Catalog Builder Update sets post-Tokyo

[SNAdmin47]

A feature of the Tokyo upgrade is the new automatic creation of update sets for any work undertaken on the Catalog Builder application. Is it possible to disable this and keep any customer updates done on the catalog builder maintained in the currently selected update set, as prior to Tokyo? We've found this to be extremely frustrating when working as a group on an item requiring input from multiple stakeholders or developers as this just results in an added co-ordination step when it comes to batching the upgrade sets together. 

If not, is there any improved guidance above and beyond the current product documentation available on how to better manage this new function? (https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/tokyo-servicenow-platform/page/product/service-catalog-management...) 

For example, how/when is an update set created/closed, what updates they contains, is there a 'best practise' on how the update sets should be batched together, etc., as the current product documentation linked above is very limited. 

[Daniel Biesiada]

have you found a solution?

[SNAdmin47]

Hi @Daniel Biesiada 

Kind of, but it's not the best solution.... I'm just avoiding catalog builder where I can and using the native elements like the variables (using order and other values to format) and Catalog UI Policies instead of using the catalog builder. There's been one or two occasions where I've used it just for ease of use but generally speaking I avoid it now due to the volume of auto-created update sets that get spawned every time you use it. For developments which may require stakeholder review after closing the update set (and therefore risk getting multiple catalog update sets) I just avoid it. 

I did find that as long as you kept careful track of which update set is which, then the ability to combine the update sets into batches by setting the update set parent to be a certain 'master/parent' update set lessened the complexity of tracking 23 update sets and the order they came in, but tbh I've just found it easier to avoid catalog buuilder and do things manually. It's a bit of a shame as I do like the ease and speed of using catalog builder but when you have 5 different developers all working on multiple requirements, sometimes overlapping, then it's just easier to stick to the old skool method of using manual update sets and the native UI elements.

Hope that helps, let me know if there's anything I can help with! 🙂

[viccgplin]

My take on this is that the "new feature" of auto-generating update-set every time you modify a SR in catalog builder is actually annoying. It does not make sense that even I created and made an update set current but the modification to SR got captured in another update set.