Create or update a variable CDI

---
title: Create or update a variable CDI
description: Define variables and set their values in components, collections, and deployables.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/it-service-management/devops-family/cdm-variables-crud.html
release: australia
product: DevOps \(Family\)
classification: devops-family
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 2
breadcrumb: [Viewing and editing config data, Using DevOps Config, DevOps Config, IT Service Management]
---

# Create or update a variable CDI

Define variables and set their values in components, collections, and deployables.

## 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.

-   When you create an application, the system auto-generates an empty **vars** folder in each of the three top-level folders: **component**, **collection**, and **deployable**.
-   When you add a collection or deployable, the system adds an empty **vars** folder to the item that you created.
-   A **vars** folder can contain only variable CDIs or folders. Any subfolder can contain only variables or folders.
-   The value of a variable in a collection overrides the value of the variable in a component.
-   The value of a variable in a deployable overrides the value of the variable in a collection or component.

## Procedure

1.  Use either of the following methods to edit or add an instance of a variable while working in a changeset:

    -   Edit directly in the editing panel. Use the following format to set the value of a variable:

        ```
        "<variableName>": "<value>"
        ```

        In this example, the **dbName** variable and several others reside in the **database** folder. In addition, the **backup** folder \(a child of the **database** folder\) holds the **dbServer** variable.

        \[Omitted image "cdm-var-folder-example.png"\] Alt text: A var folder and its contents

    -   Create the variable in a dialog box. Follow the procedure in the next step.
2.  Select the more actions menu icon \(\[Omitted image "icon-actions-menu.png"\] Alt text: More actions icon.\) for the appropriate **vars** folder, select **Create variable**, and then specify its settings.

<table id="table_prr_pzv_1qb"><thead><tr><th>

 

</th><th>

 

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Name

</td><td>

Unique and meaningful name for the variable.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Value

</td><td>

Value that the variable has in the current context.

 **Tip:** It is often useful to define a default value for a variable in a component or collection. This is a powerful strategy because you can create a broad variety of deployables from a small set of components and collections. Deployables that inherit a component or collection can use overrides, overlays, and variable settings to meet the needs of the environment type. For example, the `Development` deployable can use the same components and collections as the `Test` deployable. `Development` uses the default *database* variable value. `Test`, in contrast, uses a different value that is appropriate for the test environment.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Encrypted

</td><td>

Option to specify that the value of the variable should be encrypted. The option appears only for users with the CDM Secrets \[sn\_cdm.cdm\_secrets\] role.

 After you create the variable, the value appears in all views as `*******`. To view the value on any tab that displays the variable, users with the CDM Secrets \[sn\_cdm.cdm\_secrets\] role can select the **View encrypted data** menu option.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>