Approach to Bulk Insert User Data into ServiceNow via API (Without Import Set)

[RuchikaG0016983]

I’m looking to bulk insert user records into ServiceNow via the API, but I want to avoid using Import Set APIs, since they are asynchronous and not ideal for real-time monitoring and feedback. My requirements are:

• I need to insert multiple user records at once.

• I want synchronous behavior — immediate feedback per insert.

• I would prefer not to use Import Sets, due to their delayed processing.

A few questions:

1. What is the recommended method for bulk inserting user data in real-time? Is there a REST API that allows this natively?

2. If I use the Table API (e.g., /api/now/table/sys_user) in a loop or batch, what are the performance or record count limits I should be aware of?

3. Is there an API that supports true batch synchronous insertions, or do I need to make individual POST calls for each record?

[M Iftikhar]

Hi @RuchikaG0016983 ,
Here's a breakdown of your questions regarding bulk user data insertion in real-time:
1. Recommended Method for Bulk Inserting User Data in Real-time
Use the Table API (/api/now/table/sys_user) with individual POST calls. There is no native synchronous bulk-insert API in ServiceNow.

2. Table API Limits
Each request can handle ~10 MB of payload, return up to 10,000 records, and must complete within ~60 seconds. Typical limits are about 10,000 REST requests per hour per node, so exceeding this may trigger 429 Too Many Requests.

3. API for True Batch Synchronous Insertions:
No, there is no native API that supports true batch synchronous insertions in a single request with individual record feedback.
To reduce HTTP calls, you can build a custom Scripted REST API that accepts an array of users, inserts them with GlideRecord, and returns per-record results. For very large imports, Import Sets are still recommended.

Thanks & Regards,
Muhammad Iftikhar

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