Change Management · Topic 2 of 3
Standard Changes and Change Planning
ServiceNow Standard Change Catalog, templates and proposals, the change Planning tab, change tasks, Affected CIs and Impacted Services for CIS-ITSM.
- 5 min
- Standard changes come from templates in the Standard Change Catalog and are pre approved.
- New templates, modifications and retirements all go through an approved proposal; a modification creates a new template version.
- Task templates on a proposal create change tasks automatically on each standard change.
What it is
A standard change is a pre approved, low risk change with a proven track record. ServiceNow offers these through the Standard Change Catalog, where each entry is a standard change template that fills in the change request for the requester.
Every change, standard or not, also needs planning: the CI it touches, when it will happen, how it will be done, how it will be tested and how it can be undone. The planning fields and the CI data feed risk, conflict detection and approvals later in the process.
How it works
The Standard Change Catalog
The catalog groups templates into categories. Which categories a user sees can depend on criteria such as role, location and department. Users with the itil role can browse the available standard changes and submit change requests from them.
When a template is used, its pre approved values are copied into the required fields, so the change is raised quickly and consistently. Files attached to a template are copied to every change request created from it. A property controls whether choosing a template creates the record straight away, or whether a two step option makes the requester click Submit first.
Proposals: how templates are born and changed
Templates are controlled by a proposal process, held in the std_change_proposal table. A proposal can request a new template, a modification to an existing one, or its retirement.
| Proposal action | Result after approval |
|---|---|
| New template | The template appears in the Standard Change Catalog |
| Modify template | A new version of the template is created |
| Retire template | The template is deactivated and can no longer create changes |
A proposal can include standard change task templates. When the proposal is approved, those change tasks are created automatically each time a standard change is raised from the template.
Template or change model?
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| The same low risk change with fixed content, done often | Standard change template |
| A different process with its own states and rules | Change model |
| A one off change that needs assessment | Normal change |
The Planning tab
The change form's Planning tab holds the plan fields that reviewers and CAB read before they approve:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Justification | Why the change is needed |
| Implementation plan | The steps to make the change |
| Risk and impact analysis | What could go wrong and who is affected |
| Backout plan | How to undo the change if it fails |
| Test plan | How success is verified |
The Schedule fields, Planned start date and Planned end date, set the window. These dates, together with the Configuration item, are what conflict detection checks against other changes, maintenance windows and blackout windows.
Change tasks
Work inside a change is split into change tasks (change_task), each with its own assignment group. Typical tasks are implementation steps, testing and post implementation review. Tasks can be added by hand, created by the change flow, or created from task templates on a standard change.
CIs on a change
The main Configuration item field names the CI being changed. Two related lists add the wider picture:
| Related list | How it is filled | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Affected CIs | Added by people, for every CI the change touches | task_ci |
| Impacted Services/CIs | Calculated from CI relationships, for example with the Refresh Impacted Services related link | task_cmdb_ci_service |
Changing the CI and recalculating risk can change the approvals, because risk and approval decisions depend on the CI and the services it supports.
How the exam asks about this
- "The network team wants a reusable change that creates the same three tasks every time." Propose a standard change template with standard change task templates.
- "Approvers need to see how the team will undo the change if it fails." Fill the Backout plan on the Planning tab.
- "The change manager wants to see which business services depend on the CI being patched." Use Impacted Services/CIs, calculated from CI relationships.
What to remember for the exam
- Standard changes come from templates in the Standard Change Catalog and are pre approved.
- New templates, modifications and retirements all go through an approved proposal; a modification creates a new template version.
- Task templates on a proposal create change tasks automatically on each standard change.
- Justification, Implementation plan, Risk and impact analysis, Backout plan and Test plan sit on the Planning tab.
- Affected CIs are added by people; Impacted Services/CIs are calculated from CI relationships.
- Planned dates and the CI drive conflict detection.
CIs cannot be bulk updated on standard changes. If many standard changes need a different CI, propose individual changes rather than expecting a mass update.
Common mistakes
Editing a standard change template directly to save time. Changes to a template go through a modify proposal and approval, which then creates a new version. Skipping that defeats the point of pre approval.
Mixing up Affected CIs and Impacted Services. Affected CIs are the CIs the team will touch. Impacted Services are the services that depend on them, worked out from relationships.
Leaving the Planning tab empty on normal changes. Approvers and CAB judge the change from those plans. A change without a backout plan or test plan is a weak candidate for approval.
Check yourself
What happens when a proposal to modify a standard change template is approved?
A new version of the template is created and used for future standard changes.
How do you make every standard change from one template create the same change tasks?
Add standard change task templates to the template's proposal; once approved, the tasks are created with each change.
Which list on a change is calculated from CI relationships rather than entered by people?
Impacted Services/CIs. Affected CIs are added by people.
Topic 2 of 3 in Change Management
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