Define or update a collection in an application

Define or update a collection while working in a changeset of a application.

Before you begin

Important: DevOps Config is now deprecated and no longer supported or available for new activation.

Role required: cdm_editor or cdm_admin

About this task

Important: Save your changes whenever you are confident of the changes and before you leave the Config data tab.

Procedure

To add a collection to the application: While working in a changeset, select the more actions icon ([Omitted image "icon-actions-menu.png"] Alt text: More actions icon.) for the collection node and select Create collection.
To edit individual data items, you can either work directly in the code or select the more actions icon ([Omitted image "icon-actions-menu.png"] Alt text: More actions icon.) for an item and select an action, as follows.

Selection	Action
Create collection	Add an individual component to the collection.
Create CDI	Add an individual config data item (CDI) and value to the collection. See the instructions in the next step. The CDI can have an explicit value or it can be a variable, override, or overlay. Variable: The value for this CDI will set the value for an identically-named CDI in an included component. Override: The value for this CDI will override the value for an identically named CDI in an included component.You can also override inherited nodes and CDIs from the child collection. Overridden nodes and CDIs are labeled as Overridden Inherited. Overlay: A CDI that does not appear in any included component.
Inherit from collection	Automatically inherit changes from another collection. When you select the check box and then specify a Collection, changes you make in the specified parent collection are reflected in all child collections. Select Remove inheritance to remove the existing hereditary relationship from a collection. Note: Inheritance is considered invalid when: Circular, where the parent and child both inherit from each other. There are more than the maximum number of collections in a chain. This number is 5 by default. Example: Collection1 is inherited by Collection2. Collection2 is inherited by Collection3. This chain of inheritance cannot continue to Collection6. You can change the valid chain length by editing the sn_cdm.max_inheritance_chain_length system property.
Include in deployables	Include the selected collection in specified deployables. In the Include in deployables dialog box, select the deployables that should include the collection and then select Include. Note: Only deployables that do not currently include the collection appear in the list.
Rename	Rename the selected collection.
Delete	Delete the selected collection.
Details	View the administrative information associated with the collection.
View relationships	View direct relationships with the node. Direct relationships are formed between nodes by inheritance or by being included.

3. Add a CDI: Select the more actions icon \(\[Omitted image "icon-actions-menu.png"\] Alt text: More actions icon.\) for the item and select **Create CDI**.


Name	Unique and meaningful name for the CDI.
Value	Value that the CDI has in the current context or define a variable. - You can specify a direct `key : value` pair. You can define a variable and specify its default value. Variable definitions have the following form: Text @@@@: ``` You can specify a value for a variable using the following form: Text "": "" ``` You can specify a contextual variable. These are variables defined out-of-the-box that use the context of the node to set the variable value. The variable uses the following form: Text "": "(##)" ``` You can use recursive variables for a CDI value. Recursive variables use other variable values as parameters to set the CDI value. For example, each of these CDI values can resolve the same due to recursive variables: Text cdi1: @(favorite_food/@(person)@)@ ``` ``` cdi2: @(favorite_food/@(john)@)@ ``` ``` cdi3: waffles ```
Encrypted	Option to specify that the value of the CDI should be encrypted. This option appears only for users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role. After you create the CDI, the value appears in all views as `*****`. To view the value on any tab that displays the CDI, users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role can select the View encrypted data** menu option.

Name

Unique and meaningful name for the CDI.

Value

Value that the CDI has in the current context or define a variable. - You can specify a direct key : value pair.

You can define a variable and specify its default value. Variable definitions have the following form:
Text

@@@@: ```

You can specify a value for a variable using the following form:
Text

"": "" ```

You can specify a contextual variable. These are variables defined out-of-the-box that use the context of the node to set the variable value. The variable uses the following form:
Text

"": "(##)" ```

You can use recursive variables for a CDI value. Recursive variables use other variable values as parameters to set the CDI value. For example, each of these CDI values can resolve the same due to recursive variables:
Text

cdi1: @(favorite_food/@(person)@)@ ```

```

cdi2: @(favorite_food/@(john)@)@ ```

```

cdi3: waffles ```

Encrypted

Option to specify that the value of the CDI should be encrypted. This option appears only for users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role.

After you create the CDI, the value appears in all views as *******. To view the value on any tab that displays the CDI, users with the CDM Secrets [sn_cdm.cdm_secrets] role can select the View encrypted data menu option.

4. Add CDI settings that will override or overlay settings in collections.

For more information, see [Define or update a component](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/it-service-management/devops-family/cdm-component-define.md).

Related topics

CDM data model

Viewing and editing config data

How encrypted data is handled

Create or update a variable CDI

title	Define or update a collection in an application
description	Define or update a collection while working in a changeset of a application.
locale	en-US
canonical_url	https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-service-management/devops-family/cdm-collection-define.html
release	australia
product	DevOps \(Family\)
classification	devops-family
topic_type	task
last_updated	2026-09-10
reading_time_minutes	4
breadcrumb	Viewing and editing config dataUsing DevOps ConfigDevOps ConfigIT Service Management