Rollback context properties

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Rollback context properties

    Rollback context properties in ServiceNow define the retention period for different types of rollback context records, which are essential for undoing changes such as application installs, upgrades, or data deletions. By default, rollback context records are automatically deleted after 10 days to manage system storage, with a scheduled job running daily to clean expired records from thesysrollbackcontexttable.

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    ServiceNow customers can customize these expiration periods by adding system properties tailored to specific rollback context types, enabling longer retention when necessary for business continuity or compliance.

    Key Features

    • Customizable retention periods: Modify how long rollback contexts are preserved for different operations by setting integer values in system properties.
    • Type-specific properties: Each rollback context type—such as app installs, batch installs, demo data, delete operations, workflow validations, plugin activations, anonymization jobs, background scripts, test executions, and upgrades—has a corresponding property to control retention.
    • Default retention values: Most rollback context types default to 10 days, while application installs and plugin activations default to 15 days.
    • System Properties Table: Properties are added in the System Properties [sysproperties] table and matched by the property name to the Type column in the rollback context table.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    To retain rollback data beyond the default expiration period, navigate to the System Properties and add or update the relevant property for the rollback context type you want to extend. For example, to keep rollback data for app installs longer than 15 days, update glide.rollback.expirationdaysappinstall with the desired number of days.

    This customization ensures you have adequate time to reverse changes if needed, supporting better risk management during upgrades, installations, or data modifications.

    Change the default expiration period for different types of rollback context records.

    Because rollback contexts contain a significant amount of data, they're deleted after 10 days by default. The Clean Expired Rollback Contexts scheduled job runs daily to delete expired records in the Rollback Context [sys_rollback_context] table. If you need to retain a rollback context for more than 10 days, you can do so by adding a system property.

    To add a system property, navigate to the System Properties [sys_properties] table and add a property for the type of rollback context record that you want to preserve. You can determine which property to add for a given rollback context by matching the property name to the Type column on the Rollback Context [sys_rollback_context] table.

    Table 1. Rollback context properties
    Property Description

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for an app install

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_app_install

    		 By default, you have 15 days to roll back an application installed from the ServiceNow® Store before the rollback context expires. You can extend the expiration period by updating this property.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 15

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for a batch app install

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_batch_app_install

    		 By default, you have 10 days to roll back apps installed using the Batch Installation feature before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for demo data

    glide.rollback.expiration_clean_demo_data

    		 By default, you have 10 days to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for recorded delete operations

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_delete

    		 By default, you have 10 days after a delete operation completes to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context created for validating Workflow Studio flow execution before and after an upgrade

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_flow

    		 By default, you have 10 days to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for IRE changes recorded from CMDB Integration Studio.

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_inst_preview

    		 By default, you have 10 days after IRE changes are recorded from CMDB Integration Studio to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain rollback contexts in which the Type is set to Other.

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_other

    		 By default, you have 10 days to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for a plugin activation

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_plugin

    		 By default, you have 15 days to roll back plugins activated in Application Manager before the rollback context expires. You can extend the expiration period by updating this property.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 15

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for an anonymization job.

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_redact

    		 By default, you have 10 days after data is redacted by a Data anonymization job to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for a background script execution

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_scripts_bg

    		 By default, you have 10 days to roll back script execution before the rollback context expires. The rollback context tracks all INSERT, DELETE, and UPDATE statements executed by the script and recovers the data by undoing the SQL statements. You can extend the expiration period by updating this property.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for changes recorded during test executions

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_test_execution

    		 By default, you have 10 days after test execution to roll back before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10

    The number of days to retain the rollback context for an upgrade

    glide.rollback.expiration_days_upgrade

    		 By default, you have 10 days after the latest upgrade to roll back the upgrade before the rollback context expires. You can change the expiration period by adding this property and setting a new value.
    • Type: integer
    • Default value: 10