--- sourceDocument: Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/servicenow-platform Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities ft:clusterId : - platcap bundleId : - platcap workflow : - Platform --- # Self-Service Analytics concepts # Self-Service Analytics concepts {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) 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 Self-Service Analytics concepts The Self-Service Analytics framework in ServiceNow enables you to quantify the effectiveness of your self-service channels by measuringcase deflections. A case deflection occurs when a user's issue is resolved through self-service options---such as Knowledge, Communities, Catalog, or Virtual Agent---without creating a new case. This framework helps measure how well self-service channels prevent case creation, providing valuable insights into customer service efficiency. Show full answer Show less By default, this framework supports the Self-Service Analytics dashboard for Customer Service, but it can also be integrated into other applications that utilize the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework. It includes predefined configurations for common user entities like consumers and customer contacts, which you can customize for other user types. ## Key Features * **Activity Patterns:** Defined combinations of user activities (pattern elements and groups) expressed via regular expressions that lead to deflection outcomes. For example, viewing knowledge articles or submitting positive feedback. * **Deflection Outcomes:** Three possible results based on the user's activity and case creation: * **Confirmed deflection:** The user's self-service activity definitively prevented a case. * **Potential deflection:** The user viewed self-service content and did not create a case, but it is uncertain if the content prevented the case. * **No deflection:** A case was created despite viewing self-service content. * **Deflection Configuration:** Defines a time window to monitor if a case is created after self-service engagement. This window helps assign the correct deflection outcome based on user activity within that timeframe. * **Deflection Metrics:** Outcomes of matched activity patterns are stored in a transactional table (\[ssadeflectionmetric\]) that is populated by scheduled jobs, providing data for analytics and reporting. * **Activity Context and Groups:** Logical groupings of related user activities (e.g., Knowledge, Catalog, Communities) that form the basis for defining activity patterns and tracking interactions. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers Using Self-Service Analytics, ServiceNow customers can: * Accurately measure how effectively self-service channels reduce case volume. * Identify specific user activity patterns that correlate with successful deflections. * Configure deflection tracking to fit organizational needs, adjusting time windows and user entities. * Leverage out-of-the-box configurations for quick setup or customize for unique business scenarios. * Gain actionable insights through dashboards that help improve self-service content and customer experience. ## Next Steps To implement and tailor Self-Service Analytics, configure the components such as activity patterns, deflection outcomes, and deflection configurations according to your organization's self-service channels and user behavior. Monitor deflection metrics regularly to optimize your self-service offerings and reduce case creation effectively. You can quantify your self-service effectiveness by measuring case deflections. The Self-Service Analytics framework enables you to measure case deflection by defining user activity patterns for a deflection outcome. A case deflection is when you are able to provide a resolution using one of the self-service channels, such as Knowledge, Communities, Catalog, and Virtual Agent, to a user who intended to create a case and as a result, no case is created. By default, the Self-Service Analytics framework is used by the Self-Service Analytics dashboard for customer service. The framework can also be used in dashboards of other applications that use the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework. The system includes predefined configurations for the Self-Service Analytics framework components associated with consumers and customer contacts. You can also configure these components for other user entities. ## Self-service analytics components {#ssa-concepts__section_ifr_pht_ylb} Self-service analytics is based on the activity pattern associated with a deflection outcome. It consists of the following main components: * Activity pattern (see [Activity pattern components](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vLgTRpxW1ux2uNZZSzVkUg#ssa-concepts__section_a22_kcl_rlb)) * Deflection outcome (see [Deflection outcome components](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vLgTRpxW1ux2uNZZSzVkUg#ssa-concepts__section_k4v_l52_tlb)) {#ssa-concepts__ul_er1_53s_ylb} ## Activity pattern components {#ssa-concepts__section_a22_kcl_rlb} Activity pattern : A combination of pattern element, pattern element group, or both for a user entity such as consumers or customer contacts that is linked to an outcome. Each pattern element or pattern element group is implemented as regular expressions. Example: The activity pattern Contacts: Case: Confirmed Deflection is a combination of pattern element groups Self-Service: Helpful and Self-service actions: Optionally Many. Deflection outcome : An activity pattern can lead to a deflection outcome. See [Deflection outcome components](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vLgTRpxW1ux2uNZZSzVkUg#ssa-concepts__section_k4v_l52_tlb). Primary activity : The final activity that determines the outcome associated with an activity pattern based on whether it happens or not. Example: For the primary activity Customer created a case if the system does not find a match (that is a case was not created), the outcome Confirmed deflection is associated with the activity pattern Contacts: Case: Confirmed Deflection. Pattern element group{#ssa-concepts__pattern-element-grp} : A logical combination of two pattern elements, pattern element group, or both and how many times the combination occurs. For more information, see [Pattern element group components](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vLgTRpxW1ux2uNZZSzVkUg#ssa-concepts__section_wkt_bq2_tlb). ## Pattern element group components {#ssa-concepts__section_wkt_bq2_tlb} Pattern element group : A logical combination of two pattern elements, pattern element group, or both and how many times the combination occurs. Each pattern element group is implemented as regular expressions. The occurrence of the logical combination result is one of the following types: * Once * Optionally Once * Optionally Many * At Least Once * Range {#ssa-concepts__ul_pwq_1s2_tlb} Example 1: In the following table, the Knowledge engagements once pattern element group is true when it occurs only once and either Article viewed once is true or Article marked with positive feedback once is true. {#ssa-concepts__table_tlt_md1_4lb__entry__5} | Pattern element group | First Element | Second Element​ | Operator | Occurrence​ | |-|-|-|-|-| | Knowledge engagements once | Article viewed once | Article marked with positive feedback once | Or | Once​ | [Table 1. Pattern element group example 1] {#ssa-concepts__table_tlt_md1_4lb} Example 2: In the following table, the Self-service engagements optionally many pattern group is true when engagements either have not occurred or have occurred multiple times and either the Knowledge or catalog engagements once is true or the Communities or virtual agent engagements once is true. {#ssa-concepts__table_syw_m3w_nlb__entry__5} | Pattern element group | First Element | Second Element​ | Operator | Occurrence​ | |-|-|-|-|-| | Knowledge or catalog engagements once | Knowledge engagements once | Catalog engagements once | Or | Once | | Communities or virtual agent engagements once | Communities once | Virtual agent engagements once | Or | Once | | Self-service engagements optionally many | Knowledge or catalog engagements once | Communities or virtual agent engagements once | Or | Optionally Many | [Table 2. Pattern element group example 2] {#ssa-concepts__table_syw_m3w_nlb} Pattern element : Denotes a single activity type and how many times it occurs. Each pattern element is implemented as regular expressions. Example: The pattern element Article viewed once denotes that the activity Viewed a knowledge article must occur once. Activity type : An action that a user (consumer or customer contact) performs.Example: The activity type Viewed knowledge article occurs when a user views a knowledge article. ## Activity context components {#ssa-concepts__section_yq1_gq2_tlb} Activity context : A collection of activity groups a user might perform such as Catalog, Knowledge, Case, Communities, and Virtual Agent. Example: The activity context Contact is a collection of activity groups Catalog, Knowledge, Case, Communities, and Virtual Agent associated with the customer contact. Activity group : A logical grouping of activity types performed on the same object type such as a knowledge article, community answer, or customer service case. Example: The activity group Knowledge is a logical grouping of the activities Viewed knowledge article and Marked the article helpful performed on a knowledge article. Activity context group : An activity group that has been added to a context. ## Deflection outcome components {#ssa-concepts__section_k4v_l52_tlb} Deflection outcome : In the context of deflection, an activity pattern can lead to one of the following three outcomes: Confirmed deflection : The self-service content definitely prevented a case from getting created. Potential deflection : The self-service content was viewed and no case was created, but it's unclear whether the content is the factor that prevented the case from getting created. No deflection : A case was created after the self-service content was viewed. Deflection configuration : Associates a window (duration) with an activity context. The window defines how long a system will wait for a case to be created to match with a deflection pattern. Example: To track the create case activity for a consumer within a day, set the window as 1 day. * If the consumer created a case within that window, the deflection pattern matched is a No deflection. * If the consumer did not create a case within that window, the deflection pattern matched is a Potential deflection. * If the consumer did not create a case and the last activity is submitted positive feedback for any self-service channel content within that window, the deflection pattern matched is a Confirmed deflection. Deflection metrics : A transactional table that stores the outcome of matched patterns. By default, the scheduled job for Self-Service Analytics captures data and stores the generated data in the Deflection Metric \[ssa_deflection_metric\] table. Deflection pattern : Associates deflection configuration with an activity pattern. A deflection pattern is implemented as a table. **Related tasks** * [Configure Self-Service Analytics](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/YSQ8tb95cNfWAP5nRWqFxw "Configure the Self-Service Analytics framework so you can use the generated metrics in a dashboard.")