Life cycle value definitions for intangible/logical entities

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated May 7, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Life cycle value definitions for intangible/logical entities

    This content explains the Life Cycle Stage and Life Cycle Stage Status values applicable to intangible or logical entities such as software licenses and services within ServiceNow's Asset, IBI, and CMDB tables. Understanding these stages helps organizations track and manage software and service products through their entire life cycle, from initial evaluation to retirement.

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    Life Cycle Stages and Statuses

    • Ideation: Initial evaluation and testing of new software or services.
      • Under Evaluation: Assessing business fit, licensing, and technical feasibility.
      • Pilot: Limited deployment to test functionality before full implementation.
    • Purchase: Procurement of software licenses or subscriptions.
      • On Order: Licenses purchased but not yet available.
      • Preallocated: Licenses assigned before official deployment.
    • Inventory: Licenses are ready for assignment.
      • Available: Licenses ready for allocation but unassigned.
    • Design: Defining software architecture and development.
      • Chartered: Project initiation for design/configuration.
      • Design: Defining logical architecture and requirements.
      • Build: Developing or customizing software for deployment.
    • Deploy: Preparing software for operational use.
      • Test: Validation in test environments before production.
    • Operational: Software actively used in production.
      • In Use: Software deployed and functioning.
      • End of Support: No updates/support but still in use.
      • Pending Retirement: Scheduled for decommissioning.
    • End of Operation: Operations have ended but status may change.
      • On Hold: Operation halted due to suspension, blocking, or pausing.
    • End of Life: Software no longer in active use.
      • Retired: No longer used; licenses revoked or reassigned.
      • Obsolete: Software outdated due to security, compatibility, or technology.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    By using these defined life cycle stages and status values, ServiceNow customers can effectively track intangible assets such as software licenses and services throughout their entire life span. This enables better governance of software procurement, deployment, usage, and retirement, ensuring compliance, optimized license utilization, and clear visibility into software lifecycle status across their organization.

    The Life Cycle Stage and Life Cycle Stage Status values for the intangible/logical life-cycle process are visible in tables related to logical entities in Asset, IBI, and CMDB.

    Definitions of intangible/logical life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values

    Relationships between CSDM stages and life cycle values.

    Ideation life cycle stage

    In this stage, new software or service products are evaluated and tested before they are approved for use.

    • Under Evaluation: The software is being assessed for business fit, licensing implications, and technical feasibility.
    • Pilot: The software is deployed in a limited way to test its functionality and usability before full-scale implementation.
    Purchase life cycle stage

    After the software is approved, the organization procures the necessary licenses or subscriptions.

    • On Order: Licenses or software subscriptions have been purchased but are not yet available for use.
    • Preallocated: Licenses are assigned to users or departments before they are officially deployed. 
    Inventory life cycle stage

    The software licenses are now available for assignment and deployment.

    Available: The software licenses are ready for allocation but have not yet been assigned to a specific system or user.

    Design life cycle stage

    For software development or major configurations, this phase defines the logical and architectural structure.

    • Chartered: A project is initiated to design or configure software solutions. 
    • Design: The logical architecture and system requirements are being defined.
    • Build: The software is being developed, customized, or configured for deployment.
    Deploy life cycle stage

    Software and services are prepared for operational use and are tested before full implementation.

    Test: The software is installed in a test environment for validation before production deployment.

    Operational life cycle stage

    The software is actively in use by the organization.

    • In Use: The software is deployed and functioning on production systems.
    • End of Support: The software vendor or internal IT team no longer provide updates or technical support, but the software might still be in use.
    • Pending Retirement: The software is scheduled for decommissioning but remains operational until a replacement is implemented.
    End of Operation life cycle stage

    End of Operation is an intermediate stage between Operational and the next stage. Operations of the product have ended, but the product instance might transition to a new life cycle stage and life cycle status.

    On Hold: Operation of the asset is halted for one of the following reasons:
    • Suspended: service, subscription, and so on.
    • Blocked: credit card, account, and so on.
    • Paused: subscription, lease, and so on.
    End of Life life cycle stage

    The software is no longer in active use and is being decommissioned.

    • Retired: The software is no longer used and its licenses might have been revoked or reassigned.
    • Obsolete: The software is no longer relevant due to security risks, incompatibility, or technological advancements.