[Article] How to Create Dashboards in ServiceNow: Step-by-Step for Admins, Developers, and Analysts

[BillMartin]

ServiceNow dashboards let you see everything that matters in your IT Service Management at a glance. Powerful visualizations help you track incidents, key performance indicators (KPIs), and trends. If you work as a ServiceNow admin, developer, or business analyst, knowing how to create dashboards in ServiceNow isn’t just a bonus skill—it’s essential for making informed decisions and showing real results.

In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to create dashboards in ServiceNow and set up data visualizations that deliver actionable insights. You'll also get tips to avoid common mistakes and make your dashboards both useful and impressive.

 

Why ServiceNow Dashboards Matter

A dashboard is more than just a colorful chart. Think of a dashboard as your car’s control panel—it shows your speed, fuel, and alerts all together so you can act fast. In ServiceNow, dashboards bring together reports and metrics in one place so you can:

• Track incidents in real-time
• Spot trends before they turn into problems
• Share results with your team or leadership

Dashboards save time and help you see the big picture. They also help leaders make smarter decisions based on real data.

Getting Started: Accessing Platform Analytics in ServiceNow

To build powerful dashboards, start with the right tools. ServiceNow offers everything you need inside its Platform Analytics application. Whether you’re using a production environment or a Personal Developer Instance (PDI), the process is the same and is accessible for anyone familiar with the platform.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Log in to ServiceNow (use your PDI if you're testing).
2. In the application navigator (top left corner), type platform analytics.
3. Under Platform Analytics, you'll see Library and Dashboards—these are your main entry points.

You'll also find modules for Data Visualizations, Filters, and Scheduled Exports. Explore these as you grow more comfortable, but for now, we’ll focus on Dashboards and Visualizations.

Creating a New Dashboard in ServiceNow

A dashboard in ServiceNow acts as your blank canvas. You can customize it to suit any need, from tracking open incidents to monitoring overall company performance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Dashboard

1. Click Dashboards under the Platform Analytics application menu.
2. In the content frame, you’ll see out-of-the-box dashboards. These offer ready-made templates but we'll create one from scratch to learn every step.
3. Go to the top right and click Create New Dashboard.
4. Add a clear, meaningful name (for example, "Incident Management Demo Dashboard") and a description. A good description helps others understand the dashboard's purpose and saves confusion later.
5. For quick setup, you can copy your title into the description field. Don't skip this—future users will thank you.

 

Organize with Tabs

Inside your new dashboard, you’ll notice the option to add tabs. Tabs help you organize content. For example:

• First tab: Overview
• Second tab: Additional KPIs

T

o add tabs:

• Click the edit button next to the tab label.
• Type your tab’s name (like "Overview") and press Enter.
• Repeat for more tabs, such as "Additional KPIs."

Pro Tip: Click the Save button often. The inline editor doesn't auto-save, so don't lose your progress.

 

Adding Data Visualizations

You’ve made your dashboard skeleton. Now, you need data to bring it to life. Adding visualizations is the fun part—this is where your dashboard starts to show real results.

Add a Single Score Visualization

To track a simple metric like the number of open incidents, follow these steps:

1. Click Add New Element on your dashboard.
2. Choose Data Visualization from the available feature set.
3. Select whether you want to create:
   • A new visualization, or
   • Use an existing one

For beginners, start by creating a new visualization. As you get comfortable, explore saved visualizations to quickly build dashboards with reusable charts.

The Value of Widgets

Each dashboard can display multiple widgets—think of each widget as a different gauge or dial on your dashboard. For example, an incident manager might track open incidents, SLA breaches, or a 7-day running trend, all in one place.

Well-built dashboards help different roles (business analyst, director, manager) see what matters to them without clicking through tons of reports.

Setting Up Your Data Source: Performance Analytics and Data Collectors

Showing real data in your widget requires connecting your chart to a data source. In ServiceNow, this happens through Performance Analytics (PA) and data collectors.

How Data Collectors Work

A data collector job gathers information from ServiceNow tables then makes it available for your reports. For example, to show open incidents, ServiceNow pulls data from the incident table using a pre-built or custom collector.

To set up:

1. Go to the Data Collector section.
2. Search for incident using an asterisk (like *incident) to find all jobs that pull from incident tables.
3. Choose Performance Analytics Incident Historic Data Collection.
4. Execute the job (if it hasn’t already run). It collects the data needed for your reports. Wait a few minutes depending on your environment and data size.
5. Verify completion under the Job Logs tab—this ensures your data is ready for display.

 

Hooking Up Your Visualization to the Right Data

With your data now collected, return to your dashboard:

1. Search for available indicators or reports—look for something like Number of Open Incidents.
2. Many out-of-the-box indicators are already available in ServiceNow. You can recognize them by their category and icons.
3. Add your chosen source (indicator or report) to the visualization.

 

Setting Aggregates and Averages

To dig deeper, you can set aggregates like averages or maximums. For tracking incident volume over time, a 7-day running average is often useful. All of these aggregate options are available out of the box and can be set within the report configuration.

Select the desired aggregate, click Apply, and don’t forget to Save your changes as you go. If you encounter connection issues or are logged out, simply refresh and re-enter your data settings.

Customizing Your Dashboard’s Look and Feel

Once you have your widget showing the right data, polish your dashboard so it’s clear and professional:

• Rename the widget by heading to the header settings (example: "Open Incidents").
• Add a brief description for context.
• Use the Wrap Title feature to keep titles readable.
• Show metric labels for clarity.
• Adjust size and position of widgets to fit your layout.

Remember to keep saving as you make changes.

Quick Summary Table: Dashboard Customization Options

Customization How to Edit Purpose

Widget Title	Header & Border settings	Clear label for each metric
Description	Widget settings	Extra context for users
Metric Label	Additional Settings	Quick view on what’s measured
Widget Placement	Drag-and-drop on canvas	Optimize dashboard layout

 

Final Steps: Save and Share Your Dashboard

You're almost done! Once you've configured all your visualizations and are satisfied with the look, save your dashboard and exit the editor. Your incident management dashboard is now live, providing real-time KPIs and trend metrics to everyone with access.

If you want to improve even more:

• Add more widgets for other key metrics.
• Explore and use filters for dynamic dashboards.
• Check out scheduled exports to automate reporting.

Tip: Always test your dashboard with a sample user to confirm everything displays correctly.

Unlock the Full Power of ServiceNow Analytics

Congratulations! You now know how to create dashboards in ServiceNow that are both functional and visually appealing. This skill forms the foundation for performance analytics. It means you can drive better decisions, communicate results clearly, and stand out as someone who truly understands the value of data.

Building dashboards gets easier with practice. Mistakes help you learn—don’t hesitate to experiment with new visualizations and configurations. Each dashboard you create makes you more confident and valuable in your role.

To see every step in action and pick up extra tips, be sure to watch my video at the top of this post. You’ll get a visual walkthrough and see advanced options in real time.

Got questions or ideas for future tutorials? Drop them in the video comments! Don’t forget to subscribe and check out my full ServiceNow tutorial playlist for deep dives into administration, scripting, and analytics.

Start building your ServiceNow dashboards today and turn your data into real insight!

[PEKIOV · Accepted solution]

Thank you for such a simple, yet comprehensive introduction to ServiceNow dashboards. You are a fantastic teacher!!! 

[PEKIOV · Accepted solution]

Thank you for such a simple, yet comprehensive introduction to ServiceNow dashboards. You are a fantastic teacher!!! 

[BillMartin · Accepted solution]

I really appreciate your kind words! I'm glad you found the post helpful!