In ServiceNow, System Import Sets is the primary application used to import and transform data from external sources into the platform. It provides a structured way to load data into tables while allowing data transformation and mapping before final insertion.
Data Loading from External Sources:
Supports imports from CSV, Excel, XML, JSON, and JDBC databases.
Allows data from external systems to be brought into ServiceNow.
Staging Area for Data Processing:
Imported data first enters a temporary staging table (Import Set Table).
Data can then be transformed before being committed to the target table.
Data Mapping and Transformation:
Uses Transform Maps to map fields from the Import Set Table to the Target Table.
Supports automatic field mapping and scripted transformations.
Data Cleansing and Validation:
Duplicate records can be detected and removed.
Invalid or missing data can be corrected before insertion.
Navigate to System Import Sets (All → System Import Sets → Load Data).
Upload the data file (CSV, XML, JSON, etc.).
Create a Transform Map to define how data is mapped to the target table.
Run the transformation to move data from the Import Set Table to the final table.
Verify the data in the target table.
A company imports employee records from an external HR system (CSV file).
The System Import Sets module loads this data into a staging table.
A Transform Map moves the data into the User [sys_user] table.
Key Features of System Import Sets:Steps to Load Data Using Import Sets:Example Use Case:
Why Option C (System Import Sets) is Correct?✅ System Import Sets is the primary tool for loading data into ServiceNow from external sources.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect?❌ A. Service Level Management → Incorrect
Service Level Management (SLM) is used to track Service Level Agreements (SLAs), not to import data.
❌ B. Configuration → Incorrect
Configuration Management (CMDB) helps track configuration items (CIs) but does not handle data imports.
❌ D. System Update Sets → Incorrect
Update Sets are used to move configurations and customizations between instances, not to import data.
ServiceNow Docs – Importing Data with System Import Setshttps://docs.servicenow.com
ServiceNow Learning – Data Import & Transformation Best Practices
ServiceNow Developer Portal – Using Import Sets Efficiently
References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation: