Data sources for data visualizations

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Data sources for data visualizations

    In ServiceNow workspaces, each data visualization references a specific data source. These data sources vary by type and purpose, enabling you to represent and analyze different aspects of your data effectively. Understanding these sources helps you configure visualizations that align with your organizational needs and gain actionable insights.

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    Data Sources Available

    • Table: Available in the base system, tables represent collections of database records with rows as records and columns as fields. You configure visualizations by selecting tables and fields or grouping data by fields. Configured report sources also appear for filtering table data.
    • Indicator: Also in the base system, indicators (or KPIs) track changes in table data over time, applying aggregations and conditions to reveal trends and forecasts. Examples include counting open incidents with specific state and activity conditions. Indicators support breakdowns for qualitative filtering, such as priority or category.
    • User Experience Analytics: Activated by default but requires installation of the User Experience Analytics in PAR Integration application from the ServiceNow Store to include related data sources. This provides dashboards and visualizations for usage analytics across web, Virtual Agent, mobile, and Service Portal applications to optimize user journeys.
    • MetricBase: Requires a separate subscription and activation by ServiceNow personnel. MetricBase stores time-series data sampled at regular intervals, useful for IoT applications and machine-generated data monitoring. Data can be graphed or used to trigger Flow Designer actions.
    • Health Log Analytics: Also subscription-based and requires activation by ServiceNow. It helps prevent IT issues by enabling log triage and raw data analysis to identify root causes. Visualizations for this data source can only be created and edited in UI Builder, not in the Platform Analytics Visualization Designer or dashboards.

    Management and Usage

    • Indicator Management: Indicators are created and maintained through Performance Analytics architecture, integrated into Platform Analytics administration.
    • User Experience Analytics Visualizations: Metrics from User Experience Analytics can be displayed in data visualization components, with available metrics dependent on visualization type.
    • Multiple Data Sources: Some visualization types support multiple data sources simultaneously; however, all must be of the same type (e.g., all tables or all indicators) to ensure compatibility.

    Each workspace data visualization references a specific data source.

    Data source Available in Description
    Table Base system A Table data source is a collection of database records that together constitute the current state of your data. The rows of the table correspond to records and the columns correspond to fields. You often choose both table and field, or you group data by fields, when you configure a data visualization. Configured report sources appear in the Predefined conditions list when you choose to filter table data.
    Indicator Base system An indicator, also called a key performance indicator (KPI), is a record of the changes to your table data over a period of time. You use indicators to determine trends and forecast the future. Indicators apply an aggregation and conditions to the data. For example, the indicator Number of open incidents applies the Count aggregation to the Incident table, resulting in a number of incidents. It also applies the conditions that the State of the incidents must not be Closed or Canceled, and the Active field must be True.

    Indicators often have breakdowns applied. A breakdown is a qualitative property for filtering the indicator scores. For example, for incident data, the priority, category, and assignment group for the incident are all commonly applied breakdowns.

    For more information, see Performance Analytics indicators.
    User Experience Analytics Activated by default. However, to include User Experience Analytics data sources in your visualizations, you need the User Experience Analytics in PAR Integration application from the ServiceNow® Store. The ServiceNow® User Experience Analytics application provides dashboard views for monitoring usage analytics of your web applications as well as Virtual Agent, ServiceNow mobile, and Service Portal applications. Visualize metrics and interactions to better understand the user experience, and create more intuitive journeys for your users.

    For more general information about User Experience Analytics, see User Experience Analytics. For more information specific to data visualizations, see User Experience Analytics data sources for visualizations.
    MetricBase Requires a separate subscription and must be activated by ServiceNow personnel. The MetricBase application stores time-series data, which is data that is sampled at regular intervals. You can graph the stored data or use it with triggers to execute Flow Designer flows. MetricBase helps developers working with IoT-based applications that monitor or act on large amounts of machine-generated data. For more information, see MetricBase.
    Health Log Analytics Requires a separate subscription and must be activated by ServiceNow personnel.

    The Health Log Analytics application helps prevent IT issues before your users are affected. It helps you identify the root cause of an issue by enabling you to triage related logs and analyze the raw data. For more information, see Health Log Analytics.

    Note:
    You can create and edit data visualizations for Health Log Analytics only in the UI Builder, not in the Platform Analytics Visualization Designer or in dashboards.