Implementing normalization data services using guided setup

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
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    Summary of Implementing normalization data services using guided setup

    Normalization Data Services can be implemented in your ServiceNow instance through a guided setup that streamlines configuration. This guided setup walks you through activating necessary plugins, downloading normalized data, updating reference qualifiers, enabling normalization properties, and normalizing data in key tables. Note that this feature requires internet connectivity to download mapping information and is not supported on on-premise instances.

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    Key Features

    • Plugin Activation: Activates the Normalization Data Services plugin (com.glide.dataservicescanonicalization.client), which installs the schema needed to normalize references to Company records in CMDB and Asset Management.
    • Downloading Normalized Data: Downloads a repository of enterprise vendor names and their normalized mappings, viewable in the Normalized Company Names [cdsclientname] and Normalized Mappings [cdsclientmapping] tables. This ensures consistent company name usage (e.g., mapping “Dell”, “DELL”, “Dell (UK)” to “Dell Inc.”).
    • Updating Reference Qualifiers: Modifies reference qualifiers on fields linked to the Companies table (corecompany) to restrict selections to normalized company names only. Some qualifiers may require manual updates following documented guidance.
    • Activating Normalization Properties: Allows selection of properties to control normalization behavior, including an option to normalize existing canonical company records. This ensures only one normalized company record remains when duplicates exist before mapping, with appropriate updates to related CMDB records.
    • Data Normalization: Guides you through normalizing data across critical tables including Configuration Items (CMDB), CMDB Models, and Software Asset Management tables to enforce consistent company naming.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensures data consistency by standardizing company names across CMDB and Asset Management records.
    • Improves data quality and reliability for reporting, integrations, and automation that depend on accurate company references.
    • Simplifies the normalization process through an intuitive, step-by-step guided setup with clear tasks.
    • Enables correction and consolidation of pre-existing canonical company records to avoid duplication and confusion.

    You can implement Normalization Data Services using a guided setup.

    Normalization Data Services guided setup provides a sequence of tasks that help you configure the Normalization Data Services plugin on your instance. To open Normalization Data Services guided setup, navigate to Normalization Data Services > Guided Setup. For more information about using the guided setup interface, see Using guided setup.

    Note:
    Because the Normalization Data Services feature requires an internet connection to download mapping information, this feature isn’t supported for on-premise instances.

    Activating the plugin

    In the first task of the guided setup, you activate the Normalization Data Services plugin (com.glide.data_services_canonicalization.client). Activating the plugin installs all the necessary schema to support normalizing references to Company records in the configuration management database (CMDB) and Asset Management.

    Downloading normalized data

    In this task, you download the repository of all enterprise vendor names and the mappings to their normalized counterparts. After the download finishes, you can view the downloaded data in the Normalized Company Names [cds_client_name] table. You can verify mappings in the Normalized Mappings [cds_client_mapping] table. For example, you can verify that “Dell”, “DELL”, “Dell (UK)” are mapped to “Dell Inc.”.

    Updating reference qualifiers

    This task modifies the reference qualifiers in reference fields linked to the Companies [core_company] table, helping to ensure that users can only select from a list of normalized company names. For example, when creating a Computer (cmdb_ci_computer) record, users can only select “Dell Inc.” and not “Dell” or “Dell Incorporated”.

    Some reference qualifiers may not get updated. To normalize these reference qualifiers manually, see KB0784201.

    Activating normalization properties

    In this task, select the properties you want to activate. See Normalization properties.

    Enable the Normalize existing canonical core_company records property if the Companies [core_company] table has two or more records that were both set to Normalized ("canonical=true") before any mapping. This option ensures only one [core_company] record is set to Normalized. When you normalize the CMDB tables later in guided setup, the normalization job reassigns the proper normalized value.

    For example, prior to mapping, both “DELL Inc” and “Dell Inc.” are set to Normalized ("canonical=true"). You define a new mapping for “DELL Inc” to “Dell Inc.”. If this property is true, guided setup denormalizes "DELL Inc", and updates the manufacturer field in the CMDB records to “Dell Inc." when the CMDB tables are normalized.

    Normalizing data

    To finish the guided setup, complete the remaining tasks by normalizing data in the following tables:

    • Configuration Items (CMDB)
    • Configuration Items (CMDB) Model
    • Software Asset Management tables