View Space Optimization metrics

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of View Space Optimization metrics

    The Space Optimization dashboard within Workplace Analytics enables ServiceNow customers to analyze workspace capacity and utilization trends to optimize the use of workspaces effectively. It provides insights into space availability, occupancy, and demand patterns, helping organizations make informed decisions about space management.

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    Prerequisites

    • Workplace Central application must be installed.
    • Workplace Space Management (snwsdspcmgmt) application must be installed.
    • Valid ServiceNow entitlements for Workplace Central, Workplace Space Management, and related store applications are required.
    • The scheduled job Workplace Analytics Space Management report data generation must be run initially to populate data for the dashboard.

    Accessing the Dashboard

    • Dashboard access requires one of these roles: snwsdspcmgmt.spaceplanner, snwsdspcmgmt.manager, snwsdrsv.manager, or snwsdcore.workplacemanager.
    • Navigation paths include: All > Workplace Central > Workplace Central or Workspaces > Workplace Central Reports.

    Key Features

    • Data Filtering: Customize reports by date range, region, site, campus, allocation, and workplace entity.
    • Allocation Types: Specify allocation types based on space utilization for active allocations during the selected timeframe.
    • Capacity Calculation: Based on total hours an active space is available for reservation, using defined office start and end times.
    • Utilization Calculation: Uses reservation times relative to workday hours, differentiating between employees with permanent seat allocations and those without.
    • Capacity vs Utilization Report: Visualizes available space versus occupancy, allowing reassessment of space assignments to optimize resources.
    • Peak Utilization Days Report: Shows average utilization by weekday to help prioritize resource allocation based on demand.
    • Space Utilization by Workplace Entity: Displays average capacity and utilization per workplace entity for targeted management.
    • Space Type Utilization: Compares average capacity and utilization across different space types to identify optimization opportunities.
    • Widget Customization: Widgets can be tailored using UI Builder to display metrics most relevant to organizational needs.

    Practical Benefits

    • Gain clear insights into space availability and usage patterns to reduce underutilized areas.
    • Adjust space allocation and sharing policies to maximize resource efficiency.
    • Identify peak demand days and allocate resources accordingly.
    • Use entity and space type-specific data to inform strategic space planning.
    • Refresh reports easily to access the most current data for decision-making.

    Recommended Actions

    • Ensure all prerequisites and entitlements are met before accessing the dashboard.
    • Run the scheduled job Workplace Analytics Space Management report data generation regularly to keep data current.
    • Use filtering and allocation settings to tailor reports to your organizational structure.
    • Leverage detailed reports to optimize space usage and improve workplace efficiency.
    • Customize dashboard widgets with UI Builder to focus on key metrics for your team.

    Use the Space Optimization dashboard Workplace Analytics to analyze space capacity and utilization trends to achieve optimal use of workspaces.

    Prerequisites for accessing the Space Optimization dashboard

    Accessing the dashboard

    To access the Space Optimization dashboard, you must have any of the following roles: sn_wsd_spcmgmt.space_planner, sn_wsd_spcmgmt.manager, sn_wsd_rsv.manager, or sn_wsd_core.workplace_manager.

    Access the dashboard using one of the following navigation paths:
    • All > Workplace Central > Workplace Central.
    • Workspaces > Workplace Central

    Reports

    The following default reports show data for the past year only. You can adjust the data range by using the available filters for Date, Region, Site, Campus, Allocation, Workplace entity.

    Allocation type [sn_wsd_core.ALLOCATION_TYPE] enables you to specify an allocation type based on space utilization. Only allocations that are active in the selected time frame are considered for the reports. For more information, see Allocate a cost center, department, or workplace entity.

    Filter data by Allocation type on the Space Optimization dashboard.

    For more information, see Allocation - types, setting, and impact.

    The Space Optimization dashboard also enables you to visualize data based on the Entity type. Manage space allocations based on the workplace entity to ensure proper space utilization.

    Space optimization dashboard showing headcount trends.

    For more information, see Map designated workspaces to user profiles.

    Capacity is calculated based on the following criteria:
    • Total capacity is the total number of hours an active space is available for reservation.
    • Capacity is calculated using the reservation properties Start time of the working day and End time of the working day.
    Utilization is calculated using the following criteria:
    • For employees with permanent seat allocation, space utilization is calculated using the reservation properties Start time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_start] and End time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_end].
    • For employees that don’t have a permanent seat allocation, space utilization is calculated from the total reservation time in day's work shift hours. The work shift or office hours is calculated from the Start time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_start] and End time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_end].
    • For example, if the office work hours are 9 hours and a meeting room is reserved for 11 hours, the total utilization in this case is 9 hours. The Start time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_start] and End time of the working day [sn_wsd_rsv.day_end] properties are used while calculating office hours. The unallocated hours in a day for a reserved space aren’t considered while calculating the total reservation time duration for a day or a multi-day reservation. The reservation property for office hours is set in ( > All > Workplace Reservation Management > Properties.
    Capacity vs utilization

    This report facet displays the available space resources versus its occupancy.

    Benefits:
    • Select the more options icon (More options icon to refresh the report.) to refresh the report.
    • Insight into the space availability versus the occupancy trend.
    • Enables you to reconfigure your space assignments and space optimization to achieve optimal resource utilization.
    • A desk can be shared by multiple workplace entities.

      For example, a seat or desk is shared by user A and user B. If user A reserves the seat, the application checks the workplace entity of User A and calculates the space utilization and capacity ratio.

    • Select a report facet or card and double-click to see the details.
    Peak utilization days

    This report displays the average utilization for days of the week.

    Benefits:
    • Select the more options icon (More options icon to refresh the report.) to refresh the report.
    • Insight into the space utilization for the days of the week.
    • Enables you to prioritize resources according to the demand.
    • Select a report facet and double-click to see the details.
    Calculation:

    Average utilization = [Total utilization in hours for a weekday/Number of spaces available for the week day]

    Space utilization by workplace entity

    This report facet displays the average capacity and average utilization based on the workplace entity.

    Space utilization by workplace entity metrics.

    Benefits:
    • Select the more options icon (More options icon to refresh the report.) to refresh the report.
    • Select the Allocation tab in the Filter by options and allocate by different workplace entity.
    • Select Entity type in the Filter by options and select a workplace entity to view the space utilization metrics for a selected entity.
    • Compare the set of data for average capacity and average utilization for a workplace entity.
    • Select a report facet and double-click to see the details.
    Calculation:

    Average capacity by workplace entity = [Total capacity in hours for a workplace entity/Number of spaces available for a workplace entity]

    Space type utilization

    This report facet displays the average capacity and average utilization for a space type.

    Benefits:
    • Select the more options icon (More options icon to refresh the report.) to refresh the report.
    • Compare data for average capacity and average utilization for a space type.
    • Add or remove space types to achieve the optimal space optimization.
    Calculation:

    Average capacity by space type = [Total capacity in hours for a space type based on the office hours/Number of spaces available for a workplace entity]

    Customizing widgets

    You can customize the widgets to display relevant metrics by using the UI Builder. For more information, see UI Builder tutorial.