When to Use Update Sets

• Storing changes: Capture modifications to base systems or installed applications.
• Version control: Store and apply specific application versions.
• Exporting: Produce files for exporting customizations.

Use update sets primarily to deploy patches or changes, not for initial application installation.

Planning the Update Process

• Ensure source and target instances run the same ServiceNow version to avoid compatibility issues.
• Group related changes into single, manageable update sets to simplify review and reduce conflicts.
• Confirm base system records have matching sysid fields by provisioning and cloning production to non-production instances.
• Follow a consistent migration path, moving update sets from development to test and then production.
• Schedule update set commits outside business hours to minimize performance impact.
• Use clear, standardized naming conventions including problem ticket references and sequence numbers for orderly tracking and application.
• Understand which customizations are tracked, what records are generated, and which changes can be reversed after deployment.

Working with Update Sets

• Never delete update sets, as this can cause overwritten changes on the next migration.
• Exclude the systemid field from ldapserverconfig records to avoid invalid references.
• Do not back out the Default update set; this can damage the system.
• Avoid manually changing the update set field on update records; instead, correct the update set by re-saving the object in the appropriate update set.
• Mark update sets as Complete only when they are ready to migrate; do not revert to In Progress afterward. Use new update sets for additional changes.
• Use the Merge Update Sets module to combine updates instead of manual merging, which ensures the newest versions are selected.
• If issues occur after committing an update set in testing, fix in a new update set and migrate both sets in proper order.
• Always preview update sets before committing them to production.
• Set completed update sets on production to Ignore to prevent reapplication during instance cloning.
• Keep a checklist of manual tasks and data loads required after applying update sets.
• Avoid making many changes at once; verify changes incrementally to reduce risk.
• Note that cross-domain updates (global and TOP domains) are not supported.

Next Steps

To begin using update sets, create and select an update set as the current set before making customizations, ensuring all changes are tracked correctly.