ACL

[SnehalataG]

what is the difference between start SLA and retroactive start SLA in serviceNow, I want to know proper Key differences in between them.

[Sid_Takali]

Hi @SnehalataG 

Start SLA

1. Definition: The Start SLA is the initial trigger point at which an SLA begins to count down. This is typically configured to start when a specific condition or event occurs.

2. Configuration: In ServiceNow, you define when an SLA should start through SLA definitions. For instance, you might configure an SLA to start when an incident is created, or when a specific state is reached in a record.

3. Behavior: Once the trigger condition is met (e.g., when the incident is assigned to a group), the SLA clock starts. This means that the time measurement for meeting the SLA targets begins from this point.

4. Use Case: This is useful when you want the SLA to start counting from the moment a specific event occurs, reflecting real-time compliance from that moment onwards.

Retroactive Start SLA

1. Definition: Retroactive Start SLA allows you to backdate the SLA start time to a date or event prior to the actual creation of the record or the event that starts the SLA.

2. Configuration: When configuring a Retroactive Start SLA, you specify that the SLA's start time should be set to a previous date or a certain event that happened before the SLA was actually triggered.

3. Behavior: This approach allows SLAs to consider historical data or incidents, which can be important if the SLA terms are designed to account for past delays or issues. For example, if an incident was created but the service issue started days earlier, you can set a retroactive start date for the SLA to reflect the true start of the service issue.

4. Use Case: Useful in scenarios where you need to ensure compliance with SLAs based on events or dates that occurred before the actual SLA initiation. This is particularly useful for correcting historical records or aligning with customer expectations and service delivery standards.

https://www.basicoservicenowlearning.in/2021/08/sla-servicenow.html 

https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0815944 

[Anurag Tripathi]

Your Question and Questions title is not in sync.

[Saurabh Tyagi]

In ServiceNow, SLA (Service Level Agreement) is used to track the progress and ensure timely delivery of services. The difference between Start SLA and Retroactive Start SLA primarily lies in when the SLA begins and the purpose each method serves.

Key Differences between Start SLA and Retroactive Start SLA:

Aspect Start SLA Retroactive Start SLA

Definition	The SLA starts at the moment the condition defined in the SLA definition is met.	The SLA start time is adjusted retrospectively to an earlier time based on specific conditions.
Start Time	SLA starts from the point when the associated task or record meets the trigger conditions (e.g., Incident is created, a priority is set).	SLA is backdated to an earlier point in time (e.g., when the record was created, assigned, or a certain condition was met).
Usage Scenario	Used when the SLA should start from the moment a certain event occurs or when a condition is met.	Used when the SLA should reflect a service event that occurred in the past, such as when a delay in processing needs to be accounted for.
Performance Impact	No retrospective adjustment, so standard behavior with no additional load.	May increase processing time as it recalculates the start time, often used to ensure accountability for delays.
Typical Use Case	The SLA clock starts when the ticket is assigned, priority is set, or a specific action is performed.	Commonly used for cases where the SLA should account for events like ticket creation time (even if it wasn’t processed immediately).
Example Scenario	SLA starts when an incident is assigned to a group.	SLA starts retroactively from the moment an incident was created, even if it was only assigned later.
Conditions for Application	Applied in standard cases when the timing of events is immediate and straightforward.	Applied when the SLA should reflect an earlier time due to delays, transitions, or critical processing time being missed.
Backdating Adjustment	No backdating is applied.	Backdating is applied to account for earlier events or actions.
Impact on SLA Targets	SLA target is calculated based on the actual start time of the event/condition.	SLA target is calculated based on the backdated start time, potentially shortening the remaining SLA time.

Practical Example:

1. Start SLA: The SLA timer starts at the exact moment a priority 1 incident is created.

2. Retroactive Start SLA: Suppose a priority 1 incident was created, but the team only responded after an hour. The SLA is configured to retroactively start from the incident creation time to reflect the actual time the incident was logged, accounting for that initial delay.

Summary:

• Start SLA is useful for straightforward tracking of service levels from the time an action occurs.
• Retroactive Start SLA is for situations where the start of service needs to be backdated to a specific time before the actual action was logged, ensuring that delays are accounted for in performance metrics.

[Ehab Pilloor]

Hi @SnehalataG,

Retroactive Start SLA:

When a task record changes, typically a new SLA may be attached, with a new set of timing information. This is useful if you are re-assigning an incident to another group and want to attach a new SLA record with new timing information.

However, you may want to retain time information for the task in specific situations. For example, an incident is raised with a priority of 3 - Moderate and the priority changes to 1 - Critical after 3 hours. A priority 1 SLA is attached to the incident at that time. You can use retroactive start to ensure this SLA timing is adjusted retroactively to count from when the incident was first created, rather than from when the incident's priority changed. This reflects the actual time the user contacted you.

You can use the retroactive pause property to apply pause times to the new SLA.

Start SLA:

The Start SLA is the initial trigger point at which an SLA begins to count down. This is typically configured to start when a specific condition or event occurs.

Refer these links for more info:

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/utah-it-service-management/page/product/service-level-management/...

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/utah-it-service-management/page/product/service-level-management/...

If you found my response helpful, please mark it as Solution and Helpful.

Thanks and Regards,

Ehab