Reporting on data from pro-code apps

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Reporting on data from pro-code apps

    ServiceNow customers creating pro-code applications often require reporting capabilities to analyze and act on application data. Reporting typically involves displaying data from fact tables such as Incident [incident] and tracking performance over time using KPIs in Performance Analytics. ServiceNow supports two main interfaces for reporting and data visualization: the older Core UI and the newer Platform Analytics technology.

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    Key Features

    • Core UI Reporting: Includes the Reporting application for data directly from tables and PA Widgets for Performance Analytics indicators. These can be placed on Core UI responsive dashboards.
    • Platform Analytics: Offers Data Visualizations that can report on data from any source and be placed on Platform Analytics dashboards with filters. This experience is built on the Next Experience UI Framework and is accessible to both developers and non-developers without UI Builder.
    • Terminology: "Reporting" and "report" typically refer to Core UI Reporting, while "visualization" or "visualize" refer to Platform Analytics data visualizations, aiding clarity between the two.
    • Performance Guidelines: Avoid reporting on large tables without filters, limit grouping by fields with many unique values, and address long load times by adding filters.
    • Scheduling Exports: Reports, visualizations, or dashboards can be scheduled for regular export and email delivery.
    • Dashboard Options in Platform Analytics:
      • Create dashboards and visualizations entirely within Platform Analytics (no developer role needed).
      • Develop visualizations in UI Builder for maximum customization, requiring developer skills.
      • Build dashboards in Platform Analytics and embed them in UI Builder pages using the Dashboard page template to combine ease and customization.
      • Create technical dashboards for UI Builder with features like sharing and detailed management.

    What Customers Can Expect

    By leveraging these reporting and visualization options, ServiceNow customers can effectively monitor application data, track KPIs, and create actionable insights. The choice between Core UI and Platform Analytics depends on familiarity, technical skill level, and customization needs. Applying best practices ensures optimal performance and usability. Scheduling capabilities enable automated distribution of reports, enhancing operational efficiency. Flexible dashboard creation options allow customers to tailor the user experience to their organizational roles and technical capacities.

    Most applications that you create have some level of reporting requirements. Reports should be actionable to drive change.

    "Reporting" generally refers to showing the data inside facts tables like Incident [incident]. You can also create key performance indicators (KPIs) to track changes in this data over time, through the Performance Analytics application.

    Currently the ServiceNow AI Platform® is in transition between two user interfaces for showing this information:
    • The older Core UI technology. This UI includes the Reporting application, which only shows data directly from tables, and PA Widgets, which show data from Performance Analytics indicators. Both reports and PA widgets can be placed on Core UI responsive dashboards. For more information, see Reporting, dashboards, and Performance Analytics in the Core UI.
    • The newer Platform Analytics technology. This UI includes Data Visualizations, which let you report on data from any source. These visualizations can be placed on Platform Analytics dashboards, along with Platform Analytics filters. For more information, see Platform Analytics experience.

      All Platform Analytics objects are rooted in the Next Experience UI Framework and are available to developers. However, a non-developer can still build their own objects through the Platform Analytics experience, without using UI Builder. For more information, see Platform Analytics experience.

    Note:
    Although "reporting" is a general term, this documentation usually uses "report" and "reporting" to refer to the Core UI Reporting application and "visualization" or "visualize" to refer to Platform Analytics data visualizations, for disambiguation.

    Follow these guidelines when building reports or data visualizations:

    • Creating reports or visualizations on large tables can negatively impact performance. Be sure to filter by a date range or other limiting criteria rather than showing all records on the table.
    • Grouping by fields that contain many possible values can negatively impact performance.
    • If loading a report or visualization gives a Long running transaction timer message, consider adding more data filters to reduce the load time.
    • If you need to export a report, data visualization, or dashboard on a regular basis, schedule the export and email.
    In Platform Analytics, you have several possibilities for showing multiple data visualizations on one page:
    • Create the data visualizations and the dashboards entirely inside the Platform Analytics experience. This approach does not require a developer role or special technical knowledge, and probably should be explored before you try a more complex solution.
    • Create data visualization components in a generic UI Builder page, along with filters and other components. This approach gives you the most freedom as a developer, but also requires the most configuration.
    • Create the data visualizations and the dashboards inside the Platform Analytics experience, but then place the dashboards inside UI Builder pages using the Dashboard page template. This approach lets you use the convenience and special features of the Platform Analytics experience to create dashboards, data visualizations, and filters in your own experiences/workspaces. This approach also gives you the freedom to customize the page configuration partially. For more information, see Creating Platform Analytics pages in your own workspace.
    • Create a technical dashboard and populate it inside UI Builder. This approach is almost the same as creating your own UI Builder page from scratch, but the dashboard is available in the dashboard library, has dashboard details, and can be shared like other dashboards. For more information, see Technical dashboards.