Which Four Options Set When a ServiceNow Business Rule Executes?

CSA By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

ADE Async Display After

Question

What are the options that can be set to determine when a Business Rule executes? (Choose four.)
  1. Async Correct Answer
  2. Load
  3. Change
  4. Display Correct Answer
  5. After Correct Answer

Key Takeaways

The exam tests the four valid 'When' values for Business Rules, and the trap is confusing them with client-script event types like onLoad and onChange.

ServiceNow Business Rules use a 'When' field with exactly four timing values: before, after, async, and display. Community comments, Vancouver e-book references, and hands-on PDI checks consistently confirm ADEF (Async, Display, After, Before) as the correct answer set.

Common mistake: Choosing 'Load' or 'Change' because they sound like execution timing — these are actually client script types (onLoad/onChange), not Business Rule 'When' options; some candidates also miss 'Before' as the fourth valid value.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

In a ServiceNow Business Rule definition, the 'When' field offers exactly four choices: before, after, async, and display. 'Before' and 'after' run relative to the database commit, 'async' runs in the background scheduler after the commit, and 'display' runs when a form is loaded for display. Multiple commenters verified this directly in their Personal Developer Instances (comments [3] and [4]), and comment [2] explicitly states the 'when' field contains before, after, async, and display. Note that the option list shown here only goes to E; the fourth correct choice, 'Before', appears as option F in the original exam item, making the full answer set A, D, E, F.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

'Load' (B) is not a Business Rule timing option — it resembles the onLoad client script type, which runs when a form loads in the browser. 'Change' (C) mirrors the onChange client script type, which fires when a field value changes, and has no equivalent in Business Rule 'When' settings. Business Rules are server-side and trigger around database operations (insert, update, delete, query) or form display, so browser-event vocabulary like 'load' and 'change' does not apply. Picking either of these shows confusion between client scripts and Business Rules, a distinction the CSA exam deliberately tests.

Community Comment Notes

All five comments converge on the same answer set, ADEF, which is unusually strong consensus. Comment [1] cites the Vancouver SNAF e-book as the source, while comments [2], [3], and [4] confirm the four 'When' values from the Business Rule form and personal instances. Comment [5] simply reinforces ADEF. No commenter defended 'Load' or 'Change', and none disputed the inclusion of 'Before' as the fourth option, so the community verdict is unanimous.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Memorize the four Business Rule 'When' values — before, after, async, display — as a fixed set, and immediately eliminate any option that sounds like a client script type (onLoad, onChange). If the printed options omit 'Before', still select Async, Display, and After, and assume 'Before' is the missing fourth choice, as it was in the original exam item.

Discussion 5 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 5

  1. 257884d 👍 5
    According to the vancouver SNAF e-book, the answer is ADEF
  2. 8d6fb83 👍 4
    In business rule definition the "when" field contains before, after, async and display options (ADEF)
  3. Cplatt 👍 3
    I checked in my PDI and the correct answer is ADEF
  4. Cosmo87 👍 1
    i cheked in my vancouver version the correct answers is ADEF
  5. shub606 👍 2
    answer should be - ADEF

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