--- title: Create a code question description: Enable the assessors to respond to a question by using entering a barcode number or scanning a QR code in an assessment. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/governance-risk-compliance/smart-assessment-engine/sae-q-code-create.html release: australia product: Smart Assessment Engine classification: smart-assessment-engine topic_type: task last_updated: "2026-03-12" reading_time_minutes: 4 breadcrumb: [Add instructions and questions to an assessment template, Create an assessment template, Use template designer, Manage, Smart Assessment Engine, Governance, Risk, and Compliance] --- # Create a code question Enable the assessors to respond to a question by using entering a barcode number or scanning a QR code in an assessment. ## Before you begin Role required: sn\_smart\_asmt.template\_manager or sn\_smart\_asmt.assessment\_admin **Note:** Users with the sn\_smart\_asmt.template\_manager role must also have the appropriate template category role assigned. ## Procedure 1. You can update an assessment template by either opening an existing template from the landing page or by creating a new template and saving it. |Option|Description| |------|-----------| |**Existing template**|On the Assessment Workspace landing page, select an existing template.| |**New template**|Create a template as described in [Add instructions and questions to an assessment template](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/smart-assessment-engine/sae-asmnt-template-populate.md).| 2. On the **Questions** tab for the template, select the section that you want to add the question to and then select **Add question**. 3. In the **Type** section, select **Code**. 4. Enter the barcode manually or select scanner and scan the QR code. The Preview section displays an example of the text box with the code or scanned QR code that the assessor uses for the response. 5. Specify any number of attributes for the question.

Attribute	Description
Required	If the assessor must answer the question to submit the assessment, select Required. The assessor sees the \* \(asterisk\) character to indicate that a response is required.
Conditionally visible	A setting on any question type that lets template builders control when a question is shown or hidden to respondents, based on conditions tied to other questions' answers. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Select this attribute if the question appears to the assessor only if the response to a different question meets the conditions that you specify. Use the condition builder to specify the conditions that are required to present this question to the assessor. You specify the section, subsection \(if available\), question, and, optionally, the response. Together, the values that you specify define the conditions that must be met for the question to appear in the assessment. Note: When a question is hidden from the assessor because its visibility conditions aren't met, the question is not displayed in the assessment view. If a section contains questions that are hidden by conditional visibility, the section displays a subtle indicator showing how many questions have been skipped \(for example, `3 applicable questions have been skipped`\). If every question in a section is hidden by conditional visibility, the section is grayed out in the navigation pane and shows an empty-state message that indicates no questions are applicable.
Justification	A setting that lets template builders request additional text comments \(justification\) from respondents for a given question, either always or based on conditions. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Enable the assessor to supply the additional text information that justifies a response. This option is useful when you expect that some responses will be nonstandard. In the assessment, the \* \(asterisk\) character appears on the field for a required justification.
Attachments	A setting that lets template builders request file attachments \(evidence\) from respondents for a given question, either always or based on conditions. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Request the attachments for the specific responses. You can specify that the attachments are: - Required - Optional - The request for the attachments appears only if the response meets the conditions that you specify. Use the condition builder to specify the conditions. The values that you specify define the conditions that must be met to enable the assessor to add the attachments.
Set character limit	Option for the code type question. Specify the maximum number of characters that are allowed in the response text box. Default: 4000.
Specify preferred answers	A setting on choice-type questions that lets template builders define which answers are considered "preferred". This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Use the "Mark preferred answers" modal to define conditions for preferred answers.

6. Select **Save**. 7. If you want to add content that helps the assessor answer this question, select **Add additional content**.

**Question description**

Enter the descriptive text that follows the question when the assessor accesses the question. A confirmation box displays the text as an assessor sees it. Update the text by selecting **Edit**. \[Omitted image "sae-q-description-confirmation.png"\] Alt text: Confirmation of the description text. You can update the text.

**Guidance**

Enter the content that explains how best to answer the question. Add the formatted text, table, images, links, and attachments. The **Attach image** option enables you to attach descriptive images in the guidance section of the assessment questions. This means that template managers can include helpful visuals to assist respondents, making the instructions clearer and easier to understand. You can include one image per question, with mandatory alt text. The content appears in a pop-up window when the assessor accesses the question.A confirmation box displays the list of items that are provided to an assessor. Update the content by selecting **Edit**. \[Omitted image "sae-q-guidance-confirmation.png"\] Alt text: Confirmation of the guidance content. You can update the content.

8. Select **Save**.

Attribute	Description
Required	If the assessor must answer the question to submit the assessment, select Required. The assessor sees the \* \(asterisk\) character to indicate that a response is required.
Conditionally visible	A setting on any question type that lets template builders control when a question is shown or hidden to respondents, based on conditions tied to other questions' answers. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Select this attribute if the question appears to the assessor only if the response to a different question meets the conditions that you specify. Use the condition builder to specify the conditions that are required to present this question to the assessor. You specify the section, subsection \(if available\), question, and, optionally, the response. Together, the values that you specify define the conditions that must be met for the question to appear in the assessment. Note: When a question is hidden from the assessor because its visibility conditions aren't met, the question is not displayed in the assessment view. If a section contains questions that are hidden by conditional visibility, the section displays a subtle indicator showing how many questions have been skipped \(for example, `3 applicable questions have been skipped`\). If every question in a section is hidden by conditional visibility, the section is grayed out in the navigation pane and shows an empty-state message that indicates no questions are applicable.
Justification	A setting that lets template builders request additional text comments \(justification\) from respondents for a given question, either always or based on conditions. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Enable the assessor to supply the additional text information that justifies a response. This option is useful when you expect that some responses will be nonstandard. In the assessment, the \* \(asterisk\) character appears on the field for a required justification.
Attachments	A setting that lets template builders request file attachments \(evidence\) from respondents for a given question, either always or based on conditions. This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Request the attachments for the specific responses. You can specify that the attachments are: - Required - Optional - The request for the attachments appears only if the response meets the conditions that you specify. Use the condition builder to specify the conditions. The values that you specify define the conditions that must be met to enable the assessor to add the attachments.
Set character limit	Option for the code type question. Specify the maximum number of characters that are allowed in the response text box. Default: 4000.
Specify preferred answers	A setting on choice-type questions that lets template builders define which answers are considered "preferred". This Option is in the configuration options menu \(\[Omitted image "AlertMenuIcon.png"\] Alt text: Additional attributes menu icon.\). Use the "Mark preferred answers" modal to define conditions for preferred answers.