Development · LessonBy Praveen T, ServiceNow Trainer, 9 yrs · Published · ServiceNow · all levels
Metrics and field value duration
Measure how long records spend in each state without writing custom tables.
Quick answer
Measure how long records spend in each state without writing custom tables.
Key takeaways
- Metrics record duration per field value automatically
- Metric instances are the source for state duration reporting
- Reassignment counts reveal routing problems
- Report through a view joining metrics to the task
What metrics do
A metric definition records how long a field held a value, or how long a record was assigned to a person or group. Metric instances are created automatically and are the honest source for state duration reporting.
Types
Field value duration tracks time in each value of a field, for example each incident state. Script based metrics let you record custom durations. Both write metric instance records tied to the task.
Using the data
Metric instances answer questions SLAs cannot.
- Time in Awaiting customer versus time in progress, per group
- Number of reassignments before resolution, a strong quality signal
- Average time in each state by category, which shows where a process stalls
- Join to task through a database view for reporting
Practice challenge
+0 XPStreak ×0
Question 1 of 2
What does a field value duration metric record?
Frequently asked questions
Metrics or Performance Analytics?
Metrics measure duration inside a record lifecycle. PA trends aggregate values over time. They answer different questions and are often used together.
Do metrics slow down saves?
They add a small cost per update on the tracked field. Track the fields you report on, not every field.