Model Categories

Amit Nemade
Tera Contributor

I have added monitors and assigned them to model categories, but the monitors do not have assigned monitor categories and I can't update them manually. Most responses suggest using a script for updates, but if we're not familiar with scripting, what is the correct way to update? I also need to know how to correctly update models and model categories so that they populate in the alm_hardware records, even if added manually.

3 REPLIES 3

Brad Bowman
Kilo Patron
Kilo Patron

Try using System Data Management > Update Jobs in the left nav.  You can select the table and build a condition for the record(s) that need updated, without a script!

Mathew Hillyard
Mega Sage

Hi @Amit Nemade 

It may be worth having a read of my blog on model categories to understand how they function throughout an asset or CI's lifecycle: https://www.servicenow.com/community/in-other-news/assets-configuration-items-and-model-categories-u... 

 

In short, the Model Category field on an asset is mandatory on creation but should normally be populated after the Model is chosen as it is then filtered (e.g. in the baseline if you set the Model to "Dell Inc. Alienware M14x" then the Model Category option is reduced to just "Computer"). Once saved neither field can be modified because the field-level Access Controls for writing are set to the role "Nobody".

 

From your original post it is not clear what steps you have taken - were the monitors created via import set or some automation that bypassed setting the Model Category? And are you talking about monitor Assets or their related Configuration Items? I presume you have Assets with empty Model and/or Model Category?

 

If so then the Update Job @Brad Bowman  mentions above will help but bear in mind a couple of things:

  1. When setting the Condition field, if you choose a field of type = Reference you cannot actually look the record up (so you won't be able to distinguish between two models with the same display name, but after clicking Continue you can preview the number of records that would be impacted). Oddly the "Fields and values" field does support a lookup for Reference fields.
  2. System Update Jobs requires the admin role.

More importantly, I recommend reviewing the process for creating the assets in the first place and fix this issue so that it does not happen in future.

Amarjeet Pal
Kilo Sage
Kilo Sage

If you don't require to do it by script do it by loading data/import set. You can do bulk updates of the record. You can maintain the data in this way without scripting.