Bulk import of your enterprise models and assets

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Bulk import of your enterprise models and assets

    ServiceNow enables bulk importing of enterprise models and assets using a subflow that facilitates the transfer of multiple types at once into your instance. This process supports both the creation of new records and updates to existing models and assets. The import is managed through the Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) workspace by creating an import record with an uploaded spreadsheet template containing your data.

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    Once the import is initiated, the EAM Bulk Import subflow triggers scheduled jobs that move data from the spreadsheet into staging tables, validate it, and then create or update records within the instance.

    Modes

    You can select from various import modes depending on your needs:

    • Create models
    • Update models
    • Create assets
    • Update assets
    • Create models and assets
    • Update models and assets

    The mode you choose determines the template you download and the specific processing jobs that run during import.

    Templates

    Templates correspond to the mode selected and are available in spreadsheet (.xlsx) format. It is essential to provide valid values for all mandatory fields to ensure successful import. Starting with the Yokohama release, the MAC address field is included in asset-related templates and will populate the Asset [almasset] table's MAC address field after import.

    Templates can be customized by adding columns through modifications to staging tables, adjusting the list view on the Database view table [sneamimporttemplate], and updating field mappings in the transform maps.

    Scheduled Jobs

    The bulk import process relies on several scheduled jobs triggered by the subflow:

    • EAM Bulk Import - Upload File: Runs for all modes and uploads data from the spreadsheet to staging tables.
    • EAM Bulk Import - Transform Model: Runs only for model-related modes to execute model transform maps.
    • EAM Bulk Import - Transform Asset: Runs only for asset-related modes to execute asset transform maps.

    For combined modes (models and assets), these jobs run sequentially to process both data sets.

    Staging Tables

    Data from the import spreadsheet populates one or more staging tables depending on the content:

    • Model Import Staging [sneammodelimportrow]
    • Model Component Import Staging [sneammcimportrow]
    • Asset Import Staging [sneamassetimportrow]

    These tables serve as temporary storage for validation and transformation before final record creation or updates.

    Use a subflow to import enterprise models and assets of multiple types to your ServiceNow instance at one go. You can also perform a bulk update on existing models and assets.

    Overview of Bulk import

    Use the Enterprise Asset workspace to do a bulk transfer of all your enterprise models and asset from a different database to the ServiceNow instance.

    Create an import record by downloading a template in the form of a spreadsheet (.xlsx). Ensure that you enter valid values in all the mandatory fields before uploading the template. Attach the template to the import record and select Import to begin the import process.

    After you select Import, the EAM Bulk Import subflow gets triggered. Scheduled jobs are initiated and data in the spreadsheet is copied to the appropriate staging tables. The staging tables are validated and records are created in the ServiceNow instance.

    Modes

    Modes refer to the type of import that you want to process. There are modes for only importing models, assets, and a combined mode for both models and assets. You can choose from the following available modes:
    • Create models
    • Update models
    • Create assets
    • Update assets
    • Create models and assets
    • Update models and assets

    Templates

    Based on the mode you select in the import record, you can download the corresponding template.
    Note:
    Ensure that you enter valid values in all the mandatory fields for the import process to run effectively. For a list of all the mandatory fields, see Mandatory fields in the bulk import spreadsheets.
    Table 1. Modes and templates
    Modes Corresponding template
    • Create models
    • Update models
    		 Model template
    • Create assets
    • Update assets
    		 Asset template
    • Create models and assets
    • Update models and assets
    		 Model and asset template
    Note:
    From the Yokohama release onward, the MAC address field is available in the Download template of the following Bulk import modes:
    • Create assets
    • Update assets
    • Create models and assets

    After a successful import, the MAC address that you provided in the template is added to the MAC address [mac_addr] field in the Asset [alm_asset] table.

    You can customize the templates to add more columns. Make the following modifications to add more columns:
    1. Add the new columns to the staging tables.
    2. Modify the list view on the Database view table [sn_eam_import_template] to include the columns you want to display in the spreadsheet. Enter the string sn_eam_import_template.list in the filter field on your instance's navigation bar.
    3. Add field mappings in the Model or Asset transform map.

    Scheduled jobs

    The following scheduled jobs execute as part of the EAM Bulk Import subflow.

    Scheduled jobs for bulk import

    The scheduled jobs execute based on the mode that you select.

    The EAM Bulk Import - Upload File job is executed for all modes. For the Create Model or Update Model modes, the EAM Bulk Import - Transform Asset doesn't execute. Similarly, for the Create asset or Update asset modes, the EAM Bulk Import - Transform Model doesn't execute.

    For example, if you select the Create models and assets mode, the scheduled job, EAM Bulk Import - Upload file uploads the data from the spreadsheet to the three staging tables. Then the Scheduled job, EAM Bulk Import - Transform Model executes the model and model component transform maps. After the model transform maps are complete, the EAM Bulk Import -Transform Asset scheduled job executes the asset transform map.

    Staging tables

    The data that you enter in the spreadsheet is copied to one or more of the following staging tables:
    • Model Import Staging [sn_eam_model_import_row]​
    • Model Component Import Staging [sn_eam_mc_import_row]​
    • Asset Import Staging [sn_eam_asset_import_row]​