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Coordinate IT Assets and Configuration Items
Synchronize your IT hardware assets and configuration items to maintain data consistency across tracking environments.
Required Editions
| Available in: Lightning Experience |
| Available in: Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited Editions with Agentforce IT Service. |
Automated bidirectional updates eliminate manual reconciliation and ensure your IT reps work with accurate records.
Operational Precedence and Source of Truth
To coordinate dataflow without creating duplicate records, synchronization uses field mapping and field-ownership rules. Every mapped field connects with a single designated source of truth. The asset repository or the configuration management database (CMDB) defines which platform takes precedence.
Prerequisites for Source of Truth Configurations
Before you configure field ownership rules, consider these system behaviors:
- Override Controls: The platform designated as the source of truth dictates the value. If a rep updates a non-authoritative repository, the engine flags and discards the change.
- Automatic Rollbacks: When the authoritative platform updates, the engine overwrites modifications made on the secondary side.
- Data Overwrite Risks: Selecting an incorrect source of truth causes permanent data loss. For example, if an admin reassigns a laptop via a deployment flow, but the map marks the CMDB as authoritative, the next automated scan rolls back the assignment. This rollback removes visibility from employee self-service portals.
Recommended Authoritative Field Mappings
Field ownership configurations align with the operational strengths of each data repository.
| Data Category | Authoritative Platform | Operational Fields and Sourcing Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Financial & Contractual Lifecycle | Asset | Tracks asset procurement, financial depreciation, and ownership assignments. Mapped values include Assigned To, Cost Center, Location, and Status. |
| Technical & Operational Discovery | Configuration Item (CMDB) | Tracks properties discovered through network scanning. Mapped values include Hostname, IP Address, Operating System Version, and hardware parameters. |
Infinite Loop Prevention
Because modifications flow bidirectionally between records, updating an asset can trigger a configuration item modification. This change publishes a platform event that updates the asset record again.
To prevent infinite update loops, the framework uses explicit source attribution rules. When a change originates in the repository, the outbound synchronization engine tags the update with a tracking identifier. If the engine detects this self-originated tracking tag, it drops the event. This action breaks the background processing cycle.
When the configuration management system processes the update, the system maintains the source indicator string. The framework continually evaluates incoming payloads. If the engine detects the tracking value, it identifies the transaction as self-originated and drops the event.
Synchronization Log Audit Structures
System warnings and transaction errors populate the Configuration Management Item Sync Log. These entries provide clear troubleshooting metrics directly in the setup console. Logs eliminate inspecting raw engineering data.
Key Fields for Troubleshooting and Auditing
Each log entry exposes essential operational metadata to isolate synchronization issues:
- Log Title: Shows a high-level summary of the transaction status.
- Log Description: Provides granular error data, delta properties, and suggestions for resolution.
- Status: Identifies the context category, such as Success, Warning, Error, or Action Required.
- Related Object and Configuration Item ID: Links to the specific asset record or unique identifier causing the mapping conflict.
- Log Timestamp: Shows an immutable marker of the exact date and time that the event occurred.
Common Synchronization Exceptions and System Outcomes
Reps frequently encounter these synchronization scenarios during system updates:
- Multi-Asset Matches: If a discovery scan maps an incoming configuration item to multiple asset records, the framework halts the transaction. The engine generates an alert instructing the admin to resolve duplicate records.
- Missing Mandatory Fields: If an incoming event initiates creation of an asset record but lacks required attributes, the engine creates a locked asset shell. The log sets the status to Action Required to prompt manual remediation.
- Unmapped Picklist Values: If an operational state changes within the configuration management database, but the text value lacks a defined translation rule, the engine skips the update. This path preserves asset record data integrity across both systems.
