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Tag Synchronization for Cost Centre in Azure

Connector Applicability

Applies to Source Connectors

Azure

Applies to Destination Connectors

All

Assumptions

These instructions assume you have already setup a source connection in CI Sync for Azure using the CI Sync instructions here: or Add Azure to SaaS Agent.

Pre-Read

Syncfish recommend customers read the following documentation before changing the Connection Setting/s described below.

  1. Understanding the use of CI Sync Connection Settings

  2. Rule 13 - Azure Tag Synchronization

Locating and Amending the Connection Setting in the CI Sync UI

  1. Navigate to the Settings page

  2. Under the Source Connections heading (list), locate your Azure connection.

  3. Click the Update link on the right hand side of the Azure connection.

  4. Scroll down and locate the Section Heading and view the Individual Settings.

CleanShot 2025-09-16 at 14.16.11@2x-20250916-041639.png

The screen shot is provided only as sample to assist when reading this page. The state of your own CI Sync UI will depend on whether you are starting from the CI Sync default position or if you have already amended one/more of the settings.

  1. Tick the Override default box/boxes and then use the sliders related to the individual settings. The following table elaborates any further information about these particular settings.

Setting

Type

Additional Notes

Enable for Cost Center

Slider

If enabled, defined Tags will be synchronized to the cost_center field against CIs in the CMDB.

When enabled, the Cost Center Tag RegEx field will be exposed (see below).

Cost Center Tag RegEx

RegEx

Enter a Regular Expression that matches one or more tag names in Azure (i.e. one or more tags that represent the Cost Centre associated with the Azure resource).

Example RegEx

/^CostCenter$|^Cost Center$|^CostCenterTag$/

RegEx Explained

This RegEx will identify tags named “CostCenter”, “Cost Center” or “CostCenterTag” (i.e. three variations) and sync’d the associated values into ServiceNow.

Sync Behaviour and ServiceNow Data Explained

  1. If there are multiple tags that match the defined regEx for a field, the value within each tag will be searched against the ServiceNow cmn_cost_center table with the first matching value returned.

  2. If there are multiple values within a tag (including multiple tags), either comma or semi-colon separated, the individual values will be extracted and searched individually against the ServiceNow cmn_cost_center table with the first matching value returned.

  3. Once a match is returned, CI Sync will store the sys_id of the cmn_cost_center record against the cost_center field on the CI. If not match is found, the cost_center attribute on the CI will be blank.

  4. Regardless of whether a match is found (or not), CI Sync will also populate the ServiceNow cmdb_key_value table with the raw tag data (i.e. an entry will be created in cmdb_key_value for each tag and it’s raw value).

By populating both the specific field on the CI (e.g. the cost_center attribute, the environrment attribute or the owned_by attribute) and the cmdb_key_value table (i.e. the related list against the CI), customers can identify CIs where the specific field is not populated but the related list of tags contains a near match.

This approach allows customers to identify data quality issues in the source system using simple reports, dashboards or workflows within ServiceNow.

  1. After modify the settings, scroll to the bottom of the page, tick the “I consent…” checkbox and finally click the Save connection button.

  2. You can now run a sync job and the amended settings will be applied causing the CI Sync Data Sync rules to be modified accordingly.

Importantly

Make sure you consciously override the setting against either your TEST or PROD environment (i.e. your TEST vs PROD sync jobs).

For more information on how to use TEST vs PROD Connection Settings please read Understanding the use of CI Sync Connection Settings.

Syncfish strongly recommend making changes for TEST environment/sync jobs first. Only modify PROD related settings after thoroughly validating the intended results in TEST.