---
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 :

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---

# Detect indicators with no scores in a formula

# Detect indicators with no scores in a formula {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

As the formula creator, you can handle contributing indicators that have null scores.
First set the formula indicator to calculate the formula even when it contains a null
score.

## Before you begin

Role required: pa_power_user, admin

## About this task

The formulas in formula indicators typically contain one or more other indicators. If one of those indicators has no score, by default the formula is not calculated and the formula indicator returns no score. However, several use cases exist for identifying the indicator that has no score instead of having the formula indicator return null. First enable the formula to be calculated when an indicator in the formula has no score. Then you can assign a value to an indicator with no score.

## Procedure

1. Open the formula indicator of interest.
2. Select Allow formula component to be null.
3. In the Formula, add an `if{} else {}` statement that ascribes a value to an indicator when it has no score.

## Field indicator with Allow formula component to be null

Consider the following formula indicators for a collection period when there are no
closed incidents, so the indicator Number of closed incidents has no score.  
Formula 1:

    [[Number of open incidents]] / [[Number of closed incidents]]

Formula 2:


    [[Formula 1]] + 23

Formula 3:


    if ([[Formula 1]] == null) { 23 } else { 11 }

Formula 4:


    [[Formula 2]] || 64

Formula 5:


    (([[Formula 1]] == null && [[Formula 2]] == null) ? 11 : 18)

If Allow formula component to be null is not selected for any
of the formula indicators, none of them have scores.  
If Allow formula component to be null is selected for all of the formula indicators, they have the following scores:

* Formula 1 = null
* Formula 2 = 23
* Formula 3 = 23
* Formula 4 = 64
* Formula 5 = 11
{#detect-indicators-no-scores-formula__ul_kbh_vyw_m2b}

Formula 2, Formula 3, Formula 4, and Formula 5 represent four different ways to
handle the null score.
**Related concepts**   

* [Prevent a contributing indicator in a formula from following breakdowns](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KftBL97ueZwJ2qomNKiwxA "You can select contributing indicators in a formula to not be broken down. When a user applies a breakdown to the formula indicator, the breakdown does not apply to these indicators.")
* [Breakdown matrices in formula indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/arwRe8KHfg_nNnkcErCXrA "Formula indicators inherit breakdown matrices from indicators in the formula.")
* [Applying time series to result or to contributing indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dzRy4qKDo1sknlH6AoDN8Q "For a formula indicator, a time series aggregation can apply either to each indicator in the formula individually or to the formula result.")
* [Indexing multiple indicators in a formula](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/_~6pcilQgc15kzjsIklyQw "You can write a formula to measure what the gap is to the overall target of multiple, combined indicators. Such a formula indicator is called an 'index indicator'.")
* [Changes to score_start/end because of different user time zones](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/8qx69w7Vx1gQQvOa7_TIDw "For formula indicators, the values of the variables score_start and score_end are calculated based on the time zone of the user who is executing the formula. If users in different time zones execute the same formula, the values of score_start and score_end change.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Create a formula indicator](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/pYgFpM6BB3XdUgPM_9DgPQ "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.")
* [Get analytics methods in formulas](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/cnVqjX~HC_wNUdbpJEVaJQ "To insert a calculated value from the Analytics Hub into a formula, use a method in the formula.")