---
sourceDocument: Australia IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/it-service-management

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Add nodes with config data to CDM application

# Add nodes with config data to CDM application {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read  
Add the data structure to a new application that will accept the uploaded config data
into appropriate nodes.

## Before you begin

Important:  
Starting with the Washington D.C. release, DevOps Config is being prepared for future deprecation. It will be hidden and no longer activated on new instances but will continue to be supported.

Role required: CDM Admin \[sn_cdm.cdm_admin\]

## About this task

When the system creates a new application, the application has only the highest level of structure: components, collections, and deployables folders. In this procedure, you add the component, collection, and deployable nodes that will accept the uploaded config data. When you upload existing config data into the application, the system maps the data as `[name:value]` pairs (config data items --- CDIs) in the appropriate node in the data structure of the CDM application. For more information, see [CDM data model](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZN7eqYO5WCjS4cDDgfQaQQ "The CDM data model is a standardized data structure that supports the broader life cycle of software delivery — automation, quality validation, and CSDM. CDM imports existing config data, validates it using policies that you define, and exports valid config data to your organization's existing DevOps pipeline to implement applications, services, and infrastructure.").  
Note:  
Starting with Configuration Data Management version 4.2, you can define a node using any UTF-8 character, including the forward slash (/).

## Procedure

1. Create the components that will be included in the collections.  
   For more information, see [Define or update a component](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BKH7Lv5UIFJS3sHhuxgAEQ "Define or update a component while working in a changeset.") and [Define or update a collection in an application](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fyAnRJ9O_C_WPyEIEFouPA "Define or update a collection while working in a changeset of a application.").
2. Add a collection to one or multiple deployables:
   1. For the collection node in the tree, select the menu icon (![Menu icon.]()) and select Include in deployables.
   2. Select all deployables in which to include the collection and then select Include.  
      Note:  
      Only deployables that do not already include the collection or any of its descendants appear in the list. If the collection has the same name as an existing node, then the collection is transformed into an override or overlay.  
      The collection is included in each selected deployable.

   {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__substeps_jgh_j5g_cqb}  
   When you add a collection to a deployable, the Editor panel displays the included collection names but not their contents (overrides or overlays do appear). This strategy reduces clutter
   and clarifies the structure. To view the fully-resolved content of the data, view the Preview panel.
3. Create the components that will be included in the collections.
4. **Optional:** Add CDIs to the deployable that will override or overlay settings in components or collections.  
   Note:  
   Uploaded data items are sorted alphabetically within the structural folders to enable you to locate particular items quickly.  
   The system places the following limits on the count of config data items (CDIs):
   * An application can contain a maximum total of 100,000 CDIs.
   * Any single deployable can contain a maximum of 10,000 CDIs.

   {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__ul_r5n_5vg_yqb}See [CDM system properties](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/R83qYUPVmLKEL3X0mlK0mQ "CDM system properties.") for information on configuring the sn_cdm.max_allowed_cdi_per_application and sn_cdm.max_allowed_cdi_per_deployable property settings.
   For more information, see [Define or update a component](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BKH7Lv5UIFJS3sHhuxgAEQ "Define or update a component while working in a changeset."), [Define or update a collection in an application](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fyAnRJ9O_C_WPyEIEFouPA "Define or update a collection while working in a changeset of a application."), or [Create or update a variable CDI](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Sko5ZMaeeX_bDg4fL_WICA "Define variables and set their values in components, collections, and deployables.").
5. Select Save to save the changes in the changeset and ready the changes in the changeset to be committed.  
   The Editor panel, List view, and Preview panel refreshes to reflect the resolved state of the changeset. The system updates the changeset but does not update the application. Changes appear on the Activity tab. You must commit a changeset to update the config data for the application. After saving, you can move on to other activities and return later to edit the changeset.
6. **Optional:** Select Commit.  
   The Commit changeset dialog box opens and lists each deployable that is affected by the changes.  
   Note:  
   After you commit a changeset, the changeset cannot be modified.
   The system generates a snapshot of each deployable that is affected by the changes. The dialog box offers the following Additional actions:
   * If no deployables are affected by the changes, select No additional actions. The system will update the application to persist the changes.
   *
     * Select Validate snapshots to perform the following operations on all generated snapshots:
       * The system executes all policies that are statically or dynamically mapped to the associated deployable.
       * If the snapshot passes all policies, then the Validation status value is set to Passed and no entries are listed on the Validation Results tab. If validation was invoked with the Publish Valid publish option, then valid snapshots are auto-published.
       * If any policy encounters issues, then the Validation status value is set to Failed. The Validation Results tab displays all failures or warnings returned by policies.
       * If any policy failed to run to completion, then the Validation status value is set to Execution error and the Validation Results tab indicates that validation failed due to error.
       {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__ul_ljj_ppt_cqb}
     * Select Validate and publish snapshots to perform validation as described in the Validate snapshots action. Only snapshots that pass validation are published. Only published snapshots can be exported.

     {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__ul_hnb_prn_cqb}Select Commit.
     * The system updates the application to persist the changes to config data.
     * The changeset state changes to Committed.
     * The changeset cannot be modified.
     * If snapshots were created, the confirmation message includes a link to the snapshots.
     * If an error occurs during the commit process, the changeset state is set to Commit failed.
     {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__ul_mrw_xmm_zvb} {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__ph-persist-upon-commit}
   {#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__choices_ydd_gvn_cqb}
{#cdm-data-structure-add-for-upload__steps_w3c_dvp_dsb}

## What to do next

The application does not yet contain config data, so the next step is to import your existing configuration data into the appropriate nodes in the application. See [Uploading your config data](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fI4gYiNoRrau~29INCo2Lg "You first create a new CDM application structure and then upload the existing config data into the structure.").
**Related concepts**   

* [Parsing of XML files in CDM](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/vlUWWn4qLazV6WiL9Afq8A "The CDM XML parser enables the parsing of attribute key-value pairs in XML files, so when you upload config data from an XML file into CDM, you can easily identify the attributes of each element in the CDM editor or list view.")
* [Parsing of CSV files in CDM](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/uoHe0~WoJwfrtiVzG2Sp1g "The CDM CSV parser enables parsing of data in CSV files, so when you upload config data from a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file into CDM, you can easily identify the data format attributes and config data in the CDM editor or list view.")
* [Viewing and editing config data](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wDuynY3CbIbMdsnLrXip4Q "You can update the config data of an application by creating or opening a changeset on the Config data tab, where you update the structure and CDIs of the config data.")
* [How encrypted data is handled](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/p_LEFc65xiD27KHPQdknvg "By default, encrypted values appear in all views as *******. Only users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role can view, create, update, and delete encrypted values in config data. The system validates and exports encrypted data appropriately.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Define or update a component](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/BKH7Lv5UIFJS3sHhuxgAEQ "Define or update a component while working in a changeset.")
* [Define or update a collection in an application](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/fyAnRJ9O_C_WPyEIEFouPA "Define or update a collection while working in a changeset of a application.")
* [Create or update a variable CDI](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Sko5ZMaeeX_bDg4fL_WICA "Define variables and set their values in components, collections, and deployables.")  
**Related reference**   

* [CDM data model](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZN7eqYO5WCjS4cDDgfQaQQ "The CDM data model is a standardized data structure that supports the broader life cycle of software delivery — automation, quality validation, and CSDM. CDM imports existing config data, validates it using policies that you define, and exports valid config data to your organization's existing DevOps pipeline to implement applications, services, and infrastructure.")