Experience & AI · LessonBy Neelima, ServiceNow Architect · Published · current release · intermediate
Performance Analytics
Track KPIs over time, trends, not just today's snapshot.
Quick answer
Performance Analytics (PA) answers questions ordinary reporting cannot: how is this metric trending, are we hitting targets, and where is it heading? It does this by snapshotting data over time into time-series indicators.
Key takeaways
- Reporting vs PA, the core difference
- Indicators, scores and breakdowns
- How collection works
- The catch: value accrues over time
- Where it is used
Performance Analytics (PA) answers questions ordinary reporting cannot: how is this metric trending, are we hitting targets, and where is it heading? It does this by snapshotting data over time into time-series indicators.
Reporting vs PA, the core difference
Reporting
A live query, the state right now. Refresh and the previous value is gone forever.
Performance Analytics
Time series, a value captured each period (a snapshot), so history is preserved and trendable.
Indicators, scores and breakdowns
How collection works
nightly data collection job
for each Indicator:
run its query --> store ONE score for today
(optionally per breakdown element)
over weeks --> a trendline you can forecast & target
The catch: value accrues over time
Because PA snapshots on a schedule, you must start collecting before you can trend. Turn on the indicators you care about early, even if the dashboards come later, you cannot retroactively create history you never captured. (Historic data collection can backfill some indicators, but only where the source data still exists.)
Where it is used
Common mistakes
- Using live reports for trends and losing history.
- Turning on indicators late, so there is no back-history to show.
- Collecting far more indicators than anyone reviews.
- No targets, so trends have no "good vs bad" meaning.
Practice challenge
+0 XPStreak ×0
Question 1 of 3
A KPI you measure in PA is called an:
Frequently asked questions
What does the term Performance Analytics refer to in ServiceNow?
Performance Analytics (PA) answers questions ordinary reporting cannot: how is this metric trending, are we hitting targets, and where is it heading? It does this by snapshotting data over time into time-series indicators.
What is the ITSM role of Performance Analytics?
Service-desk analytics, KPIs against SLA performance, executive scorecards, proactive problem trend-spotting, anywhere the question is about direction and targets rather than a current list.
What tends to go wrong with Performance Analytics?
Using live reports for trends and losing history. Turning on indicators late, so there is no back-history to show. Collecting far more indicators than anyone reviews.