Performance Analytics Advanced - Pre Conference Training Chat

[anna_scheib]

Course: Performance Analytics Advanced
Dates: May 6 & 7
Room: Veronese 2501AB/ 2502
Primary Instructor: Vincent Loffeld

This forum is for the Knowledge18 Pre-Conference Training of Performance Analytics Advanced.

Post a personal introduction, communicate with your classmates, and ask questions to our staff.

Please post comments and questions via the Comment link below.

[xianoh]

Welcome to Performance Analytics Advanced Training at K18!!

Feel free to post questions, introductions, and communicate with fellow classmates, the instructors, and staff. 

BREAK TIMES & LUNCH 

9:45 - 10:00am Morning break

Noon - 1:15pm Lunch (HALL G) 

2:30pm - 2:45pm Afternoon break

[xianoh]

HERE ARE SOME DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR LAB 1.1

(In case you need it). 

[Vincent Loffel1]

To register for an instance: https://pctt2023-001-instructor.lab.service-now.com/instance_reservation.do 

[blakemolmen]

Here is a link to the KPI Library if anybody was looking for it:  http://kpilibrary.com/

[xianoh]

Performance Indicators understanding through KPIs

A Beginner's Guide to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

[Vincent Loffel1]

When you're having trouble with Lab1.1, you can use the attached step-by-step guide to create the indicators and breakdowns.

[Lisa Holenstein]

AFAIK, multiple datasets and drill-downs are available in the basic PA since Jakarta, you don't need PA Premium for that. Database Views are available too.

[Liliana Dimitro]

This has been most helpful! Thank you!

Could you please post the one for the current lab? 

[arteevieburch]

is there a detailed guide for each Lab?

[Liliana Dimitro]

I was wondering the same thing ~ I there a detailed guide for each lab? Can you please share it?

[xianoh]

There currently is no detailed guide for each lab.  However, the lab verifications at the end will help you "figure it out" 

This is another reason, it is imperative that you have had PA Fundamentals or you have used PA with some in-depth experience. 

[Tracy Davis]

do you need PA Admin to do the add'l data sets and drill down? Or is that available to ITIL users?

[Logan M_]

Tracy - an ITIL user can add additional data sets to their reports. Admin / PA Admin not required.

[xianoh]

Actually, with Report Admin you can do the additional data sets and drill down.  As well as PA Admin. 

[pieter_goris]

There are a couple of properties related to the excel file as report source that you can set

•Import limits are set on max file size, row & column count

–Maximum file size: 2MB (MAX_IMPORT_TABLE_FILE_SIZE, "2")

–Row count: 10000 (MAX_IMPORT_TABLE_FILE_ROWS, "10000")

–Column count: 25 (MAX_IMPORT_TABLE_FILE_COLUMNS, "25")

•The maximum number of imports is determined per instance, not per user or role.

–By default this is set to 100 (MAX_IMPORT_TABLES, "100")

All these properties are defaults, can be changed by a System Admin

[sarahebert]

When using multiple data sets on a graph is there anyway to specify the order the lines appear on the graph?

Example:In our New Incidents Problem report we built in Lab 2.2 what If i wanted the Problem data set on the top of the Incident line

[xianoh]

I think you would do that in the order that you want it to be shown.  Meaning in the report structure.  Do Problem as the base report followed by the data sets in the order of how you want it displayed. Because in the lab, you had Incident as the base followed by change and problem.  

I hope that makes sense. 

[sarahebert]

It does.  Is it possible to re-order the data sets once they are built?  Or do you have to rebuild them in the correct order?

[ESchultzFX]

Do filters also execute in the order entered?  Is it best practice to apply the filter that limits the data-set the most first?

[xianoh]

If you look at the screenshot below you can delete the data set and re-order or recreate it.  As for the base report, you would need to create a new one for it to be in the first position. 

[xianoh]

Good question, remember we love condition building in ServiceNow.  Thus, whatever filters you create 1st to last are executed in that fashion.  In terms of best practice, it depends on your intent - do you want to limit the data to be smaller or are you trying to capture specific data set.  Whichever your end goal is, I suppose. 

[dwilcher]

Regarding dashboard and widget/report loading:

1) is there any way to control the order widgets are loaded?
2) Is there any control on dashboards on how many reports/PA widgets can be loaded/rendered simultaneously?

[xianoh]

1) Are you asking if you can manage the widgets in the dashboard? Yes absolutely.  Go to Dashboards and then look for the configuration settings to the right side and you configure which widgets and where they are placed. 

2) The max number of items on the PA Dashboard with the largest configuration template is 4 x 4 = 16 items. 

[xianoh]

But in all completeness, I guess you could have more if you sized them really really small.  Remember you may not be able to see anything. LOL. 

[dwilcher]

Currently you can used the multi-select interactive filters on dashboards. Example: where [ASSIGNMENT GROUP] is one of [TEAM1, TEAM2, TEAM3].

Do we know if SN has plans in the near future (or is there already a way) for PA to support having a Breakdown Dashboard where the dashboard breakdown supports more than one selection?

[dwilcher]

Sorry, I mean actually configuring how the widgets themselves are loaded when the dashboard is first opened. 

1) So for this one, some way to set an on-load render/load priority to specify which widgets the system should process first?

2)  For example, if I have a "heavy" widget with a complicated query/dataset, can I configure a dashboard to load "lighter" widgets simultaneously rather than pausing while it loads the single heavy widget and then loading everything else after that?

Basically just looking to see if we have more granular control over how SN loads/renders a complex dashboard.

[xianoh]

As far as I know, Not at the moment.  But I will ask.  Remember with breakdowns you can only go two levels down.  

[xianoh]

I don't know about that level of granularity in terms of control.  I'll check docs and community...but off the top of my head I don't think so. 

[dwilcher]

That would be awesome, thank you!

And, right, we run up against the two-breakdown limit when trying to use a Breakdown Dashboard + Workbench Widget w/ Breakdowns. 😞

[dwilcher]

Fair enough! Thank you!

[Theresa Hitch1]

Can you add an imported excel sheet to a multiple dataset report? 

[xianoh]

BREAK TIMES & LUNCH FOR MAY 7, 2018 Monday

9:45 - 10:00am Morning break

11:45 - 1:00pm Lunch (HALL G) 

2:30pm - 2:45pm Afternoon break

[xianoh]

You can import excel as a data source, which in turn can be used as a multiple dataset. 

[kburghard]

I pointed this out to one of the people in the room, but wanted to post it here as well.  On Page 201 where it references the API Reference Documentation it for Jakarta not Kingston....can you please post correct link when you can so we have the most up to date reference.

[xianoh]

Blacklisting vs Whitelisting articles

https://blog.finjan.com/blacklisting-vs-whitelisting-understanding-the-security-benefits-of-each/

https://dev.to/roesslerj/whitelist-testing-vs-blacklist-testing

[xianoh]

I didn't find a new Javascript Primer. But I did find this Kingston ServiceNow JavasScript API reference doc. 

[Bud_DuPlessis]

With Metric Instances, how is Business duration calculated?   Does it read the sys_calendar table or the cmn_schedule table to determine non-working hours?

[Bud_DuPlessis]

How do ACLs rank with respect to Whitelists and Blacklists?   Would the ACL be processed first?   I can see ACLs via Security Debug.   Is it possible to see a Black/white list in play via some debug tool?

[xianoh]

Bud, from what I read, it would be based on the cmn_schedule table and the duration of the system schedule applicable to incident and any SLA defined schedule. I'll look into it if I find anything different for Metric Instances.

[xianoh]

Again, from what I have read, WhiteList and BlackList are a type of ACLs (you are setting access control based on roles as well as configuring the Elements and condition) however, if there are any module/application or specific CRUD ACLs in place, they may override what exists in the WhiteList and BlackList. If all the conditions are met, then access may be granted.  if not, it will be a denial.  

[xianoh]

And in terms of seeing it in play, I am not aware of it in an Debug tool. 

[Tracy Davis]

why would you ever create an indicator this way (using a complex script) instead of just doing a formula indicator?

[xianoh]

Formula Indicators are great, but you never know if there is an outlier such as a metric instance with a field duration that you might want to capture, thus create a script. 

[xianoh]

Please don't forget to download the Knowledge 18 app and fill out the survey for this class.  

Download the Knowledge 18 App!

[jessed]

Hi everyone,

little piece of code here, useful for index indicator. Since you cannot retrieve the actual target of an indicator direclty into the formula in a standard way, you can do it by using a script:

Create a new script include (for example PAFormulaUtils())

And then create that function: 

getDynTarget: function(indicatorName, date) {

var target = new GlideRecord('pa_targets');

var targetValue = new GlideRecord('pa_target_values');

target.addQuery('active', true);

target.addNullQuery('owner');

target.addQuery('indicator.name', indicatorName);

target.query();

if(target.next()){

targetValue.addQuery('target', target.getUniqueValue());

targetValue.addQuery('target_at', '<=', date);

targetValue.orderByDesc('target_at');

targetValue.setLimit(1);

targetValue.query();

if(targetValue.next()){

return targetValue.value;

}

}

return;

},

This little function has to be call from a script include directly in a formula in that way for example:

new PAFormulaUtils().getDynTarget('Number of open incident', score_end)

"socre_end" is a variable that represent the current date of the score being calculated.

Note that if you had a target in the past, you must update the formula indicator record to launch the re-calculation.

[Slawek_Radziewi]

Which exactly knowledge Labs can we skip after this training ? 

Could you please give names? 

[xianoh]

I would say if you are taking this course avoid any 100 level labs.  But bear in mind, there are different experts and instructors teaching specific or "PA-centric" subjects which may be 200 or 300 level.   

Also, you may want to sit on any product roadmaps that may talk about what is to come. 

Sorry I can't be more specific. 

[pieter_goris]

A short description of the different PA and reporting labs:

PA 101: is for end users: how to work with dashboards and consume the info

PA 201: is for (new) PA admins, but pretty basic. Explaining how to get started with the OOB content packs, how to troubleshoot using diagnostics, spotlight, in-form analytics (module 9)

PA 202: is for process/service owners and PA admins and focusses on how to find the right set of indicators based on organizational objectives, non-technical

PA 301: for PA admins, advanced and pretty technical: everything you wanted to know about breakdowns (module 6)

PA 302: for PA admins, advanced and technical. Explanation of scores collection, index indicators (module 8), and indicators on metrics (module 7)

Reporting 101: for newbies

Reporting 201: a bit more advanced reporting

Reporting 202: all focused on Dashboards and interactivity (module 4)

Reporting 301: reporting admin: advanced reporting using database views, report ranges

Reporting 302: reporting admin: maintaining the reporting environment: dashboards to update sets, report statistics, report and dashboard performance, plugins, properties

[dwilcher]

Do you have any resources for using PA with timecard data?

[xianoh]

Check on Community and in our App store.  There may be specific apps for timecard reporting and data. 

I found this community link. 

https://community.servicenow.com/community?id=community_question&sys_id=86a24f21dbd8dbc01dcaf3231f96...