Mastering ServiceNow Reporting: Visualize Your Data & Drive Smarter Decisions

ServiceNow is a powerful platform for managing workflows, processes, and data. But all that data is useless unless you can effectively analyze it and use it to make informed decisions. That’s where ServiceNow reporting comes in. This guide will walk you through the basics of ServiceNow reporting, provide practical examples, and help you visualize your data like a pro, even if you’re a complete newbie.

What is ServiceNow Reporting?

ServiceNow reporting allows you to extract, analyze, and visualize data stored within your ServiceNow instance. You can create reports to track key performance indicators (KPIs), identify trends, and gain insights into your business processes. These reports can then be shared with stakeholders to drive data-driven decision-making.

Why is ServiceNow Reporting Important?

• Data-Driven Decisions: Move beyond gut feelings and base your decisions on concrete data.
• Improved Efficiency: Identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement in your processes.
• Enhanced Visibility: Gain a clear understanding of your organization’s performance.
• Increased Accountability: Track progress against goals and hold individuals accountable.
• Better Communication: Share insights with stakeholders through visually appealing reports.

Getting Started: Accessing the Reporting Module

1. Log in to ServiceNow: Access your ServiceNow instance using your credentials.
2. Navigate to the Reporting Module: In the application navigator (the left-hand menu), type “Reports” and click on “Reports” under the “Reports” application. You’ll see options such as “Create New”, “View/Run”, and “Administration”.

Creating Your First Report: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s create a simple report to show the number of open incidents by assignment group.

1. Click “Create New”: On the Reports page, click the “Create New” button. This will open the report designer.

2. Name Your Report: Give your report a descriptive name. For example, “Open Incidents by Assignment Group”.

3. Select the Source Type and Table:

   • Source Type: Choose “Table”.
   • Table: Select “Incident [incident]”. This tells ServiceNow that you want to report on data from the Incident table.

4. Report Type: Select “Bar Chart”. This will visually represent the number of incidents for each assignment group. Other common options include:

   • List: A simple table of records.
   • Pie Chart: Shows the proportion of each category relative to the whole.
   • Line Chart: Ideal for tracking trends over time.
   • Column Chart: Similar to a bar chart but with vertical columns.

5. Configure the Report (Type Tab):

   • Group by: Select “Assignment group”. This will group the incidents by the assignment group they are assigned to.
   • Aggregation: The default is “Count”, which is exactly what we want. If you were reporting on numerical data, you could choose options like “Sum”, “Average”, “Min”, or “Max”.

6. Configure the Report (Configuration Tab):

   • Title: Verify the title is correctly entered.
   • Colors: Choose colors to represent the bars in the bar chart.

7. Style Tab: Explore the style tab to customize the chart appearance. This allows for customization such as the color pallet used for your report.

8. Save and Run: Click the “Save” button to save your report. Then, click the “Run” button to generate the report. You should now see a bar chart showing the number of open incidents for each assignment group.

Filtering Your Data

Filtering is crucial for focusing your reports on specific subsets of data. Let’s add a filter to our “Open Incidents by Assignment Group” report to only show incidents with a Priority of “High”.

1. Open the Report: Navigate to your saved report in the Reports module.
2. Click “Edit”: Open the report designer
3. Add a Filter: In the report designer, go to the “Data” tab. Click the ”+” icon under “Filters”.
4. Set the Filter Condition:
   • Field: Select “Priority”.
   • Operator: Select “is”.
   • Value: Select “1 - High”.
5. Run the Report: Click the “Run” button to regenerate the report with the new filter applied. You should now see only high-priority open incidents grouped by assignment group.

More Complex Filtering:

You can create complex filters using multiple conditions and logical operators (AND, OR). For example, you could filter for incidents that are both “High” priority AND assigned to a specific assignment group.

Creating List Reports

While charts are great for visualization, list reports provide a detailed table of records.

1. Create a New Report: Follow steps 1-3 from the “Creating Your First Report” section. Select “List” as the report type.
2. Select Columns: In the “Columns” tab, choose the fields you want to display in your list report. Common fields for an incident report might include “Number”, “Short Description”, “Priority”, “Assigned to”, “Assignment group”, and “State”.
3. Add Filters (Optional): Use the “Data” tab to add filters as needed.
4. Run the Report: Click the “Run” button to generate the list report.

Scheduling Reports

Automate the delivery of your reports by scheduling them to run at specific intervals.

1. Open the Report: Navigate to your saved report in the Reports module.
2. Click “Schedule”: At the bottom of the report view, click on the “Schedule” button.
3. Configure the Schedule:
   • Name: Give your schedule a descriptive name.
   • Run: Select the frequency (e.g., Daily, Weekly, Monthly).
   • Time: Set the time of day the report should run.
   • Users/Groups to Receive: Specify the users or groups who should receive the report.
   • Format: Choose the format for the report (e.g., PDF, Excel).
   • Attach to Email: Make sure this is checked so the report is emailed.
4. Submit: Click the “Submit” button to save the schedule.

Dashboards: A Centralized View

Dashboards allow you to combine multiple reports and other widgets into a single, easy-to-read view.

1. Navigate to Dashboards: In the application navigator, type “Dashboards” and click on “Dashboards”.
2. Create a New Dashboard: Click the “New” button. Give your dashboard a name (e.g., “Incident Management Dashboard”).
3. Add Reports:
   • Click the “Add Content” button.
   • Choose the reports you want to add from the “Reports” section.
   • Drag and drop the reports onto the dashboard to arrange them.
4. Add Other Widgets: You can also add other widgets to your dashboard, such as gauges, performance analytics indicators, and even web content.
5. Share the Dashboard: You can share your dashboard with other users or groups.

Practical Examples:

• Mean Time to Resolve (MTTR): Create a report to track the average time it takes to resolve incidents. Use a line chart to visualize the trend over time. Group by month to see monthly MTTR.
• Change Success Rate: Track the percentage of successful change requests. Use a pie chart to show the proportion of successful vs. unsuccessful changes. Filter by Change Type to see which change types have lower success rates.
• Request Item Fulfillment Rate: Monitor the percentage of service requests fulfilled within the agreed-upon service level agreement (SLA).
• Knowledge Base Usage: Analyze which knowledge articles are most frequently viewed or used to resolve incidents. This can help identify gaps in your knowledge base.

Best Practices for Effective Reporting:

• Define Clear Objectives: Before creating a report, clearly define what you want to measure and what insights you hope to gain.
• Choose the Right Report Type: Select the report type that best represents your data and helps you answer your questions.
• Use Filters Effectively: Focus your reports on the most relevant data.
• Keep it Simple: Avoid overwhelming users with too much information. Focus on the key metrics and insights.
• Automate and Share: Schedule your reports to run automatically and share them with the relevant stakeholders.
• Regularly Review and Update: Ensure your reports are still relevant and accurate. Update them as your business needs change.

Conclusion

ServiceNow reporting is a powerful tool that can help you unlock the value of your data and drive smarter decisions. By mastering the basics of report creation, filtering, scheduling, and dashboard creation, you can gain valuable insights into your business processes and improve overall performance. Start with simple reports and gradually explore more advanced features as you become more comfortable with the platform. Remember to define clear objectives, choose the right report type, and keep your reports simple and focused. With practice, you’ll be able to create compelling visualizations that inform decisions and drive positive change within your organization.