Difference between revisions of "Reporting on ServiceNow Variables"

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===Step-by-Step: Adding a Variable to the List===
 
===Step-by-Step: Adding a Variable to the List===
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====Step 1: select the "variables" field====
  
 
To add a variable to the list, drag the "Variables" field from the list of fields to the Selected Fields below. This is depicted in the following picture.
 
To add a variable to the list, drag the "Variables" field from the list of fields to the Selected Fields below. This is depicted in the following picture.
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{{Template:TOC|Working with Lists|Pivot}}
 
{{Template:TOC|Working with Lists|Pivot}}
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====Step 2: select a variable name====
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After we drag the "Variables" field to the Selected Fields, the field settings dialog pops up. To display the amount of memory for the requested computer, we need to specify the variable name: "memory". We type that into the Variable Name field. A label (column heading) is automatically generated, but you can change it if you like.
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[[File:variables3.png]]
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That's all it takes to show the memory variables as a column in our list.
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====Step 3: repeat for any additional variable name====
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We go back to step 1 and select "Variables" again. The settings dialog appears (step 2) and this time we'll select the variable name "cpu_speed" and give it the label "CPU".
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[[File:variables4.png]]

Revision as of 23:15, 13 January 2014

Introduction

This page applies to list views using a ServiceNow data source.

Variables

ServiceNow has a special type of field called Variables. This field holds a set of multiple questions and answers.

Variables are commonly used in the Service Catalog. When a user makes a service request such as requesting the purchase of a new computer, they fill a form in which they answer questions such as the amount of memory required and the size of the hard drive. These questions and answers are placed in variables.

Variables may also be used in tasks such as incidents and in workflow. The name of the variables field in all these ServiceNow tables is "variables".

The Challenge with Variables in Reporting

Variables are not like normal fields. They hold multiple names and values (questions and answers). To list several variables in columns of a list, you need to select "variables" multiple times, each time selecting another variable name (question).

Support for Variables in Explore Analytics

Explore Analytics supports variables in List views. The following section shows an example of creating a list of Requested Items.

Using Variables in a List

To see how to use variables in a list, let's see an example, and then show how to create it. This example show Requests for computers. For each request, we show four variables (the last four columns in the list):

  • Memory
  • CPU
  • Hard Drive
  • Operating System

Requested items.png

Step-by-Step: Adding a Variable to the List

Step 1: select the "variables" field

To add a variable to the list, drag the "Variables" field from the list of fields to the Selected Fields below. This is depicted in the following picture.

Variables1.png

The variables field may be a direct field of the table, or may be a field of a related table as shown in the next image.

Variables2.png


Step 2: select a variable name

After we drag the "Variables" field to the Selected Fields, the field settings dialog pops up. To display the amount of memory for the requested computer, we need to specify the variable name: "memory". We type that into the Variable Name field. A label (column heading) is automatically generated, but you can change it if you like.

Variables3.png

That's all it takes to show the memory variables as a column in our list.

Step 3: repeat for any additional variable name

We go back to step 1 and select "Variables" again. The settings dialog appears (step 2) and this time we'll select the variable name "cpu_speed" and give it the label "CPU".

Variables4.png