How life-cycle values for Asset, CI, and IBI are synced

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated July 21, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of How life-cycle values for Asset, CI, and IBI are synced

    ServiceNow enables synchronization of life-cycle values among Asset, Configuration Item (CI), and Install Base Item (IBI) records to ensure consistent tracking of items provided as services or sold to customers. This synchronization leverages Common Service Data Model (CSDM) life cycle stage and status values, improving data accuracy and operational visibility across your ServiceNow AI Platform applications.

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    Synchronization Between Asset, CI, and IBI

    • Asset and IBI: Life-cycle values sync by default using CSDM life cycle stage and stage status value pairs.
    • Asset and CI: Sync behavior depends on system property settings:
      • If csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated is false (default), synchronization occurs via legacy status and substatus fields.
      • If set to true (or enabled via the Life cycle mappings list), the system syncs CSDM life cycle stage and status values directly between Asset and CI, providing enhanced value.

    Behavior When Sync Property is False (Default)

    • Asset to IBI and CI: Updates in asset status or substatus sync to IBI and CI, translating legacy status to CSDM life cycle values.
    • IBI to Asset and CI: Updates in IBI life cycle stage/status sync back to asset legacy status/substatus, which then syncs with the CI.
    • CI to Asset and IBI: CI status/substatus changes sync to asset legacy fields, which in turn sync to IBI life cycle stage/status values using CSDM mappings.

    Behavior When Sync Property is True

    • Asset to CI and IBI: Legacy asset status/substatus updates map to CSDM life cycle values and sync directly with CI status/substatus and life cycle stage/status. Asset to IBI sync uses only CSDM value pairs.
    • IBI to Asset and CI: IBI life cycle stage/status updates sync legacy asset fields and CSDM values, which then sync directly to the associated CI.
    • CI to Asset and IBI: CI life cycle stage/status sync directly to asset; asset legacy status/substatus update accordingly and sync back to CI and IBI through CSDM mappings.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Maintains consistent and accurate life-cycle tracking across Asset, CI, and IBI records.
    • Enables seamless integration between legacy status fields and modern CSDM life cycle stages, supporting smoother transitions and data integrity.
    • Provides flexibility to choose synchronization method based on your instance configuration and enablement preferences.
    • Enhances reporting, compliance, and operational efficiency by aligning life-cycle data across related configuration and asset records.

    Your organization gains significant value from your ServiceNow AI Platform applications when you take advantage of the option to directly map legacy status values to CSDM life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values and auto-sync the values going forward.

    How Asset, CI, and IBI life-cycle values are synced

    Any item that is provided as a service or sold to your customer is tracked as an Install Base Item (IBI). The Model category table associates Asset, CI, and IBI for the item.
    Sync between asset and IBI
    By default, the system syncs life-cycle values between asset and IBI using the CSDM life cycle stage and life cycle stage status life-cycle value pairs.
    Synchronization between asset and CI
    When the csdm.lifecycle.migration.activated system property is set to true on your instance, synchronization between the asset and CI tables depends on the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated system property setting:
    • When the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated property is set to false (default), synchronization occurs through the legacy status and substatus values.
    • When the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated property is set to true, the system syncs the CSDM life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values directly. This option provides significant benefits to your organization.
      Important:
      The property is set to true when you select Enable life cycle sync on the Life cycle mappings list view.

    Life-cycle sync when the system property is set to false (the default setting)

    Sync when the system property is false.

    When the csdm.lifecycle.migration.activated system property is set to true on your instance and the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated system property is set to false:

    Sync of updates from asset to IBI and CI
    Updates made to the status or substatus value of an asset are synced with the associated IBI and CI. For example, when the State value of the asset is updated to In use, sync happens as follows:
    • The life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the asset are set to Operational and In use, these values are then synced with life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of IBI asset.
    • The status and substatus values of the CI change to Installed and In use.
    Sync of updates from IBI to asset and CI
    Updates made to the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of an IBI asset are synced with the legacy status and substatus values of the asset through the CSDM values. The status and substatus values of the asset are then synced with the associated CI. For example, when the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of an IBI asset are updated to Defective and In Stock, sync happens as follows.
    1. The life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the asset change to In Stock and Defective. These values are synced with the status and substatus values of the asset.
    2. The status and substatus values of the asset are then synced with the associated CI.
    Sync of updates from CI to asset and IBI
    Updates made to the status and substatus values of a CI are synced with the associated asset. The status and substatus values of the asset are then synced with the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the IBI asset through the CSDM values. For example, when the status and substatus values of a CI are updated to Retired and Donated, the corresponding values of the asset change. The changes from the asset are synced with the IBI asset and the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values change to End of Life and Retired.

    Life-cycle sync when the system property is set to true

    Sync when the system property is true or you select Enable life cycle sync on the Life cycle mappings list view.

    When the csdm.lifecycle.migration.activated system property is set to true on your instance and the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated system property is set to true (or you select the select Enable life cycle sync on the Life cycle mapping table list page, as described in Enabling CSDM life-cycle sync between legacy fields and related assets):

    Sync of updates from asset to CI and IBI
    Updates made to the legacy status and substatus values of the asset are synced between the asset and CI as follows:
    • The life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the asset are updated with values mapped to the legacy status and substatus values of the asset.
    • The status and substatus values of the asset are then directly synced with the status and substatus values of the associated CI.
    • The life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the asset are then directly synced with the associated CI.

    However, sync of updates from asset to IBI is only through the CSDM life-cycle value pairs.

    Sync of updates from IBI to asset and CI
    Updates made to the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the IBI are synced as follows:
    • The legacy status and substatus values of the asset are synced with the CSDM life-cycle value pairs.
    • The status and substatus values of the asset are synced with the status and substatus values of the associated CI.
    • The life-cycle value pairs of the asset are directly synced with the associated CI.
    Sync of updates from CI to asset and IBI
    Updates made to the life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of a CI are synced as follows:
    • The life cycle stage and life cycle stage status values of the CI are directly synced with the associated asset.
    • The status and substatus values of the asset are then updated with the values mapped to the CSDM values.
    • The status and substatus values of the asset are then synced with the associated CI.
    • The status and substatus values of IBI are synced with the asset through the CSDM life-cycle value pairs.