1. Use Fix Scripts instead of Background Scripts
While Scripts – Background works, Fix Scripts are the professional choice for Production.
Version Control: They are captured in Update Sets, allowing you to move the exact code from Sub-Prod to Production.
Review: They provide a record of what was run, by whom, and when.
Testing: You can easily run them in "Unload" mode or test them in a lower environment first.
2. Optimize for Performance & Safety
To handle 30,000+ records without "killing" the node or triggering unwanted side effects, use these methods:
setWorkflow(false): This is critical. It prevents Business Rules, Workflows, and Notifications from firing. Without this, you might accidentally email thousands of users.
autoSysFields(false): This prevents the sys_updated_on and sys_updated_by fields from changing, which is often preferred for "administrative" cleanup to preserve the original audit trail.
setLimit(): Test the script on 10 records first, then 100, before running the full batch.
3. The Script Template
var ritmGr = new GlideRecord('sc_req_item');
ritmGr.addQuery('assignment_group.name', 'Test Group');
ritmGr.addActiveQuery(); // Only get currently active records
ritmGr.setLimit(35000); // Safety limit
ritmGr.query();
var count = 0;
while (ritmGr.next()) {
ritmGr.active = false;
ritmGr.setWorkflow(false); // Do not trigger Business Rules/Notifications
ritmGr.autoSysFields(false); // Do not update system audit fields
ritmGr.update();
count++;
}
gs.info("Bulk Update Complete. Total RITMs deactivated: " + count);
4. Rollback and Auditing
Rollback Context: Since ServiceNow (London+ versions), background and fix scripts generate a Rollback Context. If something goes wrong, you can navigate to sys_rollback_context.list and revert the changes.
Export Data First: As an extra safety net, export the list of Sys IDs you intend to change to XML or CSV before running the script.
Batching: If you are worried about the transaction timing out, process the records in batches of 5,000 using a scheduled job or multiple script executions.
Kindly mark my answer as Correct and Helpful based on the impact.
Regards,
Alok Das
