--- sourceDocument: Xanadu Platform Analytics sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/xanadu/now-intelligence Release : - xanadu ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Xanadu Platform Analytics ft:clusterId : - par bundleId : - par workflow : - Platform --- # Create an indicator definition # Create an indicator definition {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Xanadu * * Updated August 1, 2024 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 5 minutes to read You can create a new KPI Composer indicator definition directly from the relevant artifact in the Data Definition tab. Fill the indicator definition with the necessary information for creating a Performance Analytics indicator. ## Before you begin You have an existing [KPI Composer project](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/8bc2IdG13Z_mYSyy0y95pw "KPI Composer is based on projects. Each project in KPI Composer consists of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) trees and the functional and technical definitions of all artifacts within those trees. You can create multiple projects.") with a complete draft of the [KPI tree](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Yl9bA96maXAKm_Eib3E~Wg#design-kpi-tree "In the Analysis tab of KPI Composer, design your KPI tree. Specify your business goals, their associated critical success factors, and the measurement related to those factors. Chart the logical relationship between these factors and the personas who are responsible for them.") in the Analytics tab. You also need technical knowledge of Performance Analytics indicators. Role required: sn_kpi_composer.admin or admin to link to a Performance Analytics indicator, sn_kpi_composer.user for other functionality. No roles are required for responsible users or users with edit access, except to link to a Performance Analytics indicator. ## About this task You can create an indicator definition for every artifact in your project, whether or not it is associated with a Performance Analytics widget. You cannot add more than one indicator definition for an artifact. However, if you link an artifact to a formula indicator, you automatically link it to all the [contributing indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KzO1fGsm6GUEygdn1yjLBA#gloss-contributing-indicator "An indicator that is used in the formula of a formula indicator. A contributing indicator can be an automated or a formula indicator.") in the formula. ## Procedure 1. Navigate to AllKPI Composer and open the relevant project. 2. Navigate to the Data Definition tab. 3. Locate an artifact, probably a Measurement, that you want to define an indicator for. Tip: Before you continue to create an indicator definition, check whether any suitable indicator definitions already exist. Click the artifact to open its properties. Then browse the list of available indicator definitions. 4. Select the plus sign, +. 5. In the PA Indicator field, you can search the existing Performance Analytics indicators on this instance to see if any match this indicator definition. If you select a Performance Analytics indicator, its properties appear read-only in the "Linked PA indicator details" column. This information is there to help you base the indicator definition on the linked indicator. Note: Requires the sn_kpi_composer.admin or admin role. You can only search the indicators by name. A link icon appears in artifacts next to the name of an indicator definition that is linked to a Performance Analytics indicator. 6. Fill in the Development instructions field with any information for your developers that is not in the rest of the form. The information in Development instructions is for your internal developers use only. You can also provide details about the indicator in the Description field. The information in the Description field should be replicated in the Description field of the resulting Performance Analytics indicator. 7. Decide on the Direction of the indicator. | Value | Use case | | Maximize | Select if an increase in this indicator score is desired. For example, consider selecting Maximize for an indicator that shows revenue. Analytic tools and graphic elements reflect that an increase in this indicator score is good and a decrease is bad. | | Minimize | Select if a decrease in this indicator score is desired. For example, consider selecting Minimize for an indicator that shows costs. Analytic tools and graphic elements reflect that a decrease in this indicator score is good and an increase is bad. | | None | Select if the direction of change in this score does not matter to your business. | |-|-| {#create-indicator-definition__choicetable_oqq_kxy_4jb} 8. Decide whether an Automated, Formula, or Manual indicator best represents the information in the artifact. | Indicator Type | Description | | Automated | An automated indicator uses an indicator source as its data set. The indicator source specifies a table or database view, conditions for filtering records from that source, and the frequency at which you expect to display the data. The indicator applies an aggregator and optional conditions to this data. | | Formula | Create a formula indicator to produce a new computed score from one or more other indicators. Besides indicator scores, the formula can include calculations such as the gap between an indicator score and the indicator target. | | Manual | Manual indicators are not associated with an indicator source. Scores for manual indicators are not generated automatically by a data collection job. Instead, populate these indicators by adding scores to the scoresheet manually. Manual indicators are typically used for data that cannot be retrieved from the ServiceNow instance because it comes from an outside system, such as customer data from a third-party sales system. | |-|-| {#create-indicator-definition__choicetable_tkh_r5y_4jb} 9. Fill in any remaining fields. * If you are defining a Manual indicator, you do not have to add any more information. * If you are defining a Formula indicator, clearly describe to a Performance Analytics administrator how to build the formula. You do not have to use actual formula indicator JavaScript syntax. * If you are defining an Automated indicator, include the following information:{#create-indicator-definition__table_ikk_yzy_4jb__entry__2} | Field | Description | |-|-| | Aggregation | The aggregate function to apply to the data from the indicator source. | | Frequency | Expected periodicity for collecting data. Usually the indicator Frequency matches the indicator source Valid for frequency value. | | Facts table | The table that the indicator source references. | | Condition | Textual description of the conditions for filtering records from the facts table. You do not have to use condition builder syntax. | [ ] {#create-indicator-definition__table_ikk_yzy_4jb} 10. Either click Submit, or, if you want to define supporting indicators, open the context menu and click Save. ## Creating an indicator definition In the following short animation, the user defines a formula indicator for the measurement "% of major incident first call resolution." The indicator is based on an existing PA indicator that calculates a similar percentage but does not filter on Priority. **Related concepts** * [Automated indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/1jBEXRiKL9AfsrCXJzAFtw "An automated indicator uses an indicator source as its data set. The indicator source specifies a table or database view, conditions for filtering records from that source, and the frequency at which you expect to display the data. The indicator applies an aggregator and optional conditions to this data.") * [Indicator sources](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/SR2756JVmK8_N1Lc9Uz4vg#c_IndicatorSources "Indicator sources are data sets consisting of filtered records from one table or database view.") * [Formula indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/x2vdHcF8AF3LwC30H84meA "Formula indicators use data from other indicators to calculate new metrics.") **Related tasks** * [Manual indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/iOhQ36oyrpO~xJyV_Tvq0A "Manual indicators do not use scores collected from a database. Manual indicators are typically used for data that cannot be retrieved from the ServiceNow instance because it comes from an outside system, such as customer data from a third-party sales system.") ## Add contributing indicators {#ariaid-title2} After you create an indicator definition in KPI Composer, you can add contributing indicators to that definition. Formula indicator definitions, where the formula includes one or more other indicators, require contributing indicators to be complete. ### Before you begin You have an existing KPI Composer project with a complete draft of the KPI tree in the Analytics tab. This project has at least one indicator definition that requires references to other indicators. You need technical knowledge of Performance Analytics indicators. Role required: Same as creating an indicator definition ### Procedure 1. In the relevant artifact on the Data Definition tab, click the indicator definition name to open the indicator definition. ![Measurement artifact with the indicator definition highlighted]() 2. In the Supporting Indicator Definitions related list, click one of the following buttons: * Click New to create a new indicator definition. Follow the same procedure as in [Create an indicator definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/GPIkXgk3ZSiTgApKsBg5Kw#create-indicator-definition "You can create a new KPI Composer indicator definition directly from the relevant artifact in the Data Definition tab. Fill the indicator definition with the necessary information for creating a Performance Analytics indicator."). * Click Edit to open a list of existing indicator definitions in this project. You can select as many indicators as you need. {#add-supporting-indicators__choices_nty_qhz_4jb} Search the existing indicator definitions before you create new ones, so as not to duplicate indicators. ### Result After saving the changes, the artifact in the Data Definition tab shows the [contributing indicator](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KzO1fGsm6GUEygdn1yjLBA#gloss-contributing-indicator "An indicator that is used in the formula of a formula indicator. A contributing indicator can be an automated or a formula indicator.") definitions under the main indicator definition, with a darker background. ### Adding a contributing indicator {#add-supporting-indicators__example_vry_mqg_wnb} In this example, the contributing indicator Number of resolved incidents is added to the % of major incident first call resolution artifact. This indicator matches an existing indicator definition. *[\>]: and then