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Tutorial19 03 2025Servicenow Reporting Secrets Improve Service Management

ServiceNow is a powerful platform for managing IT services, workflows, and various business processes. However, its true potential is unlocked when you harness the power of its reporting capabilities. Going beyond basic reports can reveal hidden trends, identify bottlenecks, and ultimately improve service management efficiency. This blog post delves into some “ServiceNow Reporting Secrets” to help you get the most out of your data.

1. Mastering the Art of Data Sources: Beyond Tables

The foundation of any good report is a solid data source. While directly querying tables like incident, problem, or change_request is common, consider exploring other data sources:

  • Database Views: Combine data from multiple tables into a single, virtual table. This eliminates the need for complex joins in your reports.
    • Example: Create a database view joining incident and cmdb_ci (Configuration Item) tables to easily report on incidents related to specific hardware or software.
   //Example SQL-like definition for a Database View (within ServiceNow)
   SELECT
       inc.number AS incident_number,
       inc.short_description,
       ci.name AS ci_name,
       ci.manufacturer
   FROM
       incident inc
   JOIN
       cmdb_ci ci ON inc.cmdb_ci = ci.sys_id;
  • Scripted Data Sources: If your reporting requirements are complex and require data manipulation before reporting, scripted data sources are your answer. These allow you to execute JavaScript code to fetch and transform data.
    • Example: Calculate the average resolution time for incidents based on business hours (excluding weekends and holidays).
   // Example Scripted Data Source (Server-Side JavaScript)
   (function() {
       var incidentGr = new GlideRecord('incident');
       incidentGr.query();
 
       var data = [];
       while (incidentGr.next()) {
           var resolutionTime = gs.dateDiff(incidentGr.opened_at.getDisplayValue(), incidentGr.resolved_at.getDisplayValue(), true); //Calculate difference
 
           data.push({
               incident_number: incidentGr.number.toString(),
               resolution_time: resolutionTime
           });
       }
 
       return data;
   })();
  • External Data Sources: Connect to external databases and web services to incorporate data from outside the ServiceNow platform.
    • Example: Integrate with a customer satisfaction survey tool to correlate incident resolution times with customer satisfaction scores.

2. Unveiling Trends with Interactive Filters & Breakdowns

Static reports provide a snapshot in time. Interactive filters and breakdowns allow users to drill down into the data and uncover deeper trends.

  • Interactive Filters: Allow users to dynamically filter report data based on various criteria.
    • Example: Add an interactive filter to a report showing incident resolution times, allowing users to filter by assignment group, category, or priority.
  • Breakdowns: Segment your data based on different dimensions.
    • Example: Break down incident resolution times by category and priority to identify which types of incidents take the longest to resolve at each priority level. This allows you to focus improvement efforts where they are needed most.

3. Calculated Fields: Deriving Insights from Existing Data

Leverage calculated fields to create new metrics and insights from existing data.

  • Example: Calculate the “First Call Resolution Rate” by dividing the number of incidents resolved on the first call by the total number of incidents.
  • Example: Calculate the “Reopened Incident Rate” by dividing the number of reopened incidents by the total number of closed incidents. A high rate indicates problems with initial resolution or incomplete solutions.

4. Scheduled Reports & Dashboards: Proactive Monitoring

Don’t wait for users to request reports. Schedule reports to be automatically generated and delivered to key stakeholders on a regular basis.

  • Example: Schedule a weekly report showing the number of open incidents by assignment group, delivered to the respective team leads.
  • Dashboards: Create dashboards that aggregate multiple reports into a single, visual interface. This provides a comprehensive overview of key performance indicators (KPIs).

5. Leveraging Performance Analytics for Proactive Insights

ServiceNow Performance Analytics provides a more proactive approach to identifying trends and improving service management.

  • Indicators: Track key metrics over time.
    • Example: Track the average incident resolution time as an indicator.
  • Breakdowns: Analyze trends based on different dimensions.
    • Example: Break down the average incident resolution time by assignment group and priority to identify areas for improvement.
  • Targets: Set goals for indicators and track progress toward those goals.
    • Example: Set a target to reduce the average incident resolution time by 10% within the next quarter.
  • Automated Anomaly Detection: Configure Performance Analytics to automatically detect anomalies in your data. This can help you identify potential problems before they escalate.

6. Report Visualization Best Practices

Choosing the right visualization is crucial for effectively communicating your data.

  • Bar charts: Compare values across different categories.
  • Line charts: Show trends over time.
  • Pie charts: Show the proportion of each category to the whole. Use sparingly, as they can be difficult to interpret with many categories.
  • Heatmaps: Visualize data across two dimensions.
  • Single Score: Display a single, important metric.

Practical Examples in Real Life

  • Reducing Incident Backlog: Use a report showing the age of open incidents by assignment group to identify teams with a growing backlog. Drill down into the report to identify specific incidents that are stuck and require attention.
  • Improving Change Management Success Rate: Track the number of successful and failed changes over time. Analyze the failed changes to identify common causes of failure and implement process improvements. Create a report showing the relationship between change risk and change success to determine if risk assessments are accurate.
  • Optimizing Resource Allocation: Report on the utilization of IT resources (e.g., servers, storage) to identify underutilized resources that can be reallocated.

Visual Summary using Mermaid

Key Considerations

  • Data Governance: Ensure the accuracy and consistency of your data.
  • User Training: Train users on how to use the reporting features and interpret the data.
  • Regular Review: Regularly review your reports and dashboards to ensure they are still relevant and providing valuable insights.

Conclusion

Mastering ServiceNow reporting is essential for optimizing service management and driving business value. By exploring diverse data sources, leveraging interactive features, and visualizing data effectively, you can uncover hidden trends, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately deliver better service to your customers. Invest time in understanding ServiceNow reporting capabilities and proactively using data to inform decisions.

References

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