Apply table rotation

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 1 minute to read
  • Preserve instance performance by applying table rotation.

    Before you begin

    Determine the type of table you have and whether you can apply table rotation yourself.
    • You can apply table rotation to custom tables that begin with a u_ prefix at your own discretion.
    • Do not apply table rotation to scoped tables that begin with an x_ prefix without consulting ServiceNow or the third-party plugin developer first.
    • Do not apply table rotation to out-of-the-box tables that begin with a sys_ prefix. Contact Customer Service and Support for help with these tables.

    Role required: admin

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > System Definition > Table Rotations.
    2. Select New.
    3. On the form, fill in the fields.
      Table 1. Table Rotation Group form
      Field Description
      Name The name of the table.
      Type The type of rotation.

      Select Rotation.

      Rotations The number of tables to maintain through the duration.
      Duration The days and hours during which data is written to each shard.
      Clean base rotation The date to clean (truncate) the base table.
    4. Select Submit.

    Result

    A schedule is created and new data is written to one of the tables in the rotation group. The group includes the original table plus several additional tables.

    Note:
    Deleting a rotation deletes the additional tables and all the data. Do not delete the rotation if you still need the data.

    New table rotation group

    New table rotation group.