--- sourceDocument: Asset Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-asset-management Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Asset Management ft:clusterId : - itam bundleId : - itam workflow : - Technology --- # Content updates for Software Asset Management # Content updates for Software Asset Management {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Content updates for Software Asset Management The Software Asset Management (SAM) Content Service delivers bi-weekly content updates to your ServiceNow instance, enabling you to maintain normalized and accurate software asset data. These updates help ensure your software asset records reflect the latest classifications, licensing rules, and product information essential for effective software asset management. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Content Types Updated:** Includes categories, discovery maps, normalization suggestions, product classifications, license exception rules, product names, product types, publishers, suite definitions, software model life cycles and suggestions, custom software product suggestions, and CPE normalization rules. * **Software Model and Publisher Updates:** Publisher names are updated only for new software models; existing models retain their original publisher name unless the product moves to a different publisher, which triggers an update. * **Product License Exception Rules:** Product types can be updated on an edition level via custom and standard exception rules tables. Non-licensable editions cannot have exception rules created for licensable editions, requiring case submission to the Content Service team for review. * **Scheduled Jobs:** The *SAM - Apply latest content changes* job processes content updates by moving data from staging to target columns and propagating changes to transactional data. The *SAM - Create suites for a software model* job updates suite components and life cycle changes. * **Control Over Automated Updates:** You can disable automated content updates per software model by clearing the "Allow automated content updates" flag on the Software Model form, which is enabled by default. * **Life Cycle Data Management:** Life cycle data added through content updates cannot be deleted but can be deactivated; such data is sourced from ServiceNow. * **Reporting and Auditing:** Use the "Software Models with deactivated discovery maps" report to identify models linked to inactive discovery maps, and review the *SAM Content Audit* table to track changes in the software library. * **Custom Content:** Content updates do not affect any custom products or custom discovery maps, preserving your custom configurations. ## Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers By leveraging these content updates, customers can automate normalization and enrichment of their software asset data, ensuring compliance and improving accuracy without manual intervention. The ability to control updates at the software model level provides flexibility to maintain customizations. Scheduled jobs streamline the update process, reducing administrative overhead. Customers should engage the Content Service team for licensing exceptions that fall outside standard rules and utilize provided reports to monitor the health and accuracy of their software asset data. The Software Asset Management Content Service provides content updates to your instance twice every week that you can use to normalize your data. The following types of content can be updated as part of a content update: * Categories * Discovery maps * Normalization suggestions * Product classifications * Product license exception rules * Product names * Product types * Publishers * Suite definitions * Software model life cycles * Software model suggestions * Custom software product suggestions * Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) normalization rule {#sam-content-updates__ul_j21_bhy_njb} Note: Software models aren't updated when a publisher's name is updated as part of the content updates. The software model isn't updated because its display name is removed from the core company's reference. However, if a product moves to a different publisher, then the software model gets updated during content updates when the product goes from one core company to the other core company. The publisher name is updated for new software models but not for existing software models. Product types can be updated on a product's edition level using the Custom Product License Exception Rules \[samp_cust_prod_lic_excep_rules\] table. For cases where certain editions are non-licensable, the product type gets updated automatically if the exception rule is defined in the Product License Exception Rules \[samp_prod_lic_excep_rules\] table or the Custom Product License Exception Rules \[samp_cust_prod_lic_excep_rules\] table. However, if a product is non-licensable, an exception rule can't be created for ​a licensable edition. For this case, you must raise a case with the Content Service team​ with supporting documentation and the team reviews ​whether the edition must be tagged as licensable. The SAM - Apply latest content changes scheduled job runs and processes the content updates. After the content download is complete, the updated content is pulled from the staging columns to the corresponding target columns. Related downstream records are also updated. A query runs and identifies what transactional data in your instance must be updated with the new content. After the changes are identified, the changes are then propagated to your instance. Another scheduled job, SAM - Create suites for a software model, runs and propagates suite component and life cycle changes to your software models. If you don't want content changes applied to a software model, then you can clear the Allow automated content updates flag on the Software Model form. By default, the flag is selected to enable automated content updates to all software models. Note: If a content update adds life-cycle data, it can't be deleted from the software model, but you can deactivate it. Any life-cycle data that is added as part of a content update has the source set to Servicenow. Use the Software Models with deactivated discovery maps report to show software models that are pointing to any deactivated discovery maps. To see the changes that have been made to the software library, review the SAM Content Audit \[sam_content_audit\] table. Note: Content updates don't have an impact on any custom products or custom discovery maps. For more information on how to send your content to ServiceNow, see [Enable sharing information with Software Asset Management content service](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/KDGYw0yxZC0eKzLQ8xAUyg "Opt in to share unnormalized software installation data from your organization with Software Asset Management Content Service. You can opt out at any time.").