Clone Admin Console: Quick Start Guide & Instructions<!-- /*NS Branding Styles*/ --> .ns-kb-css-body-editor-container { p { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } span { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, #000000); } h2 { font-size: 24pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h3 { font-size: 18pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } h4 { font-size: 14pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--text-primary, black); } a { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718F); } a:hover { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #024F69); } a:target { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #032D42); } a:visited { font-size: 12pt; color: var(--now-color--link-primary, #00718f); } ul { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } li { font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato; } img { display: ; max-width: ; width: ; height: ; } } Summary: This article covers the Clone Admin Console, the primary clone request submission tool for ServiceNow starting with the Zurich release. The legacy clone request page (clone_instance.do) has been retired with the Australia release. Table of Contents Overview Why Clone?What is the Clone Admin Console?Main Features Top Changes to Be Aware Of 1. Legacy clones and new clones are stored separately2. Existing clone settings and configurations remain the same3. Access and clone-related permissions4. Same clone engine as legacy clone5. Legacy clone request page sunsetting in the Australia release Accessing the Clone Admin Console Navigating to the consoleWhy is the clone homepage empty?Updating to the latest version What's New — May 2026 (v.2.2.0) Clone Activity page (formerly Home)Instance Overview pageMulti-Instance ViewClone FAQ Agent (via Now Assist)Help pageSimplified navigation and other updates How-To Guides (step-by-step) On my instance, how do I navigate to the Clone Admin Console?How do I modify clone configurations using the Clone App? How do I add a new clone profile or modify an existing profile? How do I add/remove an instance to my list of instances I can clone to/from? (Step-by-Step Guide)How do I add/modify exclusions, preservers or cleanup scripts in the app? How do I set up Multi-Instance View?How do I install the Clone FAQ Agent via Now Assist?How do I use the Clone FAQ Agent via Now Assist?How do I submit a Clone Request with the new clone app? Overview Why Clone? The Clone Admin Console copies data from a source instance (typically production) to non-production instances such as stage, test, and development. A representative environment supports upgrade testing, app testing, and development. Tip: In some cases it is advantageous to clone in steps ("clone chaining") — for example, production → stage, then stage → all other development instances. This produces leaner clones and can reduce clone duration impact. What is the Clone Admin Console? The Clone Admin Console is the out-of-the-box user interface for cloning data between ServiceNow instances. It contains all your existing clone profiles, exclusions, preservers, and cleanup scripts. It adds in-context guidance on the clone request page, an on-demand backup option, and greater visibility into clone progress. The console is on the quarterly store release cadence. We recommend updating to the latest version for the best experience, even outside your regular family release upgrade cycle. Main Features Clone homepage to view current clone activity at a glanceCreate and modify clone configurations: exclusions, preservers, cleanup scripts, clone profiles, and clone instancesClone request page with in-context guidanceClone from any instance in your clone instance listOn-demand backup optionDuplicate clone profilesIndividual clone progress visibilityGranular clone sub-stage status with detailed logs on the clone status pageCancel or roll back a clone requestMulti-Instance View: see clones submitted from other instances (requires v.2.2.0 and configuration)Clone FAQ Agent: answers to clone-related questions based on curated articles (requires v.2.2.0 and Now Assist) Top Changes to Be Aware Of 1. Legacy clones and new clones are stored separately Clones requested via the Clone Admin Console are stored in a new table (sn_instance_clone_request_list.do) and displayed on the new console homepage.Legacy clones are not shown in the console. Clones initiated via the legacy Request Clone page (clone_instance.do) remain on the legacy Clone History table (clone_instance_list.do).Because the two tables are separate, request numbers may coincide across them. 2. Existing clone settings and configurations remain the same Existing clone instances, clone profiles, exclusions, preservers, and cleanup scripts appear in both the new Clone Admin Console and their original lists and forms. 3. Access and clone-related permissions The Clone Admin Console requires the following roles to request a clone: Pre-Zurich release: clone_admin role on the source, and clone_admin + soap role on the target instance.Zurich release and newer: clone_admin role on both the source and the target. 4. Same clone engine as legacy clone Known (backend) clone behavior is identical between legacy and the new user interface. 5. Legacy clone request page sunsetting in the Australia release With the move to the new user interface, the legacy page becomes read-only in the Australia release. Users are redirected to the Clone Admin Console after 30 seconds. Notes about the sunsetting: Requests submitted in advance still go through (for example, a clone scheduled months ahead of the Australia upgrade processes normally).In-progress clones appear under Active Clones.Past clones remain viewable in the Clone History table.New requests via the Clone Admin Console are stored separately and appear on the console landing page. Accessing the Clone Admin Console Navigating to the console On any instance running Washington release or newer: In the Filter Navigator under All, search for Clone Admin and select Clone Home.Alternatively, go directly to https://_instance_name_.service-now.com/now/clone/ui/home Note: Replace _instance_name_ in the URL with your actual instance name. Why is the clone homepage empty? The new Clone Admin Console only shows clone requests submitted from the new console. Older clone requests are still available under Clone History (via the left nav). Updating to the latest version Check for available updates at _instance_name_.service-now.com/$allappsmgmt.do?sysparm_search=clone (replace _instance_name_ with your instance). If you do not see an update option, click the refresh button on that page. Syncing all apps with the store can take a while. Alternatively, get the latest version directly from the store: Clone Admin Console on the ServiceNow Store. The store page also lists release notes and system requirements for each version. What's New — May 2026 (v.2.2.0) Clone Activity page (formerly Home) Home has been renamed to Clone Activity to better describe the purpose of the page. All features and content remain the same. Instance Overview page The Instance Overview page now displays last-cloned timestamps for each instance, helping you quickly identify stale environments and plan clone activities. Multi-Instance View Prerequisites: Clone Admin Console v.2.2.0 and a brief click-through setup. View clones submitted from other instances and last-cloned timestamps for each instance. Set it up from Clone Admin Console > Configuration > Multi-Instance View. Clone FAQ Agent (via Now Assist) Prerequisites: Clone Admin Console v.2.2.0 and a Now Assist license. Get answers to clone questions directly within the Now Assist panel. Answers rely on curated ServiceNow knowledge base articles and clone documentation. Note: If Now Assist is installed after the Clone Admin Console, reinstall the console from the Store to enable the skill. Help page The static FAQ section on the Homepage has been replaced with a dedicated Help page. Links to curated clone help articles are consolidated on the help page, alongside version information and details about the Now Assist AI skill. Simplified navigation and other updates Configuration menu: All clone-related settings are grouped under a single Configuration menu item for better organization and discoverability.Clone Home renamed to Clone Activity: The menu item has been renamed for clearer navigation.Clone profile script updates: Fixed an issue where setting a script in the clone_cleanup_script table to active=false or active=true did not apply consistently across all clone profiles the script was listed on. Changes now propagate correctly across all profiles.Clone profile duplication: Fixed an issue where duplicating a clone profile pulled in all existing scripts, preservers, and exclusions from the system. Duplicating a profile now correctly creates a new profile containing only the scripts, preservers, and exclusions from the source profile. When creating a new profile, only items from the System Profile are included.Static FAQ removed: Static FAQ content has been removed from the landing page and consolidated into the new Help page. How-To Guides (step-by-step) On my instance, how do I navigate to the Clone Admin Console? In the Filter Navigator under ‘All’ search for ‘Clone Admin’ and select ‘Clone Home’Alternatively, go to: https://_instance_name_.service-now.com/now/clone/ui/homeNote: remember to change the URL to reflect your instance. How do I modify clone configurations using the Clone App? First navigate to the Configurations tab. You can now view and add Clone instances, or manage Clone profiles. How do I add a new clone profile or modify an existing profile? To add a new profile: Go to Configurations and click on Clone Profiles to view the list of all profiles.Click on the ‘New’ button in the top right to add a new profile. To modify an existing clone profile: Click on the profile name in the first column (example in the picture below: “New Clone Profile”). Note: The default ‘System Profile’ cannot be modified. To change the definitions of a clone profile, such as exclusions, preservers or scripts, click on the number under each definition: As an example, you can add or remove exclusions from the list by clicking ‘Edit’ at the top right: Note: certain system tables cannot be removed from the exclusions list. How do I add/remove an instance to my list of instances I can clone to/from? (Step-by-Step Guide) To add a new instance: Go to Configurations and click on Clone Instances to view the list of all instances you can clone to and from.Click ‘New’ to add a new instance to the list (in the top right).You will need to provide the full URL to your instance, example: https://_instance_name_.service-now.comProvide admin credentials to the instance to add the instance to your list. To remove or modify a clone instance you added previously: To modify an existing instance click on the instance name in the first column, make your modifications, and click update in the dialog box.To remove an existing instance click on the instance name in the first column and click delete in the dialog box. How do I add/modify exclusions, preservers or cleanup scripts in the app? Exclusions Exclusions are tables on your source instance which you wish to exclude from your clones (i.e. you do not want data from excluded tables to be copied to your target instance.) If a table is excluded its table schema will still be copied over during a clone. The result will be empty, usable tables on your target instance. To add an exclusion: Go to the ‘Definitions’ tab* and select ‘Exclusions.’ Click on ‘New’ in the top right.Under ‘Name’ type in the full table name e.g. ‘cmdb_ci_business_app’Click ‘Save’ in the top right. To modify an exclusion, modify the name and click ‘Save’.To delete an exclusion, click on the 3-dot-menu at the top right and select ‘Delete’, then click OK in the confirmation dialog.*In May 2026 (v. 2.2.0) Definitions have been consolidated under 'Configuration'. This brings all clone-related settings into one unified page and simplifies navigation. Preservers Preservers are tables that you wish to preserve on your target instance (i.e. you do not want data on these tables to be over-written during a clone). If a table on your target instance is preserved, data from the source instance will not be copied over during a clone. As a result, you will have the same data as you had previously. To add a preserver: Go to the ‘Definitions’ tab and select ‘Preservers.’Click on ‘New’ in the top right.Under ‘Name’ type in the name of your choice for your preserver (e.g. ‘Business Applications’).Type in the table name e.g. ‘Business Applications’.A dropdown list will appear, where you can select the desired table.Click ‘Save’ in the top right. To modify a preserver, modify the name and click ‘Save’.To delete a preserver, click on the 3-dot-menu at the top right and select ‘Delete’.Click OK in the confirmation dialog. For further details, please review the description on how to modify a clone profile above. Important Notes: For a table to be preserved, it must exist on both the source instance as well as the target instance. Please note that certain out-of-the-box exclusions and preservers cannot be altered. Cleanup Scripts These scripts run after a clone. Custom scripts can be added to this list. To add a new cleanup script: Go to the ‘Definitions’ tab and select ‘Cleanup Scripts.’Click on ‘New’ in the top right.Under ‘Name’ field, type in the name of your choice for your script (e.g. ‘My Post Clone Script’)Type in the order in which you wish the script to be executed or leave as-is (default is 100).Enter your script.Click ‘Save’ in the top right. To edit a script you created previously: Go to the ‘Definitions’ tab and select ‘Cleanup Scripts.’Click on the script name in the first column you wish to modifyAfter making your edits, click ‘Save’ in the top right. 3. To delete a script you created previously: Click on the 3-dot-menu at the top right and select ‘Delete’.Click OK in the confirmation dialog. How do I set up Multi-Instance View? Navigate to All > Clone Admin Console > Clone Home > Configuration.Select Multi-Instance View.Enable Multi-Instance View by clicking the toggle.On the Connected instances section, click on the "+ Add instance" buttonClick the checkbox next to "Select all instances" (recommended) Click 'Next' Review list of instances you want connected and click "Set up trust"Click "Done" Trust setup can take some time. You can view the status under: Clone Admin Console > Clone Home > Configuration > Multi-Instance View Once connected, instances will be selectable under a new dropdown on both the Clone Activity and the Instance Overview pages. You will be able to view clone activity for all or for individual instances. Removing instances from Multi-Instance View You can remove the connection to individual instances or disable Multi-Instance View. Clone Admin Console > Clone Home > Configuration > Multi-Instance ViewTo remove only an individual instance: Click 'Remove trust' on individual instances To disable Multi-Instance View completely click the toggle next to 'Enable Multi-Instance View' to OFF. A dialog modal will ask for your confirmation to remove trust.Removing trust may take a few minutes. Once removed, the clone activity fetched via Multi-Instance View for those instances will not be shown any longer. If you wish to re-add them later, you will have to set up trust again. Disabling Multi-Instance View will not affect your ability to submit clone requests. How do I install the Clone FAQ Agent via Now Assist? If Now Assist is installed on an instance, the Now Assist skills for Cloning are automatically enabled when updating the Clone Admin Console to v2.2.0 or later. To ensure you can take advantage of Now Assist specifically for clone: Ensure you have Now Assist enabled.Update to Clone Admin Console v2.2.0 or laterIf you enable Now Assist after you update to Clone Admin Console v2.2.0 you will need to go to the ServiceNow Store to re-install Clone Admin Console v2.2.0+ to enable the Clone AI Skills. To do so, simply go to: Clone Admin Console on the ServiceNow Store. How do I use the Clone FAQ Agent via Now Assist? You get AI-powered answers quickly by asking clone-related questions via the Now Assist panel. Answers are grounded in our product docs and curated KB articles. To open the Now Assist side panel and ask a question click the sparkle near the User Profile at the top right of your page: Then, type your question into the Now Assist side panel. How do I submit a Clone Request with the new clone app? You can submit a new clone request by clicking on the "Request Clone" button on the Homepage.Important: Please note that requests submitted via the app will not show up in the legacy clone history table (clone_instance_list.do).New requests are stored on the sn_instance_clone_request_list.do table and shown on the app Clone Home / Clone Activity page. How do I submit Feedback for the Clone App? Share your feedback on the Clone Admin Console using the Clone App Feedback Form. You can use the form as often as you like. https://forms.office.com/r/ReTjuz2Dfb Thank you for your feedback. We share and discuss your feedback with the product team as part of our iterative process.