Creating an update set

In Chapter 1, The Interface, we briefly mentioned the update set selector at the top-right of the ServiceNow UI. In this chapter, we're going to create one ourselves, in order to capture and track our work, and so we can export it and save it in between clones, or just for a backup. Here's how:

Start by clicking on the System Settings gear menu at the top-right of the ServiceNow frame, in the banner. Then, click on the Developer tab from the left.

Just so we can keep an eye on it, let's add the update set picker to the banner section of the ServiceNow frame by toggling the Show update set picker in header option to On.

Now we'll see a little drop-down menu just to the left of our profile link and picture. This will help us keep an eye on which update set we have selected, and easily switch if we need to.

With that toggle switched on, click the middle icon that looks like a list after the Update set drop-down in the System Settings menu. This will take you to the Update set table. To create a new update set, click the blue New button and fill out some details as before. This time, set the Name field to Chapter 2, and click Submit and Make Current.

Because we're creating our update sets in the same order as we're doing our development, so long as we also deploy/push them in the same order, we won't have any issues of overlap. If we create a record in the Chapter 1 update set and then modify it in Chapter 2, that's fine. But if we then tried to migrate those update sets in the reverse order (first chapter 2, and then chapter 1), then the chapter 2 update set would have us modifying a record that doesn't exist! It is important to maintain the integrity of your update sets, by understanding the order in which they were developed, and the relationship between the sets.

After clicking Submit and Make Current, you should be directed back to the Update set table list. Let's demonstrate list editing by closing our previous update set (Chapter 1, The Interface) now that we're done with it. To do so, follow these steps:

Ensure that the State column is displayed in the list view for the Update set table. If it isn't, follow these steps to add it:

1. Click on the Personalize gear icon at the top-left of the list view. If you have Lists V3 enabled, and don't see the gear icon, click the hamburger menu preceding the filter icon at the top-right of the list, and click Personalize List Columns.

2. In the Personalize List Columns dialog, select the State field, click the right-arrow button, and then click OK:

This change only applies for you, since it is a personalization!

3. The list should reload, and the State field should be displayed.

To the right of the row representing the Chapter 1 update set, double-click in the State column, where it says In progress. This should cause the field to become editable within the list view:

In the drop-down that appears, select Complete, and click the green checkmark button to save your update.

Not all records can be edited from the list view. Certain tables don't allow it, and ACLs (security rules) still apply. However, it is possible to bypass certain preventative measures implemented as client-side scripts and policies by editing from the list rather than the form (which is why some tables have list editing disabled). For example, if a client script exists which would remove the Complete option from the State drop-down for our Chapter 1, The Interface update set if we viewed it through the form, we would still have been able to make this change through list editing, because that script would not have run on the list view.

Table of Contents for Creating an update set

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Table of Contents for
Creating an update set