---
sourceDocument: Brazil IT Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-service-management

 Release :

    - brazil

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Brazil IT Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - itsm

bundleId :

    - itsm

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Manage a change lockdown

# Manage a change lockdown {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Brazil  
Updated September 10, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read  
Manage a change lockdown by previewing affected change requests, submitting for approval, reverting to draft, or canceling it.

## Before you begin

Create the change lockdown and add at least one schedule entry, because the Preview action becomes available only after a schedule entry is saved. For more information, see [Create a change lockdown](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Usv9dxokLC4YW4iNmFPhow "Create a change lockdown to pause in-flight change requests during major unplanned IT, critical, or financial events.").

Role required: change_manager

## About this task

A lockdown progresses through the Draft, Awaiting Approval, and Enforced states. Only an enforced lockdown places change requests on hold. You can preview
affected change requests and cancel the lockdown at any point before it closes. For details about available actions in each state, see [Change lockdown states](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9AQ8mO_Kr_rrwoCxmGk1Yw "These states describe where a change lockdown sits in its approval cycle, which actions are available, and whether the lockdown holds any change requests.").

## Procedure

1. Open the change lockdown record.
2. Select Preview to review the change requests that the lockdown affects.  
   The Lockdown Change Requests dialog box displays matching change requests with their number, short description, model, type, state, planned start date, and planned end date. To adjust the
   preview limit, see [Set the lockdown preview maximum](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Zx~o9gWs0QckDnXl_clD~g "Change the maximum number of records that a change lockdown preview displays. This keeps the preview readable on instances with a large volume of change requests.").
3. Select Close.  
   If the preview displays change requests that the lockdown should not affect, adjust the
   Condition or Change Request Condition field, or edit the schedule entry, then preview again.
4. Select Request Approval.  
   The State field changes to Awaiting Approval, and a message
   confirms that approval has been requested for the lockdown. Reload the record to see the approval record on the Approvers tab.
5. **Optional:** Select Revert to Draft to refine the lockdown before it is approved.  
   The State field returns to Draft and the generated approval becomes no longer required. The conditions and the schedule are editable again, so you can adjust the criteria,
   preview the result, and select Request Approval again. Repeat this cycle until the matched change requests are correct.
6. Ask the approver to approve or reject the lockdown.  
   When the lockdown is approved, it moves to the Enforced state and the approval changes to No Longer Required. The matched change requests are written to the Schedule Lockdown Changes related list with the On hold column set to
   `true`.

   A rejection returns the lockdown to the Draft state, so that you can shorten the period or narrow the conditions and request approval again.
7. **Optional:** Select Cancel Lockdown and confirm the cancellation.

   | State when you cancel | Result |
   | Before approval | The lockdown ends without placing any change request on hold. Use this option when the critical period is called off while the lockdown is in the Draft or Awaiting Approval state. |
   | After approval | The lockdown releases the change requests that it holds. On the Schedule Lockdown Changes tab, the On hold column changes from `true` to `false`. A change request that is on hold for another reason stays on hold. |
   |-|-|

   {#manage-change-lockdown__choicetable_cancel_lockdown}  
   Note:  
   A canceled lockdown cannot be reverted or reused. To lock down changes again, create a new lockdown record.
**Related concepts**   

* [Change lockdown](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/_FlwAKV4BLQWcpGJZX079Q "Change lockdown allows change managers to pause all or a subset of in-flight change requests. Use it during major unplanned IT, critical, or financial events.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Create a change lockdown](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Usv9dxokLC4YW4iNmFPhow "Create a change lockdown to pause in-flight change requests during major unplanned IT, critical, or financial events.")  
**Related reference**   

* [Change lockdown states](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9AQ8mO_Kr_rrwoCxmGk1Yw "These states describe where a change lockdown sits in its approval cycle, which actions are available, and whether the lockdown holds any change requests.")