On July 10th, 2024 we tailored our Platform Analytics Academy session specifically for our valued customers, providing a unique opportunity to address all their Platform Analytics questions. Participants engaged with one of our Platform Analytics Experts, who could answer queries live or via chat. Whether attendees had specific questions or wanted to listen in, this session was designed to enhance understanding and mastery of Platform Analytics. It was an invaluable chance to connect with experts and elevate their skills!
Questions & Answers
Question 1: Regarding Analytics Hub pre-defined filters (Best / Worst / Improved / Degraded)
- Understood that these are OOTB and based on performance (best/worst) or direction (improved/degraded) although it's not obvious on how these can be configured. Indicators which are added as favorites are not showing under Best / Worst.
- How these can be used/configured based on user's own target vs Global Targets?
- How can the default number of indicators in each list be increased? (currently 5 but would like to view more e.g. 20)
Answer 1: 03:48
Question 2: Will the ability to create stand-alone reports and the ability to schedule reports continue to be available? or is that going away during the transition to analytics center?
Answer 2: 14:08
Question 3: What role is needed to create data visualizations, schedule export in platform analytics experience?
Answer 3: viz_creator creates data visualizations, scheduled export is done by par_scheduler.
You can see more here: Platform Analytics Roles
Question 4: In which release will be standard OOTB dashboard will be updated to the platform analytics?
Answer 4: 16:26
Question 5: Is there a way to configure Platform Analytics-created dashboards (in the Platform Analytics Workspace) to open the records shown in the dashboard in another workspace like SOW (In the Vancouver Release)?
Answer 5: If I am understanding you correctly, that a click on a list say in a dashboard in the platform analytics workspace will open the record view in SOW?
The answer is no.
Question 6: We are currently testing out the Platform Analytics Migration Center and have successfully migrated some responsive core UI dashboards to the next experience. The old dashboard is then marked as "inactive". All expected however if this "inactive" dashboard was the last viewed by a specific user it remains their landing page. How can the newly created Next Experience dashboard be set as the main landing page for users?
Answer 6: You need to roll out the full migration by clicking activate in the migration center. This then activates the auto-redirect from old to new content
Question 7: We upgraded our reports and dashboards to Platform Analytics in a lower environment. Almost half of them are in compatibility mode and have error messages on the widgets. What is the timeline for more of the functionality to migrate fully? Is there some place where you have a list of functionality that is not able to fully migrate yet and the timeline if it will be able to migrate fully in the future?
Answer 7: Here is a full list of everything: Content migrated in compatibility mode
- This list is as of Washington Start. Via store app updates we now support or will in the next
cascading filters (already out) custom filters (coming via a backport likely to WP7 and won't require a migration) Pareto (coming in August Store)
Question 8: Currently on Vancouver and are planning to move to Washington DC in the near future. Two questions.
- When will the move to PA from dashboards be required
- I have looked and cannot find where the tools are to migrate dashboards and other elements
Answer 8: 18:34
Question 9: The security and roles needed for Platform Analytics are not clear. After we migrated to a lower environment, users did not have access to their reports and dashboards, and Platform Analytics automatically. What settings/roles/security are needed for users to access Platform Analytics and their existing reports and dashboards and create new ones?
Answer 9: You can check the roles here: Platform Analytics Roles
Question 10: Since the daily collection jobs run in the middle of the night and pick up data for the last day, is there a way to make sure that actual widgets, especially scores display the values in real time on the dashboards?
Answer 10: 21:42
Question 11: The partial migration from the migration-center does not make the auto-redirect from the old dashboard to the new dashboard in platform analytics experience?
Answer 11: No it does not.
Question 12: We're testing out the platform analytics migration center with our power users. They're seeing their migrated dashboards lose all list report widgets migrated to Simple List visualizations, but losing all grouping (group by) configurations. They also cannot set back up their configuration as Simple List is only allowing one "Group by" setting, unlike other visualizations. Are these expected behaviors? (Migration dropping list configurations, and unable to reproduce list config in Platform Analytics)
Answer 12: We are aware of the feature gap with group bys on Lists, I believe additional group bys are on the list and we are working on getting the list team to fix this gap. I am not sure of a timeline yet.
Question 13: Oh snap. So I've got a problem I've been working on. my company is an international company and has a requirement to show KPIs by support region. How do I create Dynamic default Breakdowns for all PA formula indicators on a dashboard to only show results for the viewers' support region? We do not use Domains today in our instance.
Answer 13: 23:09
ServiceNow Documentation: Control ability to view breakdown elements
Question 14: What indicates a "full rollout"?
- Does it count only if the option is selected in migration center or it also happens when everything is migrated after a series of partial migrations?
Answer 14: A Full rollout is technically counted as when our unified analytics system property is set to true which removes access to all Core UI content. This property also enabled redirection, hides the menu items, etc.
Question 15: Why in SN when you export a report in excel format, and let's say the export is 5MB, if you export the report as CSV format, the file size is at least double the size?
Answer 15: Honestly have no idea, export to Excel does not go through code paths we own in-platform analytics. So sadly I won't be able to provide an answer though it's a really interesting question.
Question 16: Is there a way to send a notification about a KPI signal instead of having it only on the KPI details tab? Or should we check that table, log an event....etc?
Answer 16: Yes, you can receive notifications about KPI signals, you would need to make yourself responsible and then you can configure how you want to receive notifications. Here is the documentation for more details: Configure signal notifications
Question 17: When the bulk migration happens, do all reports get migrated to visualizations? Do permissions carry over?
Answer 17: Yes, they all get migrated and permissions get migrated over.
Question 18: So is Performance Analytics still being licensed separately with these changes?
Answer 18: Yes, Performance Analytics is essentially a sub-product/capability within Platform Analytics.
Question 19: We have teams struggling to create dashboards around Project Status Reports and other similar concepts in Platform Analytics because those types of tasks contain Rich Text fields. Currently, there's no way to display those fields in PA without it showing the backend HTML tags (whether via Simple List or any other visualization). There had been some conversations with our business and ServiceNow about this last year, and it was thought there may be potential improvements around this on a release this year. Has any headway been made on this, or is anything planned around displaying rich text fields in PA?
Answer 19: 27:47
Question 20: I'm currently going through the Application Specialist certification coursework. With the new Dashboard Migration will I have to re-take the training I'm currently taking?
Answer 20: 32:55
Question 21: Actually, I was referring to sent an email notification, would that be possible?
Answer 21: 34:29
Question 22: How can a message such as "This is a migrated content block. Behavior may be different than expected" be dismissed after migration? The content block appears as expected once migrated other than the error message.
Answer 22: In the dashboard, click edit, click the component, and then in the configuration panel on the right there is a flag “Hide Warning Messages” which if true makes that message disappear.
You can then save the dashboard
Question 23: What is the difference between setting property "com.glide.par.unified_analytics.enabled" - to true and Running a Migration Center (Full). I understand the result will be same?
Answer 23: 35:45
Question 24: My first time here, so not sure this right venue to ask this... in PA, I have indicators based on assessment surveys that I report based on the results. How do I create a breakdown on the 'metric definition' or 'string value' that is in the asmt_metric_result table? Neither one is a choice field, so I'm struggling to create a BD source.
Answer 24: 36:45
Platform Analytics Academy: Simplifying Reporting on Surveys
Question 25: Is it restricted to create breakdowns on String Fields?
Answer 25: 42:23
Question 26: Could you please post a link here to an article explaining how to email scheduled report only to the users that are displayed on that report? For example, the managers of inactive users who created reports before they left.
Answer 26: 45:54
Question 27: You can add an image source to the Platform Analytics Dashboard. Is it possible to make it clickable leading you to an external link? I have been checking the image sources property and hoped to configure it there but it's not easy or not even possible. I don’t know, my technical knowledge is not great. We are currently solving this with HTML text and putting in URL there. but the business is more happy with pictures.
Answer 27: Not from the dashboard, unfortunately. We will be allowing to click on URL from other ‘widgets’ being data visualization so do agree we should probably be consistent with the image widget as well. I’ll pass it along to the team. (obviously it is possible by creating the dashboard as a technical dashboards (which will bring you to UIB) and use the events there).
Question 28: Multi-Row Variable Set
Answer 28: 48:41
Question 29: I have the "Show real-time score" checked on the indicators but they are displayed as of July 9 on CIO dashboard. Am I missing something else? Is there a property that controls it?
Answer 29: 49:15
Question 30: Can a breakdown be created on a report function field?
Answer 30: 51:26
Question 31: Is there a roadmap for adding AI capability into Platform Analytics?
Answer 31: 53:04
Question 32: A couple of questions, just curious:
- Are there some roles missing/needed for Platform Analytics Workspace? The reason for the question is it seems some tables have good use (such as Task) that are hidden for users to select outside Admins.
- Should we be able to any CMDB Query Results tables in Platform Analytics Workspace? Noticed that not all u_cmdb_qb_result tables are available for selection that have resulted in reporting outside Workspace.
Answer 32: The roles can be found here: Platform Analytics Roles
- The user will also need to pass report view and report on ACLs on the individual tables.
- There is also a list of tables that do not allow reporting which can be configured here: Controlling access of reporting on system tables
- If you pass report view and on acls, it's not listed as a system table and you admin then please open a case with support for us to figure out why. Report access controls are here: Report_view access control
Prior Platform Analytics Academy Sessions by Year
Click on the year below for all Platform Analytics Academy sessions held that year.
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