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sourceDocument: Yokohama Environmental, Social, and Governance Management
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ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Environmental, Social, and Governance Management

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# Types of metric definitions

# Types of metric definitions {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated July 31, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read

Summarize  
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This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Types of Metric Definitions

A metrics manager defines metrics through template-level records known as metric definitions, which set core properties such as unit, direction, nature, precision, and category.
The GRC: Metrics application offers three types of metric definitions: automated, manual, and calculated.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Automated Metric Definition:** Collects data automatically based on predefined conditions. Includes options for metric data tasks, approval flows, and supporting data collection. Notifications are sent to task owners for verification.
* **Manual Metric Definition:** Requires manual data input from a designated data owner. The metrics manager sets properties and schedules. Tasks are generated based on frequency, and notifications are sent to data owners for task completion.
* **Calculated Metric Definition:** Aggregates scores from child metrics (both automated and manual) to produce a total score. The metrics manager defines the calculation method and frequency, with rollup properties included for score aggregation.

## Key Outcomes

By utilizing metric definitions, organizations can efficiently apply metrics across multiple entities without redefining them for each case. For instance, a single definition for greenhouse gas emissions can be applied to various organizational entities, streamlining data collection and reporting processes. This functionality enhances the overall efficiency of metric management in ServiceNow.  
A metrics manager defines the metrics by creating a metric definition. A metric
definition is a template-level record. In the metric definition, you set the core properties of
the metric, such as unit, direction, nature, precision, and category. The metrics collect the
scores, and these scores get rolled up into the metric definition.  
The GRC: Metrics application provides the following types of metric definitions:

* Automated metric definition: Data is collected automatically.
* Manual metric definition: Data is collected manually.
* Calculated metric definition: Data is collected by aggregating scores from other child metrics.
{#types-of-metric-definitions__ul_zdj_lcr_nrb}These types of metric definitions are further explained in the following sections.

## Automated metric definition {#types-of-metric-definitions__section_zlt_l2r_nrb}

In automated metric definitions, the data is collected automatically based on the conditions defined in the metric definition, such as metric properties, method, and schedule. For the method, the metrics manager specifies the
source table or the script that is used for collecting the metric data and the filtering criteria to filter the metric data.  
In an automated metric definition, you can enabled a metric data task, approval flow, and collection of supporting data in the metric definition. If enabled, the metric data task is generated depending upon the frequency defined in the metric definition. As a metrics manager, you can assign the task to a data owner. See [Create an automated metric definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9XHQW9OGOLbFk7erNWcnXw "Create an automated metric definition to collect the data for a metric. A metric definition specifies the method and key properties of the metric, such as the unit, direction, or nature of the metric.") for more information. When a metric data task is created, the task owner receives a system-generated email notification. As the metric data owner, you can verify and override automatically collected data if needed. If approval is enabled, verified data is submitted for approval to the designated approver from the metric definition.  
Note:  
For automated metric definitions where the method type is "External" or "Scripted", the "Supporting Data" option isn't available.

## Manual metric definition {#types-of-metric-definitions__section_agm_n2r_nrb}

In manual metric definitions, the mode of data collection is manual. The data owner for a
particular metric provides the metric data by going through the instructions. As the metrics
manager, you have to define the metric properties, method, and schedule for the metric
definition. In the method, specify the instructions for the metric definition as the metrics
manager. Also, specify the data collection details such as data owner type, data owner, and
approval details.

In a manual metric definition, a metric data task is generated depending upon the frequency defined in the metric definition. As a metrics manager, you can assign the task to a data owner who provides the data for the task. See [Create a manual metric definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/xcj2LplZqL5Hz1IRYZCpeQ "Create a manual metric definition to collect the data manually for a metric.") for more information. When a metric data task is created, a system-generated email notification is sent to the task owner. As a metric data owner, you can provide the data for
multiple metrics using the Metrics tasks module (![]()). For more information, refer to [Provide data for multiple metrics](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/FEY6z4dniNH8XtYfu40Uww "Use the metric tasks module to provide responses for multiple metrics in an easy-to-use format.").

Each metric data task has a due date defined in the manual metric definition form. By default, the due date follows the schedule of 8-5. However, an ESG administrator can also modify the schedule. For more information, refer to [Create a new schedule](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/dJI7yAz2mpKFwwKXawk39g "Create a schedule or modify an existing schedule to calculate the due date for metric data tasks."). If the ESG administrator wants to overwrite the schedule, then the ESG administrator can modify the
sn_grc_metric.metric_data_task_schedule property.

Both quantitative and qualitative category of metrics can be created using the manual metric
definition.

It's possible to convert a manual metric definition to an automated metric definition and an automated metric definition to a manual metric definition. In the event that a manual metric definition has open tasks, it's necessary
to first close them prior to converting the manual metric definition.

When a manual metric definition is executed, the first metric data is created and then metric data task is created. This task is then referred to the metric data.

## Calculated metric definition {#types-of-metric-definitions__section_kpr_42r_nrb}

A calculated metric definition calculates the scores from its children. It can include the automated and manual metric definitions, metrics (quantitative), and other calculated metric definitions of identical frequency. As the
metrics manager, you have to specify how you want to calculate the metric definitions score and how frequently you want to calculate them. Deactivating or activating a calculated metric definition automatically deactivates or
activates all its associated metrics.

The calculated metric definition rolls up the scores from its children. The rollup property defined in the calculated metric definition consists of a rollup formula and schedule for the rollup frequency. A calculated metric
definition can include those automated and manual metric definitions, and metrics as its children, which are of the same frequency as that of the parent calculated metric definition. See [Create a calculated metric definition](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/QieI3Ma8VOxNje1HEj7S0w "Create a calculated metric definition by aggregating the automatic metric definitions, the manual metric definitions, and the calculated metric definitions.") for more information.

## Applying the metric definition to the entities {#types-of-metric-definitions__section_sv4_tb2_jrb}

You can apply the metric definitions to the entities in your organization. Instead of defining
the metric for each entity, you can define the metric definition once and then apply that metric
definition to your entities.

For example, assume that you want to measure the greenhouse gas emissions for the entities in your organization. Defining the metric for each entity is a time-consuming process. By creating a metric definition, you can define
the metric once and then apply that metric definition to your entities.

The following illustration shows how you can apply the metric data definition to an entity. If
you have an automated metric definition for the purchased goods metric category, the metric can
be applied to the Products entity and IT entity in your organization. If you have a manual
metric definition such as Employee Travel, the metric can be applied to the Enterprise entity in
your organization as the travel policy applies to everyone across the enterprise.
Figure 1. Apply the metric data definition to an entity