In ServiceNow, an Update Set is a mechanism used to package and transfer customizations from one

instance to another. The Default Update Set is automatically created for every instance and captures

all unassigned configuration changes. However, it is considered a best practice not to use the Default

Update Set for moving customizations between instances.

Reasons Why You Should Not Use the Default Update Set for Moving Between Instances:

Lack of Organization & Traceability

The Default Update Set collects all modifications automatically, making it difficult to track specific

changes related to a particular project or feature.

If multiple administrators or developers work in an instance, their changes will all be mixed together

in the Default Update Set, leading to confusion and conflicts.

Risk of Losing Changes

Default Update Sets are not automatically complete. Since users can forget to mark their

customizations explicitly for an update set, some changes might not get captured.

If a system admin forgets to move a customization into a named update set, those changes may not

be included in the migration process.

Cannot Be Moved Between Instances

The Default Update Set cannot be retrieved or moved between instances because it is system-

managed. This makes it impossible to use it for transferring customizations effectively.

Named Update Sets, on the other hand, allow developers to package only the required changes for

controlled migration.

Best Practice: Use Named Update Sets

It is highly recommended to create a named Update Set (e.g., "Incident_Enhancements_Q1_2025")

for each set of related changes.

This provides a structured way to track, test, and promote configurations from development → test

→ production environments in a controlled manner.

Incorrect Answer Choices Analysis:

A . Merge Default Update Sets before moving between instances

❌ Incorrect – The Default Update Set cannot be moved between instances, so merging it would not

serve any purpose.

B . Submit Default Update Set to Application Repository

❌ Incorrect – The Application Repository is used for Scoped Applications, not for update sets. The

Default Update Set is system-managed and should not be used for structured deployments.

D . Keep Default Update Set to a maximum of 20 records, for troubleshooting purposes

❌ Incorrect – While keeping the Default Update Set small might be useful for tracking small

changes, there is no such best practice limit of "20 records." It is still not recommended for

migrations.

Official ServiceNow Documentation Reference:

ServiceNow Product Documentation – Update Sets Best Practices

🔹Update Set Best Practices

ServiceNow Community Best Practices – Managing Update Sets

🔹Managing Update Sets

Conclusion:

The correct answer is C. You should not use the Default Update Set for moving between instances.

The best practice is to always create named Update Sets to ensure controlled, traceable, and reliable

migrations of customizations between ServiceNow instances.