Which one I should create Normal Custom Table vs custom Data lookup table

[Supriya25]

Hi All,

we have one custom table House Hold Plan , There are 4 choice fields and options would be like below.

Accounts 10 (Account 1, Account 2.....Account 10)
House Hold Cat 1 = 20 (like House Category 1.1, House Category 1.2..etc ...House Category 1.20)
House Hold Cat 2 = 20 (like House Category 2.1, House Category 2.2..etc..House Category 2.20)
House Hold Cat 3 = 20 (like House Category 3..1, House Category 3.2..etc...House Category 3.20)

Concern : 
I have a concern  we got excel sheet , that excel sheet has 500+ records combinations . some Account, category values repeated , Like this combination there are 500 + records with different combinations 

example :

based on this combination I want to populate dropdown options in above "House Hold Categories" fields on Record.

So Now please help me
in Global scope should I create new normal custom table ( with string type fields Account, House Hold Category 1, House Hold Category 2, House Hold Category 3)  to maintain this excel sheet data ? loading data in custom table and creating ScriptInclude and Client script and sort drop-down in target fields ("House Hold Categories" fields ) ?

Or 

In Global scope Should I Create new custom Data Lookup table( with string type fields Account, House Hold Category 1, House Hold Category 2, House Hold Category 3) to maintain this excel sheet data ? loading data into  custom data lookup table and define Data lookup definitions?
 

Kindly share your thoughts. How Normal custom table/Datalookup custom table works in this case and which one I have to proceed ?

[AlpUtkuM]

I would suggest you to go with option 2 to maintain the data a bit easier. I would always urge to use non code option where possible to reduce the tech debt going forward.

[Supriya25]

Thanks @AlpUtkuM , thanks for your inputs .

1. Will ServiceNow  cost any Custom table license if I do create Custom Data lookup table ?
2. Can I design Script Includes on Custom Data lookup tables please ? is it advisable?

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @Supriya25 

My recommendation  is to go with the 2nd option i.e  creating a custom Data Lookup table and defining Data Lookup definitions. This approach centralizes logic into a data matrix, making future updates easy, preventing hardcoding, and keeping your instance configuration-driven.

Refer: Custom Table Deep Dive: Data Lookup Matcher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vQLlHRTv_M&t=17s

[Supriya25]

Thanks @Tanushree Maiti , Thanks for your inputs.

Kindly help me 
1. Will ServiceNow  count into Custom table license if I do create Custom Data lookup table (this is also one custom table extending dl_matcher table) ?
2. Can I design Script Includes on Custom Data lookup tables please ? is it advisable?