Populating your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with equipment model data

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Populating your Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with equipment model data

    This guide explains how to create and populate a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with your existing ISA equipment model data to successfully upload it into the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) within the ServiceNow AI Platform. Proper placement of data in the correct spreadsheet columns is essential for the import process.

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    Preparing the Spreadsheet

    Use the provided Microsoft Excel template named Import Equipment Model – Data Source - v2.xlsx, accessible via the Equipment Model - ISA module or downloadable through the ServiceNow Knowledge Base article for the ISA Equipment Model Excel Service Graph Connector.

    The spreadsheet includes three key worksheets:

    • Blank template for data import: For populating your equipment model data.
    • Data Column Descriptions: Explains each data column in the spreadsheet.
    • Sample Data for Import: Provides example equipment model data for reference.

    After filling out the spreadsheet, save it to a known location to facilitate import using the Integration Hub ETL function.

    Important: Do not change existing column names, but you may add columns to support additional fields for uniquely identifying owners as configured in the snisamodel.usersearchmatchingattribute system property.

    Populating the Spreadsheet

    The spreadsheet supports importing equipment model data for multiple sites in one file. Key columns (A through J) include:

    • Path (Required): Concatenation of short codes representing the entity and its parent entities, e.g., "ATL-B42-MQSTOR-Z1".
    • Short Code: Alphanumeric short description code for the entity, constrained by system property length limits.
    • Entity Name (Required): Full name of the entity, such as city, building, or model number.
    • Location: Physical location associated with the entity, referencing CMDB location values.
    • Assigned to: Email address of the individual responsible for the entity; can be customized via system properties.
    • Support Group: Name of the group managing support and maintenance for the entity.
    • Description: Detailed description of the equipment model and its role.
    • Process Criticality: Numeric indicator of the entity’s importance to industrial processes (1 = most critical).
    • Company: Company name associated with the entity, aligned with CMDB location data.
    • Template (Required): Template identifier used during data import; this cannot be changed post-import.

    Upgrading from v1 to v2

    If you are upgrading from version 1 to version 2 of the ISA Service Graph Connector, you can import new equipment model entities with unique paths and update existing ones with a path value using a fix script to ensure data consistency.

    Create and populate a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with your existing ISA equipment model data. Positioning your existing data in the correct columns is crucial to the success of your upload.

    To create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that properly populates the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) in the ServiceNow AI Platform, do the following actions:
    1. Prepare your spreadsheet for upload by using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that is attached to the data source record. To locate an empty template, do the following actions:
      1. Navigate to Equipment Model - ISA > Import Equip. Model - Data Source
      2. Click Import Equipment Model – Data Source - v2.xlsx
      Note:
      Alternately, to download the Import Equipment Model – Data Source - v2.xlsx spreadsheet, see the Microsoft Excel spreadsheets required for the ISA Equipment Model Excel Service Graph Connector [KB0966600] article in the Now Support Knowledge Base.
    2. Download the attached Import Equipment Model – Data Source - v2.xlsx spreadsheet to learn more about the template and its worksheets:
      Note:
      If you're an ISA SGC user upgrading from v1 to v2, see the section named Upgrading from v1 to v2 below.
      Table 1. Import Equipment Model – Data Source - v2.xlsx spreadsheet
      Worksheet name Purpose
      Blank template for data import Populates your Equipment Model data for import. You can view detailed examples in the remainder of this topic.
      Data Column Descriptions Provides descriptions of the data columns on the spreadsheet, similar to the information found in this topic.
      Sample Data for Import Provides an example of an equipment model for import in the spreadsheet. You can view these examples in the remainder of this topic.
    3. After populating the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, save it in a known location for easy access when you run the Integration Hub ETL function.
      Note:
      Column names cannot be changed. You can add additional columns to support additional fields to uniquely identify owners, as designated in the sn_isa_model.user_search_matching_attribute system property.

    Populating the spreadsheet

    Figure 1. Sample Operational Technology data, columns A through J

    You can import data from multiple sites in a single spreadsheet. The example image shows data for two sites: ATL and CTL.

    Sample Operational Technology data, columns A through J.
    Table 2. Columns A through J
    Column Name Type Description Required
    A Path string Concatenation of the short codes of this entity and all its parent entities. For example, ATL-B42-MQSTOR-Z1 is the concatenation of these short codes:
    • ATL short code for the Atlanta site.
    • B42 short code for Building B42.
    • MQSTORE short code for Model M and Q.
    • Z1 short code for the Zone 1 transfer storage zone for Model M and Q.
    		 Yes
    B Short Code string, alphanumeric only Short description code for the entity. Refer to the previous Path column description for examples of short codes.

    The Short Code can be no longer than the maximum length that is designated in the sn_isa_model.short_code_validation_max_length system property.

    		 No
    C Entity Name string Long name of the entity. For example, a city name, a building number, or a model number. Yes
    D Location string Location of the entity. For example, you would list Atlanta Building 64 for each of the equipment models that are located there. The cmn-location value that is stored in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) in the ServiceNow AI Platform, which uses it as a reference. No
    E Assigned to string Email address of the assigned person who owns and manages this entity record.
    Note:
    You can use additional attributes, based on the settings designated in the sn_isa_model.user_search_matching_attribute system property.
    		 No
    F Support Group string Name of the group that supports the maintenance and management of this entity. No
    G Description string Long description of this equipment model entity and its purpose. No
    H Process criticality string Measure of how critical, or important, the entity is to the industrial process. Examples are as follows:
    • 1 - most critical.
    • 2 - somewhat critical.
    		 No
    I Company string Name of the company that the entity belongs to. The cmn-location value that is stored in the CMDB in the ServiceNow AI Platform, which uses it as a reference. No
    J Template string The template used to import data.
    Note:
    After your import your data, you cannot set the template.
    		 Yes

    Upgrading from v1 to v2

    If you're an ISA SGC user upgrading from v1 to v2, you can import new ISA equipment model entities that have a unique path and update existing ISA equipment model entities that already have a path value with a fix script.