Migrating USEM Configurations Between Instances

[andy_ojha]

As you explore USEM (VR v30x), either as an existing customer that has recently migrated or as a brand new customer starting your journey, you will need to make a plan for managing and promoting your configurations (aka USEM rules) between ServiceNow Instances.  

Assignment Rules, Classification Rules, Remediation Targets, and others managed through the USEM Administration experience — are not automatically captured in update sets. This can create friction as you establish your configuration promotion path across DEV → TEST → STAGE → PROD ServiceNow instances.

As of VR v30.3.3 (April 9, 2026), there's a new "Add to Update Set" feature that makes this significantly easier. You can now capture USEM configurations directly into update sets from the Security Exposure Management Workspace (Administration panel), and promote these update sets between ServiceNow instances.

The attached guide walks through the process:

• Prerequisites (including a one-time Script Include import for pre-Brazil instances)
• How to create an update set and use the Add to Update Set button
• How to export, import, preview, and commit the update set on your target instance
• Verification steps to confirm your configurations landed successfully

The utility that introduces the "Add to Update Set" feature to the Security Exposure Management Workspace, requires being on VR v30.3.3 (Apr 2026) or higher.  Additionally, if your ServiceNow instance is on a platform version before Brazil (e.g. Yokohama, Zurich, Australia) you will need to do a (one-time) import of a Script Include that is attached to the Support KB below:

• (Customer Login Required) - KB2831945 - Migrating USEM Rules/Configs Between Instances

For those using prior versions of USEM before April 2026 (i.e. VR v30.1.4 to VR v30.2.5), migrating USEM Rules and Configurations can be achieved manually, using XML export/import functionality and the tables documented in the Support KB below:

• (Customer Login Required) - KB2734417 - Exporting and Import USEM Rules/Configs

[tonynetti]

The first link, KB2831945 is not accessible. 

[Sarah Wood]

Hi @tonynetti - Sorry about that, it should have redirected to the updated version. I have fixed it now, this should work: https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB2831945 

[Ravish_]

Hello Andy,

I had a confusion.

Why do we need to migrate the rules using update sets?

Will we not be using the Migration assistant tool in all environments (DEV, TEST and PROD)?

Thanks,

Ravish

[Sarah Wood]

Hi @Ravish_ - I'll chime in here! Great question. The Migration Assistant and the update set process described here serve different purposes:

• Migration Assistant: a one-time upgrade from VR to USEM (VR v30+). You can run this in each environment, but overall it is for your one-time upgrade to USEM.
• Update sets: for promoting USEM rule changes you make after upgrading/migrating to USEM. That's what this article is about as the “Add to Update Set” feature (VR v30.3.3+) lets you build in DEV and promote to TEST and PROD instead of recreating the configurations manually.

In summary, the Migration Assistant helps with getting each instance onto USEM, update sets move changes between instances from then on.