Create a time series visualization in the Visualization Designer

  • Release version: Washingtondc
  • Updated February 1, 2024
  • 7 minutes to read

    • Show changes in data over time. Use different time series charts to emphasize different aspects of the data, such as trends or individual values.

    Before you begin

    Role required: Anyone with access to data can create a visualization of that data on a dashboard that they own. Users with the itil, report_user, admin, or viz_creator role can create a visualization in the Visualization Designer. If you create a visualization in the Visualization Designer, it is saved to the Library. For more information on access, see Report_view access control and Platform Analytics roles.

    About this task

    A time series is an ordered sequence of metrics taken continuously over time. The following business cases are some of the uses of a time series:

    • Identifying trends, patterns, and outliers in data.
    • Identifying turning points, such as whether a change in policy led to a change in indicator scores.
    • Evaluating the relationships between data sources.

    When you are selecting a visualization for a time series, consider whether you want to emphasize the trend in the data or specific changes in the data. Also consider whether you want to show one data source or compare several related data sources.

    For information about the use of a Time series visualization in a dashboard, see the Developer Site. This site gives information about Time series data visualization components in the UI Builder, and some configuration options may differ from the Visualization Designer.

    For an example of creating a time series visualization, see Time series visualization example.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations.
    2. Select New.
    3. Select one of the chart types in the Time Series section.
    4. Configure the Header and border. Header and border options are the same for all data sources.
      Header and border fields Description
      Show header The visualization header, including title and icons.
      Show header separator Option to display a line separating the header from the rest of the component.
      Chart title Title of the visualization.
      Description A short overview about the visualization that the end user sees.
      Wrap title Option to wrap long titles onto a second line. If false, displays an ellipsis to truncate long titles.
      Show border Option to display a line around the component.
      Bare Option to remove padding around data visualization to provide more compact positioning on the page. Only available when Show border is turned off.
    5. Choose a data source.
      For general descriptions of the data sources, see Data sources for data visualizations.

      • Table (available in the base system). When you select a table, you can filter it by custom or preconfigured conditions. Custom conditions can include questions or Service Catalog variables.

        Configured report sources appear in the Predefined conditions list. For more information, see Report sources.

        To help you create a custom filter, there is a preview list of records that would be included in the visualization. You can change which fields are shown as columns and the width of columns in the list actions.
        Preview record list for table source data visualization with list actions shown.
      • Indicator (available in the base system). You can select breakdowns and breakdown elements to filter the indicators.

        If an element filter is set on the breakdown source, that element filter is available in the elements field. However, data visualizations support element filters only for automated indicators with the Count, Minimize, or Maximize aggregations. For more information, see Element filters.

      • MetricBase (available if MetricBase is enabled). When you select a MetricBase data source, you have the option of constructing a custom filter for it using conditions and related list conditions, as with Table data sources.
      • Usage Insights (available with the User Experience PAR Integration application, to users with a required role). Choose one of up to three KPIs included with this application, depending on the visualization type. For more information, see User Experience Analytics data sources for visualizations.
      Note:
      You can select multiple data sources for this visualization, but they must be of the same type: table, indicator, Usage Insights, or MetricBase. For more information, see Multiple data sources.
    6. Select the options for your data source.
    7. Under Presentation, provide display and color information.
      Field Description
      Display settings: Each chart type, such as Area and Column, has a different set of display settings. See Display settings for different time series charts.

      Y axis
      Hide axis Option to hide the primary axis.
      Primary axis title Title to display on the vertical axis of the visualization.

      This property applies only when Hide primary axis is false.

      If there is more than one Y-axis, you have additional axis titles, representing the properties yAxis1Title, yAxis2Title, etc.

      Add a Y-axis scale for a metric in the More options menu for the metric.
      Axis range - from Starting point for the values on the primary axis.
      Axis range - to End point for the values on the primary axis.
      Show grid Shows a grid of fine lines perpendicular to the primary axis, to help align values against that axis.
      Axis style Style of the primary axis.
      • Clean clean: Adds a straight line to the primary axis.
      • No tick lines noTicks: Option to remove all marks from the primary axis.
      • Standard default: Adds a line and tick marks to the primary axis.

      This property applies only when Show grid is true.

      X axis
      X axis title Title to display on the horizontal axis of the visualization.

      Show grid

      When turned on, grid lines appear on the chart.

      Legend
      Show legend Option to display the legend. Activated automatically at 400% zoom.
      Show legend value Option to display the value corresponding to the area of the chart you hover on. The value displays as a tooltip and in the chart legend.
      Legend position Legend location relative to the chart: Above, Below, Right, or Left
      Horizontal alignment

      Horizontal alignment of elements in the legend: Start, Center, or End
      Max legend item width, px

      Number of pixels after which the item in the legend is truncated.
      Expand legend vertically

      When turned on, the legend contents take as much space as needed to fit the legend without scrolling, instead of the maximum 2 lines.

      Data label
      Show data labels Option to display the score for each data point.

      Colors
      Set color type
      Type of color scheme to apply to the component. Options include:
      • Default: A color or set of colors that come from the UX Theme that is applied to the instance. For more information, see Working with themes in Next Experience.
      • Color palette: List of color palettes to select from predefined system palettes in the Chart Color Scheme [pa_chart_color_schemes] table. For grouped or stacked data, the colors apply in order from highest value to lowest. For multiple data sources, palette colors apply in the order of data sources. For example, the first color of a palette applies to the first data source, and the second palette color applies to the second source. All visualizations that use the same color palette show the same colors, regardless of what data they display.
      • Fixed element color: Use a specific color from the Chart Colors table [sys_report_chart_color] for each element. All data visualizations that use fixed element colors show the same element, such as critical incidents in the Global scope, in the same color.

        This option is available only for Table data sources and only if no more than one data source or metric is added, and a Group by is defined.

      Note:
      Single color is only available when no Group by is selected.
    8. Under Chart interaction, set what if anything happens when a viewer clicks a chart or a chart segment on the visualization.
      Field Description
      Allow chart interaction Enable an event to occur when a user clicks in a chart or one of its segments.
      Action
      Choose the event that occurs when a user clicks in a chart or one of its segments. Choices depend on the visualization type and data source. Applies only when Allow chart interaction is on. For more information, see Chart interactions in a data visualization.
      • Go to data view opens the records view in a Core UI list or KPI Details relevant to the associated segment or visualization. Records do not open in Workspace embedded lists.

        Not supported for Usage Insights data sources.

      • Go to URL opens the specified URL, which can be on the instance or external. You have the option of specifying a page name to appear in the tooltip, for those visualizations with tooltips.
      • Drill down to chart (Visualization Designer only) Opens a different data visualization that is filtered by the selected data. You can add a drill-down visualization for each metric on the parent visualization.
        Note:
        The last level of drill down in the Platform Analytics experience is always a Core UI list. Records do not open in Workspace embedded lists.

        Drill down to chart supports only table data sources. It requires the latest Platform Analytics application from the ServiceNow® Store.
    9. Select Save.
      All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations to return to the Data Visualization list.

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