An **Information Object** is an entity within the [[Design & Planning (CSDM domain)|Design & Planning domain]] of the [[Common Service Data Model|Common Service Data Model]] (CSDM), a reference architecture developed by [[ServiceNow|ServiceNow]] that provides prescriptive guidance on service-related definitions and data modeling within the ServiceNow AI Platform. An Information Object is a [[Configuration item|configuration item]] that represents the type of information at the conceptual or logical tier, describing the types of data used within and often stored in [[Business Application (CSDM)|Business Applications]], where attributes such as data sensitivity and confidentiality are managed. Information Objects are recorded in the cmdb_ci_information_object table and are part of the information portfolio referenced by Business Applications, primarily supporting governance and compliance scoping. The types of data a Business Application may possess—such as [[Personally identifiable information|PII]], [[Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard|PCI]], or [[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act|HIPAA]] data—help scope audits where concerns for how data is stored, exposed, transported, and accessed must be reviewed periodically for compliance purposes. Information Objects are also used to capture how data may be exposed or consumed by integrations or [[API (CSDM)|APIs]] that an application implements. ServiceNow recommends implementing Information Objects in the Fly stage of [[CSDM Adoption Stages|CSDM adoption]], though business requirements may necessitate earlier implementation to meet compliance needs across the [[CSDM Service Life Cycle|CSDM Service Life Cycle]].