Service Portal/Widgets

Quick links on topic pages

Allows users to easily access essential resources and references on topic pages

Overview

  • Release version
    Australia
  • Available sinceYokohama
  • A11Y WCAG 2.1 AA

The Quick links on a topic page works predominantly the same way as other Quick links widgets, except this widget has been tailored for topic pages. Like the other two Quick links widgets, the Quick links on a topic page widget provides users with direct access to related resources and actions within a specific topic or subject area in the portal.

These links guide users to related information or actions within that specific topic area. It acts as a navigational aid, presenting a curated list of relevant links that facilitate efficient task completion and information retrieval.


Important

Ensure you are using the correct type of Quick links. There are three:

  • Quick links on a topic page (this widget): Designed specifically for topic pages, this widget dynamically pulls and displays links that are relevant to the specific topic the user is currently browsing. This ensures users find targeted resources related to their area of interest.
  • Quick links: Primarily used on the homepage or general content pages, this widget typically displays a manually curated set of frequently accessed links. While it can be placed on record pages, its strength lies in providing consistent shortcuts to key areas or external resources, independent of the specific record being viewed.
  • Quick links (CD): This widget is part of Employee Center Pro's Content Publishing capability. It provides advanced scheduling and audience-based control for its links, offering a significant advantage for targeted and time-sensitive content delivery.
ServiceNow Docs link
Quick link on topic pages documentation

Additional information about the widget

null

When to use

Use the Quick links on a topic page widget when you need to provide users with a focused set of links related to a specific topic or subject. It’s ideal for knowledge base articles, service catalog items, or external resources that are directly relevant to the page’s context.

When not to use

Avoid using this widget for general site navigation or for unrelated links that do not contribute to the topic's context. Rely on standard navigation menus or other widgets for broader navigation purposes.

Usage

Use the Quick links on a topic page widget to provide users with access to contextually relevant information on the current topic. This widget automatically pulls links associated with the current topic, streamlining the discovery of related resources. Keep the following suggestions in mind:

  • Ensure accurate topic association: Verify that your quick links are correctly linked to the relevant topics within your content taxonomy to ensure they appear on the appropriate pages.
  • Focus on relevance: The strength of this widget is its ability to present highly targeted resources. Ensure the links genuinely complement the topic content.
  • Maintain clear link labels: Even though dynamic, ensure the link text is clear and concise, guiding users to their desired content.

Examples

  • Knowledge base topic page: On a "Troubleshooting network issues" page, you might show links to "Resolving Wi-Fi connectivity problems," "Diagnosing VPN errors," or "Request new network cable."
  • Service catalog topic page: For an "Employee onboarding" page, you could include links like "Complete new hire forms," "Schedule benefits enrollment meeting," or "Direct deposit form."
  • HR portal topic page: On a "Benefits" page, this widget could display links to "Health insurance options," "Retirement savings plan," or "Enroll in benefits."

Anatomy

The Quick links on topic pages widget consists of the following components:

  1. Widget title: A short heading that gives context to the widget’s contents. The default is “Quick links” unless the title in the instance options is updated.
  2. Container: Displays a list of links.
  3. Link item: Each individual quick link typically consists of a title and hyperlink.
  4. Icon (optional): A visual icon that can provide additional context or visual appeal. Icons are not available in all card styles. Best practice for icons and images is to ensure that all cards have one. Otherwise it can begin to look disjointed.

Instance option

Presentation

Field Description
Title A text field to set the title that appears at the top of the Quick Links widget. Default: "Quick links" (as seen in the screenshot)

Usability

This widget complies with all internationalization and accessibility requirements.

Internationalization

Accessibility

Learn how to access the actionable elements of the widget through keyboard interactions and screen readers.

Widget tab order

Keyboard interactions

You can access the actionable elements of the widget with these keyboard interactions:

  • Tab: Navigate through each link, sequentially, within the widget using the Tab key
  • Shift + tab: Navigate backward through the links using the shift + tab key combination
  • Enter/spacebar: Pressing the enter key or the spacebar on a focused link will activate the link and navigate the user to the specified destination.