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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Types of service catalog variables

Variables allow you to specify questions for a catalog item. Several types of service catalog variables are provided. Some variable types accept variable attributes.

See the following sections for more details on each variable type. For details on creating a variable, see Create a service catalog variable. You can also provide help text for any service catalog variable. For information on defining help information, see Define help information for a service catalog variable.

Support in various channels

Service Catalog variables are supported in various channels. For information on their availability, see Variable support in various channels.

  • Attachment
    When submitting a catalog item request, this variable lets you upload an attachment for a question of the item.
  • Break
    The break variable displays a horizontal line across the form.
  • Check box
    The check box variable lets you enable and disable options by selecting and clearing it.
  • Container start, container split, and container end
    The container start, container split, and container end variables define a layout for a container that can hold more variables.
  • Date, Date and time, and Duration
    The date variable creates a widget with a field and calendar to select a date.
  • Email
    The email variable creates a widget to enter and select an email address.
  • HTML
    The HTML variable lets you provide content with advanced formatting, including images, for a catalog item.
  • IP Address
    Use the IP address variable to specify the IPv4 and IPv6 data for a catalog item.
  • Label
    The label variable displays a label across the form. Labels are formatting elements. No data is collected.
  • List collector
    The list collector variable creates an interface that lets you select and add multiple records from a table.
  • Lookup multiple choice
    The lookup multiple choice variable creates radio buttons using data from a table. Its functionality is similar to the lookup select box variable, which creates a choice list from queried data.
  • Lookup select box
    The lookup select box variable creates a choice list using data queried from a table. Its functionality is similar to the lookup multiple choice variable, which creates radio buttons from queried data.
  • Custom and Custom with label
    The custom variable inserts a UI macro into the catalog item. Custom with label variable inserts a UI macro with a label.
  • Masked
    The masked variable inserts a field that masks the text entered.
  • Multi-line text
    The multi-line text variable creates a field that lets you enter multiple lines of text.
  • Multiple choice
    The multiple choice variable creates radio buttons for question choices.
  • Numeric scale
    The numeric scale variable creates a set of radio buttons for a range of options, like a Likert scale.
  • Reference
    A reference variable references a record in another table. For example, a variable named point_of_contact references the User [sys_user] table.
  • Requested for
    Before submitting a catalog item request, this variable helps you specify who this request can be submitted for.
  • Rich Text Label
    This variable displays a formatted label on a catalog item form.
  • Select box
    The select box variable creates a list from predefined question choices.
  • Single-line text
    The single-line text variable creates a field to enter a single line of text.
  • UI page
    The UI page variable inserts a UI page into the catalog item.
  • URL
    The URL variable creates a widget for users to enter URLs.
  • Wide single-line text
    The wide single-line text variable creates a field that spans the form, letting users enter longer lines of text.
  • Yes/No
    The Yes or No variable creates a choice list with Yes and No as options.
  • Variable support in various channels
    Service Catalog variables are supported in various channels.

Parent Topic:Service catalog variables