---
title: Create an authority document
description: Authority documents manage a process and citations are created within them to manage points of the process. For example, the process called Building Security contains a citation for Entry Control.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/governance-risk-compliance/policy-and-compliance-management/t\_CreateAnAuthorityDocument.html
release: australia
product: Policy and Compliance Management
classification: policy-and-compliance-management
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [Manage, Classic UI, Use, Policy and Compliance Management, Governance, Risk, and Compliance]
---

# Create an authority document

Authority documents manage a process and citations are created within them to manage points of the process. For example, the process called Building Security contains a citation for Entry Control.

## Before you begin

Role required: sn\_compliance\_admin or sn\_compliance\_manager

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **Policy and Compliance** > **Compliance** > **Authority Documents**.

2.  Click **New**.

3.  On the form, fill in the fields.

<table id="table_epy_qrq_f5"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Value

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Name

</td><td>

Name of the document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Number

</td><td>

Read-only field that is automatically populated with a unique identification number.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Source

</td><td>

A non-editable field with the source of the policy. For example, if the statement is from the UCF import, the source is UCF.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Source ID

</td><td>

The unique identification number used by the source to catalog this authority document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Version

</td><td>

The unique version number used by the source to identify this authority document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Common name

</td><td>

Abbreviated version of the **Name** field.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Category

</td><td>

Category for this authority document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Type

</td><td>

The document type: -   Audit Guideline
-   Best Practice Guideline
-   Bill or Act
-   Contractual Obligation
-   International or National Standard
-   Not Set
-   Organizational Directive
-   Regulation of Statute
-   Safe Harbor
-   Self-Regulatory Body Requirement
-   Vendor Documentation


</td></tr><tr><td>

Valid From

</td><td>

The date and time for which the policy becomes valid.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Valid To

</td><td>

The date and time for which the policy is no longer valid.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Url

</td><td>

The URL of the stored authority document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Description

</td><td>

More information about the authority document.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>4.  Right-click in the header bar and select Save from the context menu.

    The authority document is created and all related lists are visible.

    **Note:** Starting with Version 13.0.3 of the Policy and Compliance Management application, a **Taxonomy** related list appears. This related list allows you to update an existing taxonomy or map a new taxonomy to the authority document.


## What to do next

Create a citation from the **Authority document** related list.

**Parent Topic:**[Manage control objectives and policies](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/policy-and-compliance-management/r_PoliciesAndProcedures.md)

**Related topics**  


[Create or deactivate a citation](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/governance-risk-compliance/policy-and-compliance-management/t_CreateCitations.md)