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sourceDocument: Zurich Platform Analytics
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/now-intelligence

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    - zurich

ft:locale :

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ft:publication_title :

    - Zurich Platform Analytics

ft:clusterId :

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---

# Indicators

# Performance Analytics
indicators {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Zurich
* 
* Updated July 31, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Indicators (KPIs) define a performance measurement taken at regular intervals of a business service, an activity, or organizational behavior. These performance measurements result in a series of indicator scores over time.

Watch this six-minute video to learn more about the different kinds of indicators and how to create them.
Key characteristics of indicators include:

* Indicator scores can be generated automatically from a set of records defined in an [indicator source](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/zwkjt8wNk53iiqV1IWV_HQ#gloss-indicator-source "Defines sets of records from a ServiceNow table or database view that have a common characteristic, for example, that the Priority field value is critical. Indicators use indicator sources to calculate scores. Indicator scores are KPI values. Indicator sources specify a table, filtering conditions, and the frequency for collecting data."), entered manually, or calculated from other indicators.
* Indicator scores can be viewed or analyzed in Platform Analytics data visualizations and KPI Details. In the Core UI, view them in the Analytics Hub or in widgets on dashboards.
{#c_Indicators__ul_indicator-key-char}

Indicators that are based directly on indicator sources are the most common type of indicator. These indicators are named automated indicators. Indicators that are calculated in a formula from the scores of other
indicators are called formula indicators. Indicators whose scores are entered manually are called manual indicators. Manual indicators are meant to be used primarily for testing purposes. Lastly, as an
advanced feature, you can create an indicator from an external data source.

For an example of an indicator, see the Number of open incidents automated indicator that is provided in the base system. This indicator measures the number of incidents that are open each day and saves these numbers over time. You can examine its indicator scores in KPI Details or the Core UI
Analytics Hub. If you have the pa_power_user role, you can see the indicator record under Automated indicators and navigate from that record to the indicator source.
**Related concepts**   

* [Automated indicators](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kt2HUROPmbKl89tinCWZSA "An automated indicator uses an indicator source as its data set. The indicator source specifies a table or database view, conditions for filtering records from that source, and the frequency at which you expect to display the data. The indicator applies an aggregator and optional conditions to this data.")
* [Formula indicators](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8386DssE8Zg4j1lobbsxsA "Formula indicators use data from other indicators to calculate new metrics.")
* [Using Performance Analytics with external data](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ql3Gm4PIcx7IJ9Q2Ag_OJQ#pa-external-data "Performance Analytics on external data sources enables you to perform detailed analysis on data that is not in your ServiceNow instance.")  
**Related tasks**   

* [Manual indicators](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/QbgN6y8meBKs7hzK7KJL7w "Manual indicators do not use scores collected from a database. Manual indicators are typically used for data that cannot be retrieved from the ServiceNow instance because it comes from an outside system, such as customer data from a third-party sales system.")