#cherwell

Today is #HobbitDay! This celebration falls on the 22 September, which is the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, two fictional characters from J.R.R. Tolkein's 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'.

J.R.R. Tolkien was a student and eventually a professor at the University of Oxford, and wrote 'The Hobbit' and the first two volumes of 'The Lord of the Rings' whilst teaching at Pembroke College. He was also a founding member of an informal group of writers in Oxford called the Inklings, which included author of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' C.S. Lewis.

Be sure to visit the Bodleian Libraries exhibition 'Tolkein: The Maker of Middle-Earth' to find out more about Toklein's legacy, from his genius as an artist, poet, linguist and author to his academic career and private life.

These objects from our collection reminded us of Smaug, the Lonely Mountain, and a vibrant view of Hobbiton.

Netsuke in the form of a dragon coiled around a bowl. Tokyo, Japan. 1840–1870. Ivory with carved decoration. See it on display in gallery 37.

Mount Fuji and Dragon, Japan, 1896. Ogata Gekkō (1859 - 1920). Coloured woodblock on paper.

As organizations modernize their IT service management (ITSM) landscape, many teams using Cherwell are actively evaluating a move to ServiceNow. While the benefits of ServiceNow — scalability, workflow automation, and enterprise-wide visibility - are well known, one critical question often gets overlooked:

What does a Cherwell to ServiceNow migration actually cost?

Most discussions focus only on licensing, but in reality, migration pricing involves multiple cost components that can significantly impact budgets if not planned correctly.

Why Organizations Are Moving from Cherwell to ServiceNow

Cherwell has served mid-sized organizations well for years. However, as businesses grow and processes become more complex, limitations start to appear:

Difficulty scaling workflows Limited enterprise-wide automation Fragmented integrations with ERP, HR, and asset systems Higher customization maintenance effort

ServiceNow addresses these challenges by offering a unified workflow platform that connects IT, operations, and business teams on a single data model.

The Hidden Cost Components of Migration

A successful migration is not a “lift and shift.” It requires careful planning across several areas:

1. Data Migration

Historical tickets, CMDB records, user data, and attachments must be mapped, cleaned, and validated before moving into ServiceNow.

2. Workflow & Process Redesign

Cherwell workflows rarely translate one-to-one. Organizations often redesign processes to align with ServiceNow best practices.

3. Integrations

ERP, monitoring tools, identity systems, and asset databases need re-integration- often adding unexpected effort.

4. Testing & Validation

UAT cycles, regression testing, and performance validation are essential to avoid post-go-live disruptions.

5. Training & Change Management

End users, admins, and support teams must be trained to ensure adoption and ROI.

Ignoring these elements can lead to cost overruns and delayed go-lives.

Estimating Migration Costs the Right Way

To avoid surprises, organizations should look beyond licensing and assess the total cost of ownership (TCO). A structured pricing framework helps decision-makers:

Budget accurately Compare vendors objectively Reduce migration risk Improve long-term ROI

Aelum Consulting has published a detailed Cherwell to ServiceNow Migration Pricing Guide that breaks down all cost elements - both visible and hidden - along with practical budgeting insights.

👉 Read the full guide here: https://aelumconsulting.com/blogs/cherwell-to-servicenow-migration-pricing-guide/

Final Thoughts

Migrating from Cherwell to ServiceNow is not just a technology upgrade - it’s a strategic transformation. Organizations that understand the real cost drivers early are far more likely to achieve a smooth transition, faster adoption, and measurable business outcomes.

As organizations modernize their IT Service Management (ITSM) landscape, many are moving away from legacy tools like Cherwell Service Management and adopting powerful platforms such as ServiceNow. However, a successful migration depends heavily on one critical step -exporting Cherwell data accurately and securely.

Without a proper export strategy, businesses risk data loss, broken relationships, or incomplete records in ServiceNow. In this article, we’ll explore why Cherwell data export is important and the best practices to follow before migrating.

Why Exporting Cherwell Data Is Critical

Cherwell stores complex ITSM data such as:

Incidents, Requests, Problems, and Changes

Configuration items (CMDB data)

Attachments and activity logs

Custom business objects and relationships

When migrating to ServiceNow, this data must be extracted in a structured and validated format to ensure a seamless import process.

A detailed technical overview of this process is explained in this guide on exporting Cherwell data to ServiceNow, which covers tools, methods, and common challenges involved in migration.

Common Methods to Export Cherwell Data

Depending on data volume and complexity, organizations typically use one or more of the following methods:

1. Cherwell Built-in Export Tools

Ideal for exporting standard business objects into CSV or Excel format. This method works well for small to medium datasets.

2. Grid-Based CSV/Excel Exports

Data can be exported directly from Cherwell grids, making it easier to clean and map fields before importing into ServiceNow.

3. Cherwell REST API

For large enterprises, APIs allow automated extraction of structured data, including linked records and attachments.

4. One-Step Actions

One-Step Actions automate scheduled exports and are useful during testing and phased migrations.

5. Database-Level Extraction

This advanced method provides full access to backend data but should only be used by experienced teams to avoid data inconsistencies.

A step-by-step comparison of these methods is available in this Cherwell to ServiceNow export guide:  https://aelumconsulting.com/blogs/export-cherwell-data-to-servicenow/

Best Practices Before Migrating to ServiceNow

To avoid post-migration issues, organizations should:

Remove outdated or duplicate records

Map Cherwell fields correctly to ServiceNow tables

Validate attachments and reference data

Use ServiceNow Import Sets and Transform Maps

Test migration in a staging environment

Following these best practices ensures data accuracy, performance optimization, and a smoother transition.

Final Thoughts

Migrating from Cherwell to ServiceNow is not just a platform change - it’s an opportunity to improve IT operations, automation, and service delivery. A successful migration begins with a well-planned Cherwell data export strategy.