TechNow Ep 71 | Move It! Getting Data and Code Moved With Ease

[Chuck Tomasi]

Common questions often asked by Developers and Architects "Where's the missing update?", "Why can't my user see what they should?", "What order do these update sets go in?". Join the December TechNow session to learn best practices in code and data movement between instances. Examples of things you'll hear about: Retrieved XML vs Remote Instances, Multi-Table Export Tool, Batch vs Merge, and more! Remember, best practice starts before the first bit of code is saved!

Originally aired: December 17, 2019 8:00 AM PT

Links Mentioned in this episode

• Developer portal
• Star Wars theme
• Technical Best Practices
• Add to Update Set UI Action
• Multi-table export tool
• Knowledge
• Customer Success Center
• Docs
• TechNow Episode List
• Community

Featured Experts 

Jeremy Duncan is a Platform Architect on the Innovation team at ServiceNow. Jeremy is an Enterprise Architect with over 16 years of IT and Service Management experience. His experience and certifications span across retail and manufacturing with focuses on hardware, software, and information security specialties. He has done many implementations in both the Enterprise Federal and Commercial spaces since 2011 and brings a breadth of platform knowledge that aids him in sound architectural decisions. He achieved his B.B.A. at MTSU and majored in Information Systems. He spends his free time fighting crime as a volunteer certified police officer in North Nashville since 2012 and enjoys family time, camping, with his wife and kids!

Kreg Steppe is a Training and Certification Program Manager within ServiceNow developing and supporting cloud training infrastructure. He specializes in developing integration solutions, automating repeatable processes and Cloud Management in ITOM. Kreg's prior experience includes operating his own ISP, developing web applications in PHP, network integration, managing network support, Application Development on cloud based networks, DNS and email server maintenance. He is a Linux enthusiast and enjoys Photography.

Chuck Tomasi Chuck Tomasi is a Sr. TPMM for ServiceNow. He has over 35 years of IT experience. Chuck was a ServiceNow customer from 2008-2010 and honored to be the recipient of the first Innovation of the Year Award at Knowledge 10. Since joining ServiceNow in 2010 as a Technical Consultant, he has held several technical roles in professional services, pre-sales, and marketing. He's well known for his signature bow ties and creative solutions on the Now Platform. Chuck is the top contributor in the ServiceNow Community, has produced hundreds of ServiceNow videos, and co-authored "No-Code Apps for Dummies" to enable and excite everyone interested in building on the Now Platform.

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LIST ALL EPISODES

Questions and Answers

Source control: Is there still an issue with merging, or has that been resolved? -- Stacy Britt
Our product team is aware of the desire for customers to do merging (and on-prem repos). They have it on the roadmap and should have a solution in an upcoming release. -- Chuck Tomasi

Please share Jeremy's email address again so I may request his Best Practices DEV Guide. Thank you. -- Adrian Patterson
jeremy.duncan@servicenow.com -- Kreg Steppe

What day is the hackathon? -- Timothy Feig
The schedule hasn't been posted yet. It's either going to be Tuesday or Wednesday evening. -- Chuck Tomasi

could the instance data replication be used after a zboot to bring your data back? -- Sheryl Thompson
It COULD be, but you would have to identify which tables come from the producer instance. It's not mean to be a complete "bring my old data back on all tables." -- Chuck Tomasi

What factors would determine using a scoped application and moving it through test, qa, prod, via the publish/app repository functionality versus creating update sets within your scoped application and moving them that way? -- Greg Robinson
I recommend using the app repo for scoped apps. It's easier and less prone to human error. -- Chuck Tomasi

We have an option to add dependencies between stories, in case this dependency is not added, is there any built-in/Out of Box option to check for dependencies to avoid such object conflicts during update set movement? We have developed a solution to check for such dependencies and therefore, wanted to check if similar option is already available and also to check if this solution would be helpful for correct movement of update sets. -- Girish Yadrami
There is currently no dependency checking with update sets in a standard configuration. Let me know if I didn't understand the question properly. -- Chuck Tomasi

Due to building in a many more scopes will there be a platform tool that will help gather update sets and updates for an app that crosses many scopes? -- Todd Volpe
Update sets are scope specific. If you have an application that spans multiple scopes, I recommend reconsidering rebuilding it in a single scope to reduce technical debt. -- Chuck Tomasi

I recently exported update sets to not lose to a clone. I did not mark them complete, so I did end up losing the content of the update set. -- Tim Owen
Tim, are you certain that you exported the actual update set? One common mistake folks make (including myself) is they export XML from the list, which is not the actual update set. -- Jeremy Duncan

I would love a copy of the sample dev guide please! alexis.osborne@travelport.com -- Alexis Osborne
Will do Alexis! -- Jeremy Duncan

If I’m not currently using Git repo. Is it possible to commit an existing app to to Git? -- Jenny Hu
Yes, you can create a Git repo at any point in the apps lifecycle and start doing source control from that point forward. -- Chuck Tomasi

How do you suggest structuring update sets, when including ATF tests as part of all solutions? -- Morten Steenbach Josephsen
I would include the ATF tests with the "stuff" it is testing. Example: If I'm testing my webinar app, I want the webinar tests to go with it. If I'm making changes to ITSM problem process, then include the ATF tests there. That way the tests stay with the changes. -- Chuck Tomasi

Question: Scenario: "ClientScript_123" is modified in StoryA first, captured in update set: StoryA_DDMMYY on Development instance, same "ClientScript_123" is modified in StoryB later on Development instance and captured in update set: StoryB_DDMMYY. If update set of StoryB is committed to higher instances (FT/STG and PROD) before update set of StoryA, changes done to "ClientScript_123" in "StoryA" would also be taken forward to higher instances. -- Girish Yadrami
When you go to apply the update set, the Preview process will assess and warn you that the target instance already contains a newer version of your client script. This means you have to review and decide which you want before it's committed. -- Chuck Tomasi

Hello..I have two queries here 1. During bulk auto ticket receive How to create master ticket and attach to all other child tickets in one shot. 2. any option to cancel multiple ticket's in one go. -- Manish Majumder
Thanks for the question. Unfortunately it is not part of this episode. I invite you to post your question to the community. https://community.servicenow.com -- Chuck Tomasi

For batched update sets, should each update set be related to the one created before it as a child? So if one application has 4 update sets, should A be the parent of B, B the parent of C, and so on? -- Stephanie Taveras
You can relate after-the-fact, no problem. Just do it before you move it. 🙂 -- Jeremy Duncan

How can I get a recorded copy of this? -- Lyn Murphy
We will be posting this to YouTube and the community a few days after the live broadcast. You can find the info on the community from http://bit.ly/servicenow-technow -- Chuck Tomasi

I was in the incomplete update set, so there was no link at the bottom to export. I right clicked the header and chose Export > XML (this record) -- Tim Owen
If you right click (or use the form menu) to export to XML, all you get is the XML for that record (from sys_update), not the related records in the Customer Updates related list (sys_update_xml.) -- Chuck Tomasi

In it's own branch in a parent child hierarchy i guess? Sometimes you would also add test to existing regression test suites e.g. 'Incident mgmt regeression test'. Where would you place those customer update records? -- Morten Steenbach Josephsen
I'm not clear what the question is here. Can you clarify in the community on the comments for this episode? Thanks. -- Chuck Tomasi

What's the suggestion for handling references in code/config to data (like Fulfillment Group in Workflow) that break when migrated to higher instances? -- Stacy Britt
Hey Stacy! Great question! The "Add to Update Set" UI Action that I mentioned would be great for this if you're working in an OOB scope like Incident Management. Therefore, when you're working in your update set that might include a group that you'd need migrated, if you have that UI Action installed in your instance, you can simply click it to add it to the current update set you're in. BOOM! It moves with you! 🙂 -- Jeremy Duncan

My question was whether all subsequent updates should be related to Update set A, or if each should be related to the update completed prior to it. A>B>C>D -- Stephanie Taveras
Short answer, you do the work in the child, and let the parent be the glue that holds it all together, therefore you would more than likely have a parent that has little to no updates, and children with bunches. Let's use real-world example. Let's say a Parent is titled Incident Management 1.1 and there are children called IMSTRY0001 - Modify State Model, IMSTRY0002 - Modify Closure Codes, IMSTRY0003. The concept is the same as MERGE, without having to break down all the children and merging into a parent and losing all the context you had. -- Jeremy Duncan

App Repo: so versions aren't cumulative - -include lower versions' changes? -- Stacy Britt
Yes, they do. A Publish sends the entire app (old and new changes) to the repo so you can jump between versions confidently and completely. -- Chuck Tomasi

Will importing data via update sets collide with existing sys_id and potentially lose data? -- Ditmark Rivas
It should not if it is transactional data, HOWEVER, you may encounter that numbering schema will potentially (more than likely) be duplicated. If you export something that is OOB and reimport into another instance, it will come in as a new version...much like if you moved an update set. -- Jeremy Duncan

if we wanted to do a zboot to get back to "truly" OOB, but don't want to loose our current historical data from past 2 years, is there a recommended way to do this? -- Sheryl Thompson
Identify which tables you want to save and use the Export to XML feature from the list. -- Chuck Tomasi

Where will the recording of this be made available? -- Matthew McKenzie
Yes, we record this and post it to YouTube shortly after the event. -- Chuck Tomasi