Import Set Fundamentals & Data Preparation

Chapter Topics

When using ServiceNow, you may need to access data from external systems, such as user lists, configuration items, or asset inventories. To do this securely and efficiently, ServiceNow provides a method called Import Sets.

Import Sets act as the bridge between your external data and the ServiceNow internal tables. You can import, transform, and validate your data before importing it into your live ServiceNow environment. This allows you to verify data quality and consistency as you introduce new data into the ServiceNow platform.

In this chapter, we discuss import sets, the data import process, and how to create and use them in your data management workflow.

Introduction to Import Sets

An import set is a mechanism to import data into ServiceNow from external sources. Rather than writing data directly to the production tables, write it to the import set staging table first, review the data, and then write it to the target table (e.g., incident, sys_user, or cmdb_ci).

Import sets are necessary when:

You’re migrating data from another system.
You need to regularly load data, such as HR records or asset lists.
You want to control and map how data fields align with ServiceNow tables.

They form the foundation of any structured data import process in the platform. The Backend Tables majorly used are:

sys_import_set
sys_import_set_row
sys_data_source

Data Import Process

The Import Set process allows a logical flow designed to maintain data integrity:

Data Loading: You load external data (Excel, CSV, or integrations) into a temporary import set table.
Staging: Data remains in this table until verified.
Transformation: Using a transform map, fields from the import set table are mapped to their counterparts in the target table.
Commit: The transform runs, and data is inserted or updated in the target ServiceNow tables.
Verification: Administrators review logs and results to confirm a successful import.

This process allows you to inspect and modify data before it ever touches live business records.

Creating an Import Set Table

To handle incoming data, you first need an import set table, also called a staging table. It’s created automatically when you upload a data file for the first time, but you can also make one manually.

How to create an import set table in ServiceNow?

Navigate to System Import Sets → Load Data.
Select your data source file (CSV, Excel, or XML)
Choose Create a new table
Provide a descriptive name (e.g., Employee_Data_Import)
Review and confirm the auto-generated field structure
Click Submit

The import set table functions like any other ServiceNow table; you can view, filter, and edit its records using list views. Once created, this table becomes the staging area for future imports.

Best practice: Never import directly into production tables. Always use Import Sets..

Preparing Data for Import

After creating an import set table, the next step is to load external data into it.

Go to System Import Sets → Load Data.
Choose your import set table from the list
Upload your data file
Match column headers with the import set table fields
Click Load Data

Once complete, the records appear in your import set table. Each upload is tracked by an Import Set Run record, which helps you monitor when and how data was imported.

You can load multiple files over time, reuse the same table for different imports, or automate the process using scheduled imports and APIs.

Importing Data Sources

Data sources are central to ServiceNow’s data import. They specify where and what type of data to use, so administrators can standardize how ServiceNow reads and connects to external files.

Here’s how it integrates with the import process:

Define the data source (e.g., CSV, XML, JDBC).
Load data into an Import Set table using that source.
Map and transform the data to a target ServiceNow table.

Without a data source, ServiceNow would have no idea where to search for your new data, which file format to expect, or how to read it.

Data Loading

Simply stated, the Load Data capability is the act of importing external data files into ServiceNow using the Import Set framework. This is often the first step when integrating external records or doing bulk updates.

When you load data, ServiceNow will:

Create (or use) an existing import set table to stage the data.
Read and interpret the uploaded file.
Populate the staging table with imported records.
Prepare them for transformation into target tables such as sys_user, incident, or cmdb_ci.

This method provides complete visibility and control before data enters your live environment, ensuring accuracy and data integrity. The following are the supported sources: