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

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated May 11, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    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 How life-cycle values for Asset, CI, and IBI are synchronized

    ServiceNow enables synchronization of life-cycle values between Asset, Configuration Item (CI), and Install Base Item (IBI) records to maintain consistent status tracking across your IT and service management processes. This synchronization aligns legacy status values with the Common Service Data Model (CSDM) life cycle stages and statuses, enhancing data accuracy and operational efficiency.

    Show full answer Show less

    Synchronization Components and Relationships

    • Install Base Item (IBI): Represents items sold or provided as services, linked to Asset and CI records through the Model category table.
    • Asset and IBI synchronization: When the model category is set as a product instance, life cycle stage and status values are synchronized between Asset and IBI using CSDM life cycle value pairs.
    • Asset and CI synchronization: Controlled by the csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated system property, which dictates whether synchronization uses legacy status values or direct CSDM life cycle values.

    Synchronization Behavior Based on System Property Settings

    When csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated is false (default)

    • Asset to IBI and CI: Updates on Asset status or substatus sync to IBI life cycle stage/status and CI legacy status/substatus.
    • IBI to Asset and CI: Changes in IBI life cycle stage/status update Asset legacy status/substatus, which then sync to the CI.
    • CI to Asset and IBI: CI status/substatus updates reflect on Asset legacy status/substatus, which then update IBI life cycle values.

    When csdm.lifecycle.sync.between.ci.and.asset.activated is true (enabled via Life cycle mappings setting)

    • Asset to CI and IBI: Legacy status/substatus on Asset map to CSDM life cycle values and sync directly with CI and IBI using CSDM pairs.
    • IBI to Asset and CI: IBI life cycle values sync to Asset legacy status/substatus, which then sync with CI, while Asset life cycle pairs sync directly with CI.
    • CI to Asset and IBI: CI life cycle values sync directly with Asset, updating legacy status/substatus accordingly, which then sync with IBI.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Improved consistency and accuracy of life cycle status data across Asset, CI, and IBI records.
    • Flexibility to choose synchronization based on legacy status values or direct CSDM life cycle values according to organizational needs.
    • Enables smooth migration and alignment to CSDM, supporting better asset and configuration management processes.

    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-synchronize 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.
    Synchronization between asset and IBI
    When the model category is configured as a product instance, the system synchronizes the 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 property is set to false (default), synchronization occurs through the legacy status and substatus values.
    • When the 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 synchronization when the system property is set to false (the default setting)

    Sync when the system property is false.

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

    Synchronization 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, synchronization 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.
    Synchronization 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, synchronization 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.
    Synchronization 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 synchronization 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 (csdm.lifecycle.migration.activated) plugin is activated 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 life-cycle synchronization from legacy to asset):

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

    Synchronization 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.
    Synchronization 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.