Data types for assessments

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Data Types for Assessments

    This content outlines various data types available for assessments within ServiceNow, detailing how each type can be utilized in questionnaires and their corresponding functions. Understanding these data types enables users to effectively design assessments that gather specific information from respondents.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Attachment Assessment: Users can attach files to questions.
    • Checkbox Assessment: Users select a checkbox for statements, with scoring implications based on selections.
    • Choice Assessment: Users choose from a list of custom options, requiring metric definitions for answers.
    • Date Assessment: Users select a date.
    • Date/Time Assessment: Users select both a date and time.
    • Duration Script: Automatically populates duration values in the Metric Result form through scripting.
    • Likert Scale Assessment: Users select from a custom scale; templates can facilitate reuse of answer options.
    • Number Assessment: Users enter a numerical value; scripting populates relevant fields in the Metric Result form.
    • Percentage Assessment: Similar to Number Assessment, but for percentage inputs.
    • String Assessment: Users enter text, with field size varying by selected options.
    • Template Assessment: Users select from predefined answer options; requires prior template definition.
    • Yes/No Assessment: Users choose between Yes and No, with scoring adjustments possible.

    Key Outcomes

    By leveraging these data types, ServiceNow customers can create tailored assessments that capture diverse data points, enhancing the quality of feedback and insights gathered through their questionnaires. This structured approach ensures a more accurate analysis of user responses, aligning assessment results with organizational objectives.

    Metric data types have functions that depend on the method that you select.

    Table 1. Assessment data types
    Data type Compatible methods Description
    Attachment Assessment

    On questionnaires, users attach one or more files to a question.
    Checkbox Assessment
    On questionnaires, users select a check box next to a statement or leave it cleared.
    Figure 1. Check box
    Check box

    Set the Scale definition field to High if a selected check box equates to a good score.
    Choice Assessment On questionnaires, users select a value from a list of custom answer options. Create a metric definition for each answer option.
    Figure 2. Choice
    Choice
    Date Assessment On questionnaires, users select a date.
    Figure 3. Date
    Date
    Date/Time Assessment On questionnaires, users select a date and time.
    Figure 4. Date/Time
    Date/Time
    Duration Script When the script runs, the system populates the Duration value and Scaled value fields on the Metric Result form with the appropriate values from the actual_result and scaled_result variables in the metric script.
    Likert Scale Assessment On questionnaires, users select a value from a custom scale of answer options. Create a metric definition for each answer option, which is represented by a radio button on the scale. A Likert scale metric that evaluates an application's ease of use might have the metric definitions Easy, Average, and Difficult.
    If you want to reuse a series of answer options for multiple metrics, create a metric template and use the Template data type instead of the Likert Scale data type.
    Figure 5. Likert Scale
    Likert Scale
    Number Assessment, Script Assessment: On questionnaires, users enter a number.
    Figure 6. Number
    Number

    Script: When the script runs, the system populates the Actual value and Scaled value fields on the Metric Result form with the appropriate values from the actual_result and scaled_result variables in the metric script.
    Percentage Assessment, Script
    Assessment On questionnaires, users enter a number.
    Figure 7. Percentage
    Percentage

    Script When the script runs, the system populates the Actual value and Scaled value fields on the Metric Result form with the appropriate values from the actual_result and scaled_result variables in the metric script.
    String Assessment
    On questionnaires, users enter text. The size of the string field depends on the String option you select:
    Figure 8. String
    String
    Figure 9. String single line wide data type
    String single line wide data type
    Figure 10. Additional comments
    Additional comments
    Template Assessment On questionnaires, users select a value from a predefined series of answer options. There must be at least one template defined to use this data type. For a template, there is a template definition for each answer option, which is represented by a radio button.
    Yes/No Assessment

    On questionnaires, users select Yes or No from a list.

    Figure 11. Yes/No
    Yes/No

    Set the Scale definition field to High if selecting Yes equates to a better score.