What are the DELETE entries in my update_set and do I need them?

[spike]

When I create an update set, and then make some changes as I go through the development process, I get lots of entries in my update set that say DELETE.

I'm assuming it's deleting database entries (when it's not something new) and then INSERT_OR_UPDATE-ing my changes.

And that makes sense.

However my production admins have told me that I should move all of the DELETE entries from my update set to the Default set. To me this means the deletes aren't needed, which makes me question why ServiceNow would create them in the first place.

Does anyone have any thoughts here? Should I be deleting these? Are my admins correct? Or should we be doing something else?

Thanks for any advice.

[Kartik Sethi]

Hi @spike 

There are 2 types of entries captured in Update Sets:

1. Insert or Update
2. Delete

So when you delete any customization (capturable) its entry gets captured in the Update set as DELETED.

How do the 2 types work?

Insert Or Update: It will help in promoting the changes to Test/Prod environments

Delete: Delete is a bit different:

• New Requirement: When you are implementing a new requirement and it is absolutely new i.e. no components are already present in Test/Prod then this Delete update can be pushed to the Default Update set (or can be deleted but this is not always recommended as you cannot bring back the customization if by chance you need it again)
• Old Requirement: If there was a requirement and is in Test/Prod and you want to remove that requirement then moving the Delete update makes sense. As this will remove the customization from Test/Prod instances as well

Hope this answers your doubt.

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Please mark my answer as correct if this solves your issues!

If it helped you in any way then please mark helpful!

Thanks and regards,

Kartik

[Kartik Sethi]

Hi @spike 

Was your doubt resolved?

If yes and if my answer helped you out then please mark my answer as correct/helpful, so that other community members facing similar issues might get help.

Thanks and regards,

Kartik

[spike]

So we shouldn't remove deletes from the update set? I keep reading and hearing that deleting anything from ServiceNow is bad and we should only ever deactivate. That doesn't agree with what you've written though?

Thoughts?

[Ankur Bawiskar]

Hi,

yes this still holds true

But many customers insists that if the component itself won't be used then what's the point in keeping it in production

It depends on customer to customer basis

Regards
Ankur