CIS-PA Questions and Answers

Performance Analytics Spotlightis a feature that provides aranked list of recordsbased onmultiple weighted conditions, helping users focus on the most critical records that require attention. Spotlight differs from traditional reports and time-series analytics because it evaluates records dynamically using scoring logic rather than historical aggregation.

Option A describes dashboard visualizations such as time series or scorecards. Option B refers to record views, not analytics. Option D describes Performance Analytics indicators, which track trends over time. ServiceNow documentation clearly defines Spotlight as a prioritization tool that ranks records using configurable rules and weights, making option C the correct and complete description.

TheDashboards modulein Analytics Center provides full lifecycle management forNext Experience Dashboards. Users with appropriate permissions cancreate, update, certify, share, and view dashboardsfrom this module.

Certification is an important governance feature that marks dashboards as trusted and production-ready. Sharing controls access, while update and creation enable continuous improvement. Viewing alone is insufficient for analytics governance. ServiceNow documentation clearly defines the Dashboards module as the central place for full dashboard management, making optionDthe correct answer.

Performance AnalyticsContent Packsprovide prebuilt indicators, breakdowns, dashboards, and jobs for specific applications such as Incident, Problem, or Change Management. To activate these packs, administrators navigate toPerformance Analytics > Add Content Pack. This interface lists all available analytics content packs and allows administrators to preview and activate them.

Option A refers to Solution activation, which is unrelated to Performance Analytics content. Option B is used for application plugins, not analytics packs. Option D does not exist as a valid navigation path for Performance Analytics. ServiceNow documentation explicitly identifiesPerformance Analytics > Add Content Packas the correct location to install analytics content, making option C the verified answer.

TheShow real-time scoreoption is available only fornon-scripted Automated Indicators. These indicators are based on standard indicator sources and conditions that can be safely recalculated on demand without scripting complexity.

Scripted automated indicators and formula indicators depend on stored historical values and custom logic, which cannot be reliably recalculated in real time. Manual indicators rely on user-entered values and also do not support real-time calculation. ServiceNow documentation explicitly limits real-time scoring to non-scripted automated indicators to preserve performance and data integrity. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Platform Analytics optimizes historical data collection by executingone query per indicator source per day, regardless of how many indicators reference that source. If 10 indicators share the same daily indicator source, the system executesonly one SQL query per day, not one per indicator.

Over a 30-day historical collection period, this results in30 SQL queries total. This optimization significantly reduces database load and improves performance. ServiceNow documentation explicitly highlights this behavior as a best-practice advantage of reusing indicator sources. Therefore, option C is the correct and documented answer.

TheIn-Line Dashboard Editoris designed primarily forbusiness userswho need to make quick, simple adjustments to dashboards without deep technical knowledge. It allows users to edit layouts, move widgets, and make basic configuration changes directly from the dashboard view.

System administrators and developers typically use the full dashboard configuration interfaces for advanced customization, scripting, or governance. External contractors are not a defined target audience for this feature. ServiceNow documentation emphasizes that the in-line editor empowers non-technical users to personalize dashboards safely and efficiently, making option A the correct answer.

To track how long an incident remains assigned to a specific group, the correct Metric Definition type isField value duration. This type measures the amount of time a record spends with a particular value in a specified field, such as assignment_group.

State change metrics track transitions between states, not time spent in a field value. Script calculations are used only when duration cannot be calculated through standard field tracking. “Assignment group” is a field, not a metric type. ServiceNow documentation specifies that Field value duration metrics are designed for tracking time spent in a given field value, making option A the correct choice.

In Platform Analytics, aBreakdownis used togroup or filter indicator scoresbased on specific attributes, such as priority, category, assignment group, or age ranges. Breakdowns allow users to analyze how different segments contribute to overall performance and to compare trends across those segments over time.

Breakdowns operate onindicator scores, not on raw report data. While reports can also be grouped or filtered, that functionality is separate from Performance Analytics. A Breakdown does not define the source table itself (that is the role of the Breakdown Source), nor is it merely a choice list. ServiceNow documentation clearly defines Breakdowns as a core analytics concept used to slice indicator data for deeper performance insight, making option D the correct answer.

When a Performance Analytics dashboard is opened, ServiceNow loadsonly the widgets configured on the currently active tab. Widgets on other tabs are not loaded until the user clicks those tabs. This behavior is intentional and supportsperformance optimization, especially for dashboards containing many analytics widgets or complex queries.

Widgets are not limited by view rules alone, and ServiceNow does not preload widgets from all tabs. Additionally, widgets that require scrolling are still loaded as long as they are part of the active tab. ServiceNow documentation confirms that dashboard widgets are loadedper tab, reducing unnecessary data processing and improving load times. Therefore, option A is the correct and documented behavior.

Fiscal Calendarsallow Platform Analytics to aggregate and visualize indicator data usingfiscal periodssuch as fiscal years, quarters, and accounting periods. This is essential for organizations that do not follow standard calendar years for reporting and performance measurement.

Gregorian calendars use standard date boundaries, while Business Calendars define working and non-working time for duration calculations. Timecard calendars are unrelated to analytics aggregation. ServiceNow documentation clearly states that fiscal period-based analysis is enabled through Fiscal Calendars, making optionBthe correct answer.

When a predefined filter condition is selected during data source configuration, Platform Analytics applies the filter immediately and displays it in the Conditions section, where it can be reviewed, modified, or extended. This allows administrators to start with a standard filter and refine it to meet specific analytics requirements.

The filter is not automatically saved for future use, nor does it automatically select the data source without user confirmation. ServiceNow documentation clarifies that predefined filters act as starting templates, not locked or persistent filters. Administrators retain full control to adjust conditions before saving the indicator or data source. Therefore, option D accurately describes the behavior.

Breakdown element securitydetermines which users are allowed to see specific breakdown elements (such as certain categories or values) when viewing analytics data. In Platform Analytics, this security is configured directly on theAutomated Breakdownrecord.

Automated Breakdowns include properties that allow administrators to defineelement-level access control, typically by specifyingrolesthat are required to view certain breakdown elements. This ensures sensitive analytics data is only visible to authorized users. The Breakdown Source defines how data is mapped and categorized but does not control visibility. Automated Indicators control score collection and aggregation, not breakdown element security. Manual Breakdowns are static and do not support dynamic element security in the same way.

ServiceNow documentation explicitly states that breakdown element security settings—such as restricting elements by role—are part of theAutomated Breakdown configuration, making option D the correct answer.

Historic Data Collection is designed to accurately reconstructpast indicator scoresbased on historical records. Indicators that rely oncalculated age values, such assummed age of open problems, cannot be accurately reconstructed because age is atime-relative valuethat depends on the exact moment of calculation.

Count-based indicators (options A, B, and D) can be recalculated historically by evaluating record states at specific points in time. However, summing age values requires knowing the precise age of each record at each historical interval, which is not reliably reproducible. ServiceNow documentation explicitly warns against using historic data collection forage-based and duration-sum indicators, making option C the correct exclusion.