The correct approach is to create a before business rule that aborts the operation if the condition is met. This works because a before business rule executes on the server side before the database record is saved, allowing you to call current.setAbortAction(true) to halt the update or close action entirely. On the ServiceNow Certified Application Developer CAD exam, this scenario tests your understanding of server-side validation versus client-side scripting—a common trap is trying to use a client script or an after business rule, which cannot prevent the operation from completing. The key distinction is that only a before business rule can abort an operation based on a condition, making it the correct choice for enforcing restrictions like preventing incident closure after 30 days from resolution. Memory tip: think "Before Abort"—if you need to stop an action before it happens, use a before business rule with setAbortAction.
SNOW-CAD Core Application Development Practice Question
This SNOW-CAD practice question tests your understanding of core application development. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A developer wants to prevent users from closing an incident after it has been resolved for more than 30 days. Which approach should be used?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a business rule on 'before' that aborts the operation if the condition is met.
A 'before' business rule with an abort action is the correct server-side approach to prevent an operation from completing. When the condition (resolved_at is more than 30 days ago) is true, the business rule can call current.setAbortAction(true) to stop the incident from being updated or closed, ensuring the restriction is enforced regardless of the client interface.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Create an ACL to deny closing after 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
ACLs control record-level access, not field updates based on time.
✗
Create a UI policy that disables the close button.
Why it's wrong here
UI policies run client-side and can be bypassed by direct web service calls.
✗
Create a client script that alerts the user.
Why it's wrong here
Client scripts only run in the UI and can be bypassed.
✓
Create a business rule on 'before' that aborts the operation if the condition is met.
Why this is correct
Business rules run server-side and enforce the rule on all updates.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose client-side solutions (UI policy or client script) because they appear to 'disable' the button, but they fail to recognize that server-side enforcement is required to prevent direct API or scripted submissions from bypassing the restriction.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A 'before' business rule runs on the server before the database write occurs, allowing the developer to inspect the current record's resolved_at field and compare it to gs.daysAgo(30). Using current.setAbortAction(true) immediately stops the transaction and rolls back any changes, which is the only reliable way to enforce such a time-based restriction across all interfaces (UI, REST, SOAP, etc.).
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Core Application Development — This question tests Core Application Development — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a business rule on 'before' that aborts the operation if the condition is met. — A 'before' business rule with an abort action is the correct server-side approach to prevent an operation from completing. When the condition (resolved_at is more than 30 days ago) is true, the business rule can call current.setAbortAction(true) to stop the incident from being updated or closed, ensuring the restriction is enforced regardless of the client interface.
What should I do if I get this SNOW-CAD question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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