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sourceDocument: Australia Governance, Risk, and Compliance
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/governance-risk-compliance

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ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Governance, Risk, and Compliance

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# Compliance score calculation for a citation

# Compliance score calculation for a citation {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
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## Summary of Compliance score calculation for a citation

ServiceNow calculates a citation's compliance score using two main methodologies: the previous method and the current method, with an optional weighted control average feature.
Understanding these methods helps you accurately assess compliance based on citations, child citations, controls, and control objectives.
Show full answer Show less  

## Previous Method (Old Formula)

Before enabling the new property, the compliance score for a citation was calculated by averaging:

* The compliance scores of its child citations
* The compliance scores of its associated control objectives

For example:

* If a citation has no child citations and one control objective with a compliance score of 42%, the citation's score is 42%.
* If a citation has one child citation at 70% and one associated control objective at 42%, the compliance score is the average: (70% + 42%) ÷ 2 = 56%.

## Current Method (New Formula)

After enabling the new property, the calculation changes to:

**Compliance Score for a Citation = (Average of child citations + Average of directly linked controls) ÷ 2**

Key differences include:

* Control objective scores are no longer used directly.
* Compliance scores from **directly linked controls** (Level 1 controls under associated control objectives) replace control objective scores.

Example:

* If a citation has one child citation with a compliance score of 70% and four directly linked controls with scores of 100%, 0%, 100%, and 0%, average control compliance is 50%.
* The citation's compliance score = (70% + 50%) ÷ 2 = 60%.

## Weighted Control Average Option

When the **Use weighted control average when calculating compliance scores** property is enabled, controls' compliance scores are weighted based on their assigned weights rather than a simple average.

Example scenario:

* 3 controls linked via one control objective: 1 compliant (weight 100), 2 non-compliant (weight 10 each)
* Flat average compliance score = (100% + 0% + 0%) ÷ 3 = 33%
* Weighted average compliance score = (Sum of weights of compliant controls × 100) ÷ Sum of all weights = (100 × 100) ÷ 120 = 83.3%

This weighted calculation provides a more accurate reflection of compliance by emphasizing controls with higher importance.

## Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

* Understanding which calculation method your instance uses is critical for interpreting citation compliance scores correctly.
* The new method offers a more granular and direct measurement by focusing on controls rather than aggregated control objectives.
* Enabling weighted averages allows prioritization of controls based on importance, improving compliance risk assessments.
* Adjusting these settings aligns compliance scoring with your organizational policies and control frameworks for better governance insights.  
Two methodologies determine a citation's compliance score. The previous method
averaged
child citations and associated control
objectives.
The
current method
averages
child citations and directly linked
controls.

## Old formula (before enabling property) {#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__section_wyl_cnm_3hc}

    Compliance Score for a Citation = Average(Child Citations + Associated Control Objectives)

Under the old calculation method, a citation's compliance score is based on the following
factors:

* The compliance scores of its child citations
* The compliance scores of its associated control objectives.

{#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__ul_xyl_cnm_3hc}  
Example 1:

* If a citation has no child citations and is associated with one control objective that has a compliance score of 42%, then the citation's compliance score is 42%.
* The control objective's score (42%) comes from averaging its own controls (50%) and its child control objective's score (33%).
{#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__ul_kqb_fbx_b3c}  
Example 2:

* If a citation has one child citation with a compliance score of 70% and one associated control objective with a compliance score of 42%, then the compliance score is 56%, which comes from averaging 70% and 42%.
*

      Compliance Score = (70% + 40%) ÷ 2 = 56%

  {#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__codeblock_ull_gbx_b3c}
{#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__ul_jts_fbx_b3c}

## New formula (after enabling property) {#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__section_zyl_cnm_3hc}

    Compliance Score for a Citation = 
    (Average of child citations + Average of directly linked Controls) ÷ 2

With the new feature enabled, the compliance score calculation changes significantly:

* Control objective scores are no longer used.
* Instead, the calculation considers the compliance scores of directly linked controls (Level 1 controls).  
  Note:  
  Level 1 controls are the controls of the control objectives directly associated with the citation.

{#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__ul_azl_cnm_3hc}

Example:  
If a citation has one child citation with a compliance score of 70% and four directly linked controls with compliance statuses of 100%, 0%, 100%, and 0%, then average compliance score for controls is as follows:

    Average compliance score for controls = 
    (100% + 0% + 100% + 0%) ÷ 4 = 50%

Compliance score = 70% + 50% = 60%.

## Weighted control average {#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__section_ghn_ywl_jhc}

When the Use weighted control average when calculating compliance scores property is enabled, the compliance score of a citation changes.  
For example, consider the following scenario:

1. Controls associated to the citation through one control objective: 3
2. The status of the controls: 1 compliant, 2 non-compliant
3. The weights of each control:
   * Control A (Compliant) → **100**
   * Control B (Non-compliant) → **10**
   * Control C (Non-compliant) → **10**
{#compliance-score-calculation-for-a-citation__ul_yyf_fxl_jhc}  
If you consider flat average, the compliance score is 33%.

    Compliance score = (100% + 0% + 0%) ÷ 3 = 33%

If you consider weighted average, the compliance score is 83.3%.

    Compliance score = (Sum of weights of compliant controls X 100) 
    ÷ Sum of weights of all the controls
    So Compliance score = (100 X 100) ÷ 120 = 83.3%