In ServiceNow, a sys_id is a unique 32-character identifier (UUID - Universally Unique Identifier) that

is automatically assigned to every record in the system.

Key Characteristics of sys_id:

It is a unique 32-character alphanumeric string (e.g., 5137153cc611227c000bbd1bd8cd2005).

Every record in every table in ServiceNow has a sys_id field.

The sys_id remains the same across instances if the record is transferred via an Update Set.

It helps uniquely identify records and is used in scripting, APIs, and database relationships.

Example:

In the Incident [incident] table, an incident record might have:

Number: INC0012345

sys_id: 9d72f6141b122200d37a85e15b2d6fe6

Why "A. Unique 32-character identifier that is assigned to every record" is Correct?

The sys_id is always 32 characters long.

It is a critical part of the ServiceNow database structure.

Used for relationships, APIs, scripting, and querying records.

Explanation of Incorrect Options:

B . A client-side Business Rule – Incorrect

Business Rules do not generate sys_ids; they control logic execution.

C . A server-side Business Rule – Incorrect

Business Rules are used for automation, but sys_id is a system-generated field.

D . Unique 64-character identifier that is assigned to every record – Incorrect

The correct length of sys_id is 32 characters, not 64.

Reference from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

ServiceNow Docs: Understanding sys_id

ServiceNow CSA Study Guide – Database Architecture

ServiceNow Product Documentation: Unique Identifiers in ServiceNow