.\n\n3.  Create a new field in lower right.\n\n4.  On the form view of the table used by the workflow, create a field with the **Type** set to **Workflow**.\n\n    For detailed steps, see [Add and customize a field in a table](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-administration/t_CreatingNewFields.md).\n\n5.  Click **Save**.\n\n6.  Right-click the field label and select **Configure Dictionary**.\n\n7.  Open a dictionary entry.\n\n8.  In the Choice List Specification section of the Dictionary Entries form, select **Dropdown with --None--** from the **Choice** list.\n\n9.  Click **Update**.\n\n10. To ensure that the workflow field properly displays stages on the form, define a choice for each workflow stage.\n\n    -   To create workflow stages using a choice list that already has choices, you can import the stages from the choice list. A stage is created for each choice defined for the **Stage field** selected in the workflow properties. For detailed steps about importing a choice list, see [Import stages from a choice list](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/c_WorkflowStageSets.md).\n    -   The **Value** of each choice must match the **Value** of the corresponding workflow stage.\n    -   Do not use spaces in the **Value** field for either choices or stages. Use underscores in place of spaces.\n    -   Make the choice list read-only. If a user changes the stage value for a record from the choice list rather than allowing the workflow to control the value, the workflow-driven, legacy, and linear renders may not work as intended. You can also use business rules or events to ensure the workflow progresses accordingly.\n    For detailed steps on defining choice lists, see [Define an option for a choice list](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-administration/t_ViewChoiceListDefinitions.md).\n\n11. To see workflow stages as icons, add the field to the list layout of the workflow table.\n\n    For detailed steps, see [Configure the list layout](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/platform-administration/t_ConfigureTheListLayout.md).\n\n\n## What to do next\n\nAfter you create or update the workflow field:\n\n-   Unless the workflow uses the Requested Item \\[sc\\_req\\_item\\] table, ensure that the workflow field is selected from the **Stage field** list in the workflow properties. For detailed steps, see [Select a stage field](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/t_SelectAStageField.md). If a workflow uses the Requested Item table, the stage field is automatically set to the **Stage** field of the table and cannot be changed.\n-   Work through the workflow. Any other updates made to the workflow field, such as updates from business rules or other scripts, can interfere with displaying workflow stages.\n\n-   **[Select a stage field](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/t_SelectAStageField.md)**  \nA **Stage field** allows the workflow context to show additional workflow information, such as the stage name and the estimated completion time for an activity.\n-   **[Display approvers in workflow stage fields](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/display-approvers-workflow-stages.md)**  \nEnable workflow stage fields to display approvers, change the number of approvers to display, or disable displaying approvers.\n-   **[Workflow stage field icons and tooltips](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/r_WorkflowFieldIcons.md)**  \nA workflow stage field displays icons to indicate the workflow stage.\n-   **[Workflow stage renderers](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/r_WorkflowStageRenderers.md)**  \nWorkflow stage renderers determine how a workflow displays stages in a workflow field.\n\n**Parent Topic:**[Workflow stages](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/build-workflows/legacy-workflow/c_WorkflowStages.md)\n\n"}}