---
sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/platform-administration

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Administration

ft:clusterId :

    - platadm

bundleId :

    - platadm

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Export a slow-query index suggestion to a non-production instance

# Export a slow-query index suggestion to a non-production instance {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated July 2, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

You can export an index suggestion from a production instance to a non-production instance for creation,
evaluation,
and testing
before
implementing the index on your production instance.

## Before you begin

Role required: admin

## About this task

This task involves exporting an index suggestion as an .xml file from your production
instance and importing it to a non-production instance. You can then create the
index and evaluate its performance on the non-production instance.

## Procedure

1. In your production instance, navigate to the index suggestion to be exported:
   1. Navigate to System DiagnosticsIndex SuggestionsIndex Suggestions \> To review.
   2. In the Index Suggestions table, select the table associated with the index suggestion you want to open from the Table Name column.
   {#export-index-suggestion__substeps_p4r_cjh_vz}
2. In the Index Suggestions form, click Export.  
   The index suggestion is downloaded as an .xml file with the file name sys_index_suggestion_\<alphanumeric identifier\>.xml. The file name has a unique alphanumeric string to differentiate it from other index suggestions.
3. In your non-production instance, navigate to System DiagnosticsIndex SuggestionsIndex Suggestions \> To review.
4. In the Index Suggestions table under Related Links, click Import Suggestions.
5. In the Import XML form, choose the index suggestion file that you exported and click Upload.  
   After the import, the imported index suggestion appears in the Index
   Suggestions table on your non-production instance.
6. To continue the index evaluation process on your non-production instance, you can [schedule the index suggestion for creation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9CmZBG~Ss8qaKQErqj_~Ag "Use the Index Suggestion Engine (ISE) to schedule an index suggestion for creation.") and [test index performance](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/m43tUzg7VO9FIoVv7hiSSw "After the Index Suggestion Engine (ISE) generates an index suggestion for a slow query, you can test the index to see if it improves execution time. If you're evaluating an index suggestion on a non-production instance, you can run this test after creating the index to get immediate results on index performance.").

*[\>]: and then