Key Differences Between Performance Analytics and Platform Analytics in ServiceNow

[MURALIR20469232]

Hello Community 👋,

I’m exploring analytics capabilities within ServiceNow and wanted to share a brief comparison between Performance Analytics and the newer Platform Analytics features.

🔍Performance Analytics

• Focus: Business process KPIs (e.g., Incident, Change, Request)
• Features: Scorecards, dashboards, historical data collection, forecasting, threshold alerts
• Use Case: Strategic decision-making and service improvement

🚀Platform Analytics

• Focus: Unified analytics across the entire platform (not limited to ITSM)
• Features: Analytics Center, Data Visualizations (replacing widgets), system health insights, user behavior tracking
• Use Case: Cross-functional analysis, including platform usage and performance

Platform Analytics is not a replacement for Performance Analytics—it builds upon it. In fact, Platform Analytics encompasses Performance Analytics and can be understood in two ways:

• As a unified frontend for visualizing table data across various analytical applications
• As a combination of that frontend along with all supporting backend services

When creating visualizations in Platform Analytics, you select a data source—one of which can be an indicator, originating from Performance Analytics. Importantly, indicators aren't limited to ITSM tables; with the appropriate licensing, you can create and use indicators across HR, Financial Services, and other modules.

What’s being phased out is the older, standalone Performance Analytics frontend. Instead of building separate dashboard widgets and filters, users now rely on shared Platform Analytics visualizations and filters. That said, existing Performance Analytics visuals remain supported even after migrating to Platform Analytics. 

For reference:

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/yokohama-now-intelligence/page/use/par-for-workspace/concept/...

https://youtu.be/lUBDYMzkqkU?si=t-QPi69O0G2XlN9G

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkGSnjw5y2U6HotK0MQUbCrzVog_zBWat&si=YBC7QW4g4pKLuJXd

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkGSnjw5y2U4sdBCFzTHAos33zYCsB_Gj&si=13k_OQg1aqsEj_r4

Credits for additional content: @jeffrubinoff 

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Regards

Murali.K.V.R

[AndersBGS]

Hi @MURALIR20469232 ,

 please don’t post points of view like this. It couldn’t be more wrong and will mislead if any take your post seriously.

[MURALIR20469232]

Hello @AndersBGS,

Thank you for your feedback. If possible, please share your inputs so that I will edit the content. Also, if you fell like the content is wrong, let me know.

Regards,

Murali.K.V.R

[jeffrubinoff]

Platform Analytics does not replace Performance Analytics. Platform Analytics incorporates Performance Analytics. Platform Analytics can refer to two things:

• A new shared frontend for presenting table data and the data of various applications that analyze table data;
• That frontend and all supported backend applications

If you create a visualization in Platform Analytics, you see that you have to choose a data source, and that one of the possible data sources is an "indicator." That indicator comes from Performance Analytics.
Also, it is not at all true that you can only have Performance Analytics indicators for ITSM tables. It depends on the license that you have, but with the right license you can create and use indicators for HR data, Financial Services data, etc.
The part of Performance Analytics that is rendered obsolete is the old Performance Analytics separate frontend. You no longer create separate dashboard widgets and filters for indicators, but use common Platform Analytics data visualizations and filters. However, existing Performance Analytics visuals are still supported, even after migration to Platform Analytics. You shouldn't create new visuals with the old Performance Analytics tools, except I think on Service Portal.

[MURALIR20469232]

Hello @jeffrubinoff ,

Thanks for your input. Let's update the refined content. Please let us know if you fell the content needs to further enhanced. It's like the learning purpose only.