InServiceNow,Number Maintenanceis the application used to manage and modify numbering schemes for different tables, including theIncidenttable. Since the default prefix forIncident numbersis " INC " , an administrator can modify it to a company-specific prefix (e.g., " IN " ) by following these steps:
Navigate to the Number Maintenance Application:
Go toAll → System Definition → Number Maintenance
Search for theIncident table (task.number record for Incident).
Modify the Prefix:
Open the existingIncident numbering record.
Change thePrefixfrom " INC " to " IN " .
Ensure theNext Numberfield is correctly set (e.g., " IN0001001 " ).
Save the Changes:
ClickUpdateto apply the new prefix.
All newly created incidents will now follow the new format (IN0001001).
Existing incidents are NOT affected—only newly created records will reflect the new prefix.
Steps to Change the Incident Number Prefix:Why Option A (Number Maintenance) is Correct?The Number Maintenance application is the correct place to modify prefixes for tables like Incident.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect?B. Create a Business Rule that modifies the prefix before the Insert operation→ Incorrect
Business Rulesdo not control number generation.
Number generation is managed byNumber Maintenanceat the system level.
C. The prefix of an incident cannot be changed because it is a built-in feature→ Incorrect
The prefixCAN be changedusing theNumber Maintenanceapplication.
Only existing records retain their original prefix; new records follow the updated format.
D. Submit a Change Request to ServiceNow Technical Support→ Incorrect
This isnot necessary, asadministratorscan make this change directly throughNumber Maintenance.
ServiceNow Docs – Number Maintenance Configurationhttps://docs.servicenow.com
ServiceNow Learning – Customizing Numbering Schemes
ServiceNow Developer Portal – Number Prefix Best Practices
References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:
