Where should I start when implementing a CMDB from scratch with data currently in Excel?

[FervilR]

Hello everyone,

I am currently involved in a ServiceNow implementation project and we are planning to build our CMDB from scratch. At the moment, most of our infrastructure and application inventory exists in Excel files maintained by different teams.

Before starting to populate the CMDB, I would like to understand what the recommended approach is when starting from this type of situation.

Specifically, I would appreciate advice on the following:

• What should be the first steps before importing any data into the CMDB?

• Is it recommended to clean and structure the Excel data first, or should we focus on defining the CMDB data model and governance before importing anything?

• What is the best way to migrate data from Excel to the CMDB (Import Sets, IntegrationHub ETL, or another approach)?

• How should we handle data ownership and validation when multiple teams manage different datasets?

• Are there best practices to avoid creating duplicate or inconsistent CIs during the initial population?

Our goal is to build a reliable CMDB that aligns with ServiceNow best practices (CSDM, IRE, reconciliation rules).

Any guidance or lessons learned from similar situations would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help.