What is CSDM in ServiceNow?
CSDM (Common Service Data Model) is ServiceNow’s standard blueprint for how to structure CMDB data, from business capabilities and applications down to the technical infrastructure that runs them.
Why CSDM exists
Without a shared model, every company invents its own way of recording services and applications, and ServiceNow products like ITSM, ITOM, SPM and Now Assist can’t rely on the data. CSDM gives everyone the same vocabulary and the same tables, so reports, impact analysis and AI features work out of the box.
The main building blocks
Business applications describe the software your company owns, regardless of where it runs. Application services are the deployed, running instances of those applications, such as “HR portal – production.” Business services and business service offerings describe what end users consume, and technical services and technical service offerings describe what IT teams provide to each other, like “Database hosting.”
These are connected in a chain: a business service offering is delivered by an application service, which runs on infrastructure CIs. That chain is what lets ServiceNow say which customers are affected when a server fails.
Adopting CSDM: crawl, walk, run, fly
ServiceNow recommends adopting CSDM in stages. In the crawl stage you set up foundation data like users, groups, locations and business applications. In walk, you add application services and connect them to infrastructure. In run, you introduce business and technical services, and in fly you model the full portfolio including design and build information. Most organizations get real value from crawl and walk alone.
Best practices
Agree on naming conventions for services and offerings before creating them. Start with a small number of critical services and map them end to end, rather than creating hundreds of empty service records. Use service offerings to tie SLAs, support groups and approval groups to the right level of the model.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is using business services for everything, mixing up what the business consumes with what IT runs. Another is creating CSDM records without owners, which leaves them outdated within a release or two.
Frequently asked questions
Is CSDM mandatory?
No, but many newer ServiceNow features assume your data follows it. Following CSDM makes upgrades and new product adoption much easier.
What is the difference between a business application and an application service?
A business application is the logical software, such as “SAP.” An application service is a specific running deployment, such as “SAP – production EU,” connected to the servers and databases it uses.
Which CSDM version should I follow?
Use the latest version published by ServiceNow, and check which version your current release supports before restructuring data.
Related ServiceNow terms
Need help with CSDM or anything else in ServiceNow? We’re here with practical solutions that fit your organization and your teams.
Browse all 100 ServiceNow terms
ServiceNow is a trademark of ServiceNow, Inc. This glossary is an independent resource by Sequal Consultancy and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ServiceNow, Inc.