---
sourceDocument: Yokohama Governance, Risk, and Compliance
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/governance-risk-compliance

 Release :

    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Governance, Risk, and Compliance

ft:clusterId :

    - grc

bundleId :

    - grc

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Testing common control and implementing results on multiple reliant entities

# Testing common control and implementing results on multiple reliant entities {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated January 30, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Instead of generating controls for individual entities and testing each entity
separately with an individual control, you can use a common control and associate a primary
entity to it.

Test the common control for control tests, indicators, attestations, issues, and policy
exceptions. Use the test results that are inheritable and implement them on all the reliant
entities associated to the common control.  
Figure 1. Multiple entities linked to a common control  
Using common controls gives you the ability to:

* Mark a control as common and associate reliant entities to it.
* Associate entities of existing controls as reliant entities to a common control.
* Save time and effort in testing. The result of the common control tests can be inherited by other reliant entities, especially when a new system is deployed and pre-validation audits are conducted within an organization or environment.
* Reduce redundancy of workforce in documenting test results.
{#common-controls-multiple-rel-entities__ul_c4p_wqm_dwb}  
Requirements and use case:

* Create a control and convert a control to common.
* Associate reliant entities to a common control to inherit test results.
* Associate entity types to a common control.
* Test the common control once and apply results to multiple entities.
* Can convert a common control back to standard.
* Avoid voluminous increase in controls.
{#common-controls-multiple-rel-entities__ul_bkf_4sv_cwb}  
For more information, see:

* [Tables
  installed](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/~gShiUy2g2pFAN3Gu7VLNQ#r_TableInsWPolAndCompl "Tables are added with activation of GRC: Policy and Compliance Management.") for descriptions of the common item m2m tables.
* [Control form changes](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/1U9__02G0egdZUodpykxfQ "Controls are automatically generated when you associate a policy with an entity type, or an entity type with a control objective, or when an entity is added to a control objective. A control is created for each entity listed in the entity type for the control objective. Controls can also be manually created using the Compliance Workspace.") with respect to common controls.
* [Convert standard control to common
  control](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/LydIelxLV4Fe18swSw1YuA "Mark a control as common and associate reliant entities to it. Test the common control tied to the primary entity. The reliant entities inherit the results of the common control.") to add reliant entities.
* [Action handler components](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PMUaHW7suQfwylhxCmMnVQ#components-item-gen-process__table_cgt_f4d_ftb) for common controls.
* [Operational changes in item generation of common controls](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/1Mg5ji8D1hxSyzy8pcl8VA "Operational changes are made in item generation mainly because item generation either creates a control or activates an existing standard control. When it comes to associating a control to an entity, then associating a reliant entity to a common control takes precedence over creating a control for that entity.").
* [Impact of common control on compliance
  score calculation](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/CX4s2u20w0KzLU8dNW~6Sw "Whenever an entity is associated to a common control and termed as a reliant entity, there is an impact on the compliance score of the entity on account of the common control test results.").
{#common-controls-multiple-rel-entities__ul_gmv_ckn_fwb}