Approaches to Performance Analytics with domain separation

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
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    Summary of Approaches to Performance Analytics with domain separation

    When using Performance Analytics with domain separation in ServiceNow, you can collect and manage domain-specific scores through different approaches: global, domain-specific, or hybrid. These approaches enable organizations with multiple domains to tailor data collection, administration, and visibility according to domain boundaries, enhancing data security and relevance.

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    Global Approach and Domain-Specific Scores

    • All Performance Analytics records (indicators, breakdowns, widgets) are maintained in the global domain.
    • Domain separation is applied during data collection via domain-specific data collection jobs configured with a Run as user that sets the domain context.
    • Data collection jobs collect and store scores per domain, and users see scores only for domains where they have access.
    • Rolling up scores from child domains to parent domains is automatic when only a Run as user is specified; domain configurations provide more advanced grouping options.
    • Only users with the paadmin role in relevant domains or global admins can modify domain-separated data collection jobs.
    • Platform Analytics Solutions use the global approach by default.
    • Domain configurations require the global approach and assist with complex domain management.

    Domain-Specific Approach

    • Performance Analytics records are created and maintained separately within each domain.
    • Domain users with the paadmin role can create and edit records only in their domain; child domain users can read but not edit parent domain records.
    • Domain-specific copies of records (e.g., indicators, indicator sources) must be created to customize domain-specific conditions and data.
    • Copying indicators or breakdowns between domains is facilitated by the "Insert and Stay with Relations" UI action, which also copies related breakdowns and exclusions.
    • Data collection jobs must be created per domain to collect scores for domain-specific indicators.
    • Some core Performance Analytics properties (starting with com.snc.pa) can only be set by global admins or paadmins.

    Hybrid Approach

    • This advanced approach combines the global and domain-specific methods.
    • Foundational records (e.g., indicator sources, bucket groups, scripts, filters) are managed in the global or parent domain.
    • Higher-level records like indicators and widgets are managed separately within each child domain.
    • It is recommended to implement either the global or domain-specific approach fully before adopting the hybrid approach.

    Copying Performance Analytics Records Between Domains

    ServiceNow provides the PADomainUtils API to enable administrators to move or copy Performance Analytics records across domains efficiently, supporting reuse and consistent configuration management.

    When using Performance Analytics with domain separation, you can collect domain-specific scores. You can use global or domain-specific Performance Analytics table records or even a combination of both.

    Global approach and collecting domain-specific scores

    You can keep all Performance Analytics records, such as indicators, breakdowns, and widgets, in the Global domain. In this case, you apply domain separation through domain-specific data collection jobs.

    To configure a data collection job to be domain-specific, add a Run as user to the job. The Run as user determines the domain context of where the data collection job runs. For more information, see Create or schedule a data collection job.

    You can also specify a domain configuration. Domain configurations are part of the Performance Analytics plugin for domain support, intended to help with complex domain management. For more information, see Associate a domain configuration with a data collection job.

    The data collection job collects scores against facts table records in the Global domain. The job also collects scores against records in the domains of the Run as user. The job stores the scores in the domain it collected them from. In data visualizations, a user sees only scores from domains they have visibility into.

    If you specify only a Run as user, scores from all child domains are rolled up to the parent. If you also specify a domain configuration, more options are available. For more information about options for collecting and rolling up child domain scores, see Grouping domains in Performance Analytics domain configurations.

    Only users with the pa_admin role who are members of one of the domains that the job collects scores for can modify domain-separated data collection jobs. Global users with pa_admin can modify any job.

    By default, Platform Analytics Solutions use the global approach.

    Note:
    Domain configurations require a global approach to domain separation. For more information, see Grouping domains in Performance Analytics domain configurations.

    Domain-specific approach

    By using domain-specific Performance Analytics records, you can grant the pa_admin role to domain users to create their own domain-specific components. Users, including administrators, can create and edit Performance Analytics records only within their domain. Users in child domains can read but not edit Performance Analytics records in a parent domain.

    You must create a domain-specific copy of a Performance Analytics record to use it in that domain. For example, to add a domain-specific condition to an indicator source, you must create a copy of the indicator and indicator source in that domain.

    You can quickly copy an indicator or breakdown and related data from a different domain. Use the Insert and Stay with Relations UI action on the Indicator or Breakdown forms. Any breakdowns, breakdown exclusions, or time series exclusion relationships are also copied. Any associated scheduled jobs are copied only if the Run as user for that job is the current user.

    To collect scores, create a new data collector job associated with the domain-specific indicators.

    Note:
    Domain users cannot set Performance Analytics properties that begin with com.snc.pa. Only users with the admin or pa_admin roles in the global domain can see or set these properties.

    Hybrid approach

    A hybrid approach keeps reusable, foundational Performance Analytics records such as indicator sources within the global domain or a parent domain. At the same time, administrators in other domains create domain-specific higher-level Performance Analytics records such as indicators and widgets.

    Note:
    The hybrid approach is an advanced option. Implement either the global or domain-specific approaches successfully before attempting to use a hybrid approach.
    When using a hybrid approach, foundational records should be managed only within the global domain or a parent domain. All other Performance Analytics records, such as widgets and indicators, should be managed separately within each child domain. The following record types are considered foundational records:
    • Bucket groups
    • Buckets
    • Scripts
    • Breakdown sources
    • Indicator sources
    • Filters
    • Breakdowns
    • Managed sources
    • Manual breakdowns
    • Breakdown mappings
    • Breakdown relations

    Copying Performance Analytics records between domains

    You can reuse Performance Analytics records in multiple domains. The PADomainUtils API provides functionality that enables administrators to move or copy Performance Analytics records between domains.