When no matching value is found in the reference table for a GlideList field, transforms create an unexpected record on the reference table even when Coalesce is not set on the GlideList field - Known Error

When no matching value is found in the reference table for a GlideList field, transforms create an unexpected record on the reference table even when Coalesce is not set on the GlideList field Description When no matching value is found in the reference table for a GlideList field, transforms create an unexpected record on the reference table even when Coalesce is not set on the GlideList field.

Steps to Reproduce

On a Madrid out-of-box instance, open the cmdb_ci_win_server record where Name is OWA-SD-01 and Asset is P1000116 - Lenovo ThinkServer TD230. To quickly access this record, go to the following URL: instance.service-now.com/nav_to.do?uri=cmdb_ci_win_server.do?sys_id=27e3a47cc0a8000b001d28ab291fa65b 2. Click the context menu and select Configure > Form Layout. 3. In the Create New field section enter these values: Name: Business Distribution List Database column name: u_business_distribution_list Type: List Table to reference: User 4. Click Add . 5. Navigate to Import Sets > Data Sources and create a new data source record with these values: Name: anything you want Import set table label: Test Import Import set table name: u_test_import Type: File Format: CSV 6. Attach a CSV file that contains an invalid user reference in the column to map to the new list field. 7. Click the Load All Records related link. 8. Navigate to Import Sets > Transform Maps and create a new transform map with these values Name: anything you want Source table: [u_test_import] Target table: [cmdb_ci_win_server] 9. Click the Auto Map Matching Fields related link. 10. Set Coalesce to true on the asset field map. 11. Run the transform. 12. Go to Transform History and verify that the target record was Updated. 13. Go to the target record: .../nav_to.do?uri=cmdb_ci_win_server.do?sys_id=27e3a47cc0a8000b001d28ab291fa65b 14. Click the Unlock Business Distribution List button to the right of the Business Distribution List field. 15. Select (highlight) the value in this field.

Expected behavior: The value should just be a string since no matching User record with that value was found. Actual behavior: Notice that the Preview selected item button is enabled. Click this and notice that a User record was created with the value set as the Last Name.

This was not occurring prior to Madrid and is likely an unintended side effect of the fix for PRB1290800 "Transform Map:Coalesce on Glidelist field always insert" However, in the above example, Coalesce is not set on the GlideList field and a User record should not be getting created. Workaround Add an onBefore script which sets the corresponding value directly to target table as follows.

(function runTransformScript(source, map, log, target /*undefined onStart*/ ) {

// Add your code here target.setDisplayValue('u_business_distribution_list' , source.u_business_distribution_list);

})(source, map, log, target);

2. Remove the transform map entry to the Glide List field. Related Problem: PRB1349190