Import set performance
The algorithm transforms import sets from their staging table into their final destination.
Importing data via an import set requires two phases:
- The data is loaded from a data source into a staging table
- The data is transformed from the staging table into a target table
The transform algorithm operates in "blocks" of 100 records at a time as opposed to the previous algorithm which transformed a single record at a time. The newer approach allows the application server to pre-fetch a variety of information relevant to each block of records, reducing the number of unique interactions with the database and improving throughput.
Who should expect to see a performance improvement?
Any customer using import sets should expect to see a performance improvement in large transformations.
What kinds of transformations benefit the most from these changes?
Transformations with a large number of reference or choice type columns see the largest improvement.
What kind of transformations benefit the least?
Transformations that with complex or unkeyed coalesce conditions see a proportionately smaller benefit.
--- title: Import set performance description: The algorithm transforms import sets from their staging table into their final destination. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration/platform-performance/c\_ImportSetsPerformImprovements.html release: australia product: Platform Performance classification: platform-performance topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-09-10" reading_time_minutes: 1 breadcrumb: [Explore, Platform performance, Maintain and monitor, Administer the ServiceNow AI Platform] --- # Import set performance The algorithm transforms import sets from their staging table into their final destination. Importing data via an import set requires two phases: 1. The data is loaded from a data source into a staging table 2. The data is transformed from the staging table into a target table The transform algorithm operates in "blocks" of 100 records at a time as opposed to the previous algorithm which transformed a single record at a time. The newer approach allows the application server to pre-fetch a variety of information relevant to each block of records, reducing the number of unique interactions with the database and improving throughput. Who should expect to see a performance improvement? Any customer using import sets should expect to see a performance improvement in large transformations. What kinds of transformations benefit the most from these changes? Transformations with a large number of reference or choice type columns see the largest improvement. What kind of transformations benefit the least? Transformations that with complex or unkeyed coalesce conditions see a proportionately smaller benefit.
| title | Import set performance |
| description | The algorithm transforms import sets from their staging table into their final destination. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-administration/platform-performance/c\_ImportSetsPerformImprovements.html |
| release | australia |
| product | Platform Performance |
| classification | platform-performance |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 1 |
| breadcrumb | ExplorePlatform performanceMaintain and monitorAdminister the ServiceNow AI Platform |