Viewing and editing config data

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Viewing and editing config data

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can view and update application configuration data using changesets on the Config data tab. Configuration data (CDIs) is structured in a tree format, enabling targeted edits to specific nodes within an application’s deployables. Changesets allow you to make, save, and commit changes while maintaining control and avoiding conflicts.

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    Important: Starting with the Washington DC release, DevOps Config is being prepared for deprecation; it will no longer be installed on new instances but remains supported on existing ones.

    Application Page Tabs

    • Overview: Displays basic application settings and a Manage deployables button to edit config data.
    • Snapshots: Lists snapshots per deployable with validation and publication status; published snapshots are ready for CI/CD release.
    • Config data: Read-only tree view of config data. Editing requires opening or creating a changeset, which reveals Editor and Preview panels for modifying and saving changes.
    • Settings: Lists policies mapped to deployables, which can be opened for review.
    • Activity: Shows all changesets, allowing you to open for editing or publish as new application config versions.

    Editing Config Data Using Changesets

    After selecting Edit config data and opening a changeset, you can:

    • Select nodes in the config data tree to edit associated CDIs.
    • Switch views between Script view (key-value pairs) and List view (editable list) for easier editing.
    • Use the Editor panel to directly modify config data within the selected node; only data directly in that node is shown to reduce clutter.
    • Preview changes in the Preview panel, which displays the fully resolved persisted state.

    Additional actions include:

    • Apply variables to resolve variables in the preview.
    • View encrypted data if you have the CDM Secrets role.
    • View excluded data to see nodes and CDIs excluded from inheritance.
    • Refresh View to update displayed data.
    • Save Changes to persist edits in the changeset without committing to the application.
    • Delete Changeset to remove the current changeset record.
    • Commit Changeset to generate snapshots and update the application configuration.

    Note: You cannot modify existing snapshots directly but can create new changesets based on them. Conflicts between open changeset commits are blocked to prevent data inconsistency.

    Changeset Information

    The changeset header and details provide key metadata:

    • Changeset number: Auto-assigned unique identifier.
    • Description: Purpose and scope of the changeset.
    • Application: The application the changeset applies to.
    • State: Indicates if the changeset is Open, Committed, Blocked (due to conflicts), or in Commit in progress.
    • Audit fields: Timestamps and user information for creation, updates, and commits.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    This capability enables precise management of application configuration data within the ServiceNow environment, supporting controlled updates through changesets that can be saved, reviewed, and committed systematically. It helps ensure data integrity, supports collaboration by tracking changes, and integrates with CI/CD pipelines through snapshot publication. Understanding the tab structure and changeset lifecycle helps customers efficiently navigate, edit, and manage configuration data while minimizing risks of conflicts and errors.

    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.

    Important:
    Starting with the Washington DC release, DevOps Config is being prepared for future deprecation. It will be hidden and no longer installed on new instances but will continue to be supported. For details, see the Deprecation Process [KB0867184] article in the Now Support Knowledge Base.

    Tabs on the Application page

    When you open an application, the header area for each tab displays administrative details for the application: Application name, name of the user that created the application, and timestamp of creation.

    • Overview: Basic settings of the application and a Manage deployables button that enables you to edit config data.
    • Snapshots: List of snapshots for each deployable in the application. Each entry includes validation and publication status. Policies that execute against a snapshot return validation result. Published snapshots are available for release to the CI/CD pipeline.
    • Config data: Read-only view of the config data in a tree structure. Select a node in the tree to view the config data for that node in the application service or infrastructure service. (You can edit an open changeset or create a new or changeset. The tab then updates to show an Editor panel and a Preview panel where you can create, edit, and save the changeset. You cannot change an existing snapshot, but you can start with a snapshot changeset and save the changes in a new changeset.)
      Important:
      Save your changes whenever you are confident of the changes and before you leave the Config data tab.
    • Settings: A list of policies that are mapped to the deployables. Select an item to open it.
    • Activity: List of changesets. On this tab, you can open a changeset to continue editing or publish a changeset as a new version of the application config data.

    Config data tab

    After you open a changeset by selecting Edit config data, you can edit the config data on the Config Data tab. In the config data tree (A in the screenshot), select the node to edit. By default, the editing panel (C) displays the script view of the key-value pairs (the config data items or CDIs) in the selected node.

    Config data tab on the Changeset form of a CDM application.

    A: Config data tree
    The config data tree displays the structured config data. Select a node to edit the associated data.
    B: View selector
    To switch from the Script view (shown as panels C and D) to an editable list of CDIs and their values, slide the selector to List view.
    C: Editor panel
    The Editor panel displays the contents of the selected node. You can edit the config data directly in the Editor panel.
    Important:
    To ensure that you edit only the data that you intend to edit, the panel displays only data that is directly in the selected node. The Editor panel lists all included collection and component names but not their contents. This strategy reduces clutter and clarifies the structure of the deployable. To view the fully resolved config data, view the Preview panel (D).
    D: Preview panel
    The Preview panel displays the persisted state of the data in structured form. If you make any changes in the Editor panel and save the changes, the data in the Preview panel is updated to include the changes.
    • To resolve variables and view the fully resolved data in the preview panel: In the More actions menu (More actions icon.), select Apply variables.
    • Encrypted data appears as ********. Users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role can view all encrypted values in the preview panel. In the More actions menu (More actions icon.), select View encrypted data.
    • To see nodes and CDIs that are excluded from inheritance: In the More actions menu (More actions icon.), select View excluded data.
    E: Actions
    • Refresh View: Update data in the view.
    • Save Changes: Save (persist) the current changes but do not commit the data. 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. The button appears only if you have made changes.
    • Delete Changeset: Delete the record of the changeset.
    • Commit Changeset: The system generates a snapshot of each deployable that is affected by the changes.
      Note:
      Because changes in two changesets that are open at the same time can conflict, the system blocks such commits. See Conflicts between changeset commits.
    F: Header for the changeset
    The header displays general read-only information about the changeset. You can view this information and additional information on the Details tab, as described in the next section.
    G: Name path of the selected node
    The name path is the complete folder path of the selected node in the list. Select the copy name path to clipboard icon (Copy name path to clipboard icon.) to copy the name path of the node.

    Changeset - Header and Details tab

    Table 1. Information on the Changeset Header and on the Details tab
    Field Description
    Changeset number Unique sequential changeset number that the system auto-assigns.
    Description Description that helps other users understand the purpose, scope, and intent of the changeset.
    Application Application on which the changeset is based.
    State
    • Committed: This draft of the changeset has been committed.
    • Open: The changeset is being updated and is not committed.
    • Blocked: Other commits conflict with this commit. The changeset cannot be committed. See Conflicts between changeset commits.
    • Commit in progress: A draft of the changeset that is currently being committed.
    Created / Created by User who created the changeset and the timestamp of creation.
    Updated / Updated by User who updated the changeset and the timestamp of the update.
    Committed / Committed by User who committed the changeset and the timestamp of the commit.