Change model management

Release version: Zurich

Updated April 9, 2026

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Summary of Change model management

Change model management in ServiceNow streamlines change requests by defining tailored, fit-for-purpose processes to support specific and common change scenarios. It uses a model-based approach to simplify change implementation, improve governance, and efficiently capture only the data necessary for each change use case. This data supports risk evaluation and approval decisions.

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Key Features

Change Models Elements: Change states, state transitions, approval policies, and change templates are managed as reusable records across models.
Predefined Models: ServiceNow provides example models aligned with ITIL mode 1 (traditional sequential process) and mode 2 (adaptable, expedited process) approaches.
ITIL-based Change Types: Includes Normal, Standard (with some pre-approved states), and Emergency (faster resolution) change models.
Federated Change Types: Specialized models for DevOps, Cloud Infrastructure, Unauthorized changes, Application changes, Low Risk, and Patching changes, each tailored to specific requirements.
Customization and Role-based Access: Models can be customized for specific use cases, and role-based access ensures compliance and risk mitigation.
Change Request Creation: Models are selectable when creating change requests, with configurable fields and standard information displayed to improve consistency and speed.
State and Transition Configuration: Change models define the sequence of states and transitions, allowing differentiation (e.g., emergency changes can skip certain states for faster handling).
Change Templates: Templates can be created per model to pre-populate data, organize categories, and manage their approval process for faster and more consistent change creation.
Access Control: User criteria records can be created to control access to change management widgets and functions.

Key Outcomes

By using change models, ServiceNow customers can:

Implement change processes tailored to specific scenarios, improving efficiency and governance.
Reduce unnecessary data capture by focusing only on relevant information per change type.
Enhance risk assessment and approval workflows with structured, reusable elements.
Speed up change creation and processing through pre-configured templates and streamlined state transitions.
Maintain compliance and reduce risk through role-based access and configurable approval policies.

Change models help streamline change requests by tailoring a fit-for-purpose process to support specific, common change use cases.

Change models define the process for managing specific change use cases. A model-based approach simplifies change implementation and improves change governance. Change models help record only the data needed for the specific change use case more efficiently and then use this data for risk evaluation and change approval decisions.

Change models are defined using several elements such as change states, change state transitions, approval policies, and change templates. These elements are managed as individual records and can be reused across different models. For more information, see .

By default, the following models are provided as examples for ITIL mode 1 and mode 2 processes.

ITIL mode 1- This is a traditional and sequential approach to process the Change Requests. This mode goes through a sequential process defined to complete a change successfully.
ITIL mode 2- This is an adaptable approach to expedite the change request. This mode supports the right process for a given change to verify that it isn't a blocker for another change being processed.

Change models have been categorized based on IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Change types and federated change types. The following types of change models are based on the ITIL change types:

Normal: Used for ITIL mode 1 Normal changes.
Standard: Used for ITIL mode 1 Standard changes where some of the change states and approvals are pre-approved by default.
Emergency: Used for ITIL mode 1 Emergency changes that need quicker resolution.

The following change models are based on the federated change types that combines multiple states tailored to the purpose and management of specific change use cases:

DevOps: Change model used for DevOps change requests. For more information, see DevOps change models.
Cloud Infrastructure: Used for change requests that commission and decommission Cloud infrastructure services.
Unauthorized: Used for change requests that are created from the unauthorized change events.
App: Change model used for application based change requests that skip the assessment state.
Low Risk: Change model used for low risk based changes.
Patching: Change model used for low risk defect and patching related changes.

Change models can be tailored to address specific use cases and role-based access is configured to maintain compliance and mitigate risks. Change models can be made available while creating new change requests and standard information for specific fields can be configured to be displayed when a new change request is created using the model.

Define fields that are displayed for change requests created using the change model. For more information, see Create a Change model.

Change models can be configured so that each change can go through a series of states based on the use case. For example, a normal change would go through all major assessment and approval states, while an emergency change would skip some states for emergency handling and quicker resolution.

Configure change model states and transition processes for the newly created change models. For more information, see .

After creating a change model, you can create a change template for the model to pre-populate data and make the change creation process faster and more consistent. You can configure parent and child categories for templates and manage their proposal, creation and approval process. For more information, see .