Applying time series to result or to contributing indicators

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Applying Time Series to Result or to Contributing Indicators

    This guide explains how to apply time series aggregation to formula indicators in ServiceNow's Performance Analytics. Customers can decide whether to apply the time series to individual contributing indicators or to the final result of the formula, which can significantly impact the calculated outcomes.

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    Key Features

    • Apply Time Series to Result Option: Available in the Other properties tab of a formula indicator record, this option allows you to choose how time series aggregation is applied.
    • Default Time Series Application: The default time series applies only on the Analytics Hub and KPI Details, affecting the indicator's visualization if not explicitly selected.
    • Calculation Methods: If checked, the formula is evaluated first, and then the selected time series is applied. If unchecked, each contributing indicator is aggregated before the formula is resolved.

    Key Outcomes

    Understanding the difference between applying a time series to the result or to the contributing indicators can lead to varying insights. For example, a 7-day running average can be calculated either on the final percentage of new incidents or on the individual counts before finalizing the percentage. This allows you to tailor the analysis to your specific business needs and objectives.

    For a formula indicator, a time series aggregation can apply either to each indicator in the formula individually or to the formula result.

    Decide how time series aggregation apply with the Apply time series to result option. You can select or disable this option in the Other properties tab of a formula indicator record. This option applies to any time series aggregation you apply to the indicator in Core UI Performance Analytics widgets and Analytics Hub, or in Data visualizations in Platform Analytics. This option also applies to the default time series if one is set on the indicator.
    Note:
    • The default time series applies only on the Analytics Hub and KPI Details. If you do not select a time series aggregation on a widget or data visualization, the default time series does not apply.
    • For the setting to take effect on the Analytics Hub or KPI Details, you must choose a real aggregate, if the indicator does not have a default time series set. If the time series is just the indicator frequency (daily, weekly, and so on), theApply time series to result setting does not apply.

    When Apply time series to result is checked, first the formula is evaluated and then the selected time series is applied to the final result. When Apply time series to result is not checked, each contributing indicator is evaluated and the default time series is applied to it. Then the formula is evaluated. The results between the two settings can differ significantly. Neither setting is wrong, but you have to think carefully about what you are measuring before making your choice.

    Applying a time series to result compared to applying it to contributing indicators

    Consider the formula indicator "% of new P1 incidents". Every day this indicator calculates the percentage of new incidents that are Priority 1 - Critical:

    ( [[Number of new incidents > Priority = 1 - Critical]] / [[Number of new incidents]] ) * 100

    You decide that you want the result to display a 7-day running average by default on the Analytics Hub. In the Other tab of the indicator record, you select the 7d running AVG default time series. You apply the time series to the result. The Other properties tab of a Formula Indicator record showing Default time series and Apply time series to result fields

    In the resulting calculation, the formula is resolved for each day. Then the average of the result is taken for that day and the previous six days:

    ((New P1/All newDay 1 * 100) + (New P1/All newDay 2 * 100)+ … (New P1/All newDay 7 *100)) / 7

    You aren't sure if you want the 7-day average of the final result or the average 7-day average of each indicator. So, you copy the previous formula indicator, with the same time series, but with Apply time series to result unchecked. Now, the time series is applied to the Number of new incidents > Priority = 1 - Critical and Number of new incidents contributing indicators separately before the formula is resolved:

    (New P1Day 1 + New P1Day 2 + … New P1Day 7) / (All newDay 1 + All newDay 2 + … All newDay 7) * 100

    You plot both formula indicators in a time series widget to see the difference in outcome between the two settings. Because the default time series only applies on the Analytics Hub, you also add the 7d running AVG time series to the widget:Same formula applied to same data, but with a time series applied to each contributing indicator versus a time series applied to the result