---
sourceDocument: Australia Telecommunications Network Inventory
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/telecom-network-inventory

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Telecommunications Network Inventory

ft:clusterId :

    - telninv

bundleId :

    - telninv

workflow :

    - Customer and Industry


---

# Cascade Update function

# Cascade Update function {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of Cascade Update function

The Cascade Update function allows ServiceNow customers to update an attribute of a configuration item (CI) within the Telecommunications Network Inventory application and propagate this change to all related CIs.
This function is particularly useful for automating updates through Workflow Studio, ensuring consistency across the entire hierarchy of inventory records.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Cascading Updates:** Automatically applies changes made to a CI attribute down through related CIs based on the inventory hierarchy.
* **Error Handling:** If discrepancies arise among related CIs, the function returns an error detailing the conflict, ensuring users are informed of issues during execution.
* **Workflow Studio Integration:** Can be utilized as an action within Workflow Studio, enabling streamlined inventory data operations.
* **Role Permissions:** Only users with the admin role can configure and implement this function in a flow.

## Input Fields

The function requires specific input fields for proper execution:

* **Change Request:** The related change request for the affected CI list.
* **CI:** The specific configuration item targeted for the update.
* **Field:** The attribute within the CI that you wish to cascade changes to.

## Key Outcomes

By utilizing the Cascade Update function, customers can ensure that attribute changes in a CI are reflected throughout all related CIs, maintaining data integrity and consistency. This leads to more efficient inventory management and reduces the likelihood of manual errors across interconnected CIs.  
The Cascade Update function enables you to update a configuration item (CI) attribute in
the Telecommunications Network Inventory application and cascade the change in all related
CIs. You can use this function to automatically cascade the field values in related CIs when you
use Workflow Studio.
You can use the Cascade Update function to update any field in the inventory record and cascade the changes all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned in the inventory record.

If there's a conflict, such as any discrepancies found in the related CIs, this function returns an error. For example, let's say that you pass the change request and CI but the CI isn't added to the affected CI list of the
change request. Instead, it returns a sort error with the conflict information in execution.  
Note:  
This function doesn't work on Life Cycle Stage and Life Cycle Status fields.

You can use this function as a Workflow Studio action in the Telecommunications Network Inventory workflow.

## Roles and availability {#cascade-update-action__section_kfd_fdk_x5b}

Users with the admin role can add an action to a flow and define the configuration details of
the flow. This function is available as a Workflow Studio action in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application so that you can perform inventory-related data
operations.

## Input fields {#cascade-update-action__section_ltb_bcr_x5b}

The following table lists the input fields in the Cascade Update function and their descriptions.
{#cascade-update-action__table_w3g_2fm_1vb__entry__4}

| Field Name | Description | Data Type | Mandatory? |
|-|-|-|-|
| Change Request | Change request that is related to the affected CI list. | Reference.Change Request | No |
| CI | CI where you want to update the field. | Reference.Configuration Item | No |
| Field | Attribute in the CI that you want to cascade. | String | No |
[Table 1. Input fields of Cascade Update function]

{#cascade-update-action__table_w3g_2fm_1vb}

To learn more about the variable data types, see [Flow Designer input and output data
variables](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=action-inputs-outputs&version=australia&pubname=australia-build-workflows&ft:locale=en-US).

## Output {#cascade-update-action__section_ts3_x1n_dvb}

Use this function to update the CI attribute in all related CIs.

## Cascade rule for all common attributes of CI {#cascade-update-action__section_sg1_xrz_v5b}

The following table lists the information about the cascade rules for the different types of
CIs.
{#cascade-update-action__table_ml3_5sz_v5b__entry__3}

| CI | Cascade Rule | Example |
|-|-|-|
| Telco Equipment | Attributes that are updated for the related equipment holder (slot), interface card, telco equipment holder (subslot), and network interface records. | The Type field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned in the inventory record. |
| Telco Equipment Holder | Attributes that are updated for the related interface card, telco equipment holder (subslot), and network interface records. | The Type field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned. |
| Interface Card | Attributes that are updated for the related telco equipment holder (subslot) and network interface records. | The Type field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned. |
| Network Interface | Attributes that are updated for the related network interface record. | The Port Bandwidth field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned in the inventory record. |
| Physical Connection | Attributes are updated for the related physical connection record. | The Bandwidth field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned in the inventory record. |
| Logical Connection | Attributes that are updated for all the next element CI records, which are defined in the connection element that reference the logical connection record. | The Bandwidth field that is updated in the equipment record cascades all the way down to the hierarchy mentioned in the inventory record. |
[Table 2. Cascade rules]

{#cascade-update-action__table_ml3_5sz_v5b}
**Related concepts**   

* [Allocate Free Number function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PuuJW2JxrgTywUnIAXcLeg "The Allocate Free Number function enables you to assign free numbers from the Telecommunications Network Inventory number record. You use this function to allocate a quantity of numbers from a specified range to add against the configuration item (CI) in a number element.")
* [Create CI From Template function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/LL~zoSfWRCAzN6vgmL65sw "The TNI Create CI From Template function enables you to create the inventory instance in the designated site or equipment holder in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application. This occurs when you instantiate an inventory with the inventory template. You can automatically create the inventory when you instantiate the network inventory design and assign process.")
* [Create and Assign Range/Single Number function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/gjw3tsjWew5ep25EHTlyEA "The Create and Assign Range/Single Number function enables you to create the inventory number records for a number range when you process the network inventory workflow.")
* [Create Logical Interface function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/2nX46P9be0B6QeJSId3OKA "The Create Logical Interface function enables you to create logical interfaces in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application.")
* [Create Logical Connection function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/DgjILFpYXEo~QjRh9KK9ZQ "The Create Logical Connection function enables you to create a logical connection record in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application based on the input (interfaces) that you receive when you instantiate an inventory.")
* [Create Physical Connection function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/7ieQdTkzr9dlznGE7OWaYw "The Create Physical Connection function enables you to create a physical connection record in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application based on the input that you receive when you instantiate an inventory.")
* [Create IP subnetwork function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/A5Gcil3U92nQAk1e9LyYJQ)
* [CIDR to IP range function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/2zW3eRjGoF3fvMBCMr30Ww "Classless Inter-Domain Range (CIDR) to IP range flow action enables you to create a set of IP addresses using the Classless Inter-Domain Range (CIDR) using Telecommunications Network Inventory application based on the input that you receive when you instantiate an inventory.")
* [Get Interface Summary function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eBCtV3e6ngo0JOIWyFGiJw "The Get Interface Summary function enables you to retrieve all the network interface records that are associated with the input. You can use this function to automatically get the details of the available interface, connected interface, and the physical connection of the equipment in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application when you use Workflow Studio.")
* [Lookup Next Hub function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZzBLvcSLnnYarEgYkudhZQ "The Lookup Next Hub function enables you to take the network interface record as input and return the details of the related physical connection record. You can automatically get the details of the physical connection and interconnected ports of the equipment in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application when you use the Workflow Studio application.")
* [Path Search function](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Y0XR1w7cHadZ_06YQjXcOQ "The Path Search function enables you to execute the path computation function between the starting and ending sites in the Telecommunications Network Inventory application. You can use this function for the path computation when you process the network inventory design and assign.")

