Data Export from Database Views Now Possible with Power BI and Tableau Connectors for ServiceNow

Alpha Serve feels honored to unveil a significant advancement in our Power BI Connector and Tableau Connector for ServiceNow. Our dedicated team at acSoft Inc., the United States subsidiary of Alpha Serve and a certified ServiceNow Build Partner, has successfully introduced a new feature - the capability to export Database View data directly to Power BI and Tableau. This revolutionary addition amplifies the capabilities of our connectors, presenting you with an unparalleled opportunity for comprehensive ServiceNow reporting.

We take great pride in our steadfast dedication to innovation, which enables us to provide our clients with priceless information, exceptional data accessibility, and a superior level of data analytics and business intelligence.

In ServiceNow, a Database View is a fundamental concept that plays a crucial role in organizing and accessing data. They are virtual representations of data that aggregate fields based on specific criteria or relationships. Users can customize the Database View to meet their reporting and analysis needs by selecting and defining these criteria and relationships, bringing together relevant data points from multiple tables in a cohesive and unified view.

The significance of Database Views lies in their ability to streamline and simplify reporting processes within ServiceNow. Database View empowers users to generate comprehensive reports and facilitate complex incident metrics reporting by joining and combining relevant data points from various tables and offering a consolidated and structured representation of data.

Instead of manually retrieving and joining data from multiple sources, users can leverage Database View to access the necessary information in a single view. It enhances efficiency and ensures the accuracy and consistency of reported data. By combining fields from different tables, users can uncover correlations, trends, and patterns that might have been challenging to identify. Using data from multiple sources helps make informed decisions, enhance operational efficiency, and improve business intelligence within ServiceNow.

The new versions of our Power BI Connector for ServiceNow (version 1.5.5) and Tableau Connector for ServiceNow (version 1.0.6) now offer ServiceNow Admin users the capability to create a data source using fields from Database Views. This change opens up more opportunities for these platforms' users.

Before this update, Database Views in ServiceNow couldn't be used for data export to Power BI or Tableau. Database Views, while resembling tables, are not actual tables. They are views of fields from multiple tables created for reporting purposes. As these views of fields are not stored, exporting them was not previously possible.

However, we have overcome this barrier with these new versions of Alpha Serve’s ServiceNow connectors. With the new functionality, users can more efficiently gather and analyze data, contributing to improved reporting and decision-making processes in ServiceNow.

Using a Database View as a data source in Power BI Connector and Tableau Connector for ServiceNow offers several vital data analysis and reporting advantages:

This update overcomes previous limitations, providing users with a powerful new tool to streamline their exploration, analysis, and decision-making processes related to ServiceNow data.

By enabling the export of Database Views and their integration into Power BI or Tableau. Users can quickly retrieve the required data, which is presented as a well-organized, consolidated representation of the pertinent information.

This enhancement turns the challenge of navigating multiple tables into an opportunity for efficient data analysis, further empowering users in their data-driven decision-making processes.

The ability to use Database Views as a data source in Power BI or Tableau transforms the way users can analyze ServiceNow data. Given the advanced reporting capabilities of these business intelligence tools, users can now interact with, visualize, and explore the essential data derived from Database Views in more sophisticated ways.

When coupled with the robust analytical features of Power BI and Tableau, the comprehensive data from Database Views provides users with powerful insights. This enhancement empowers users to leverage professional-level data analysis, taking their understanding of ServiceNow data to a new level.

The recent improvements to the Power BI and Tableau Connectors for ServiceNow have made significant strides in data accuracy. Thanks to Database View data export automation, users no longer need to worry about discrepancies or errors in their exported data.

The connectors ensure that all data exported from ServiceNow's Database Views to Power BI or Tableau is up-to-date, reliable, and accurately reflects the current state of the underlying tables. This advancement allows users to confidently perform their analysis, knowing that the data they are working with is precise and dependable.

Analyzing Database Views through Power BI or Tableau gives users a deep understanding of their data. By combining fields from multiple tables, users gain comprehensive insights into their ServiceNow environment. They can uncover correlations between incident data and metric instances, identify trends in service management metrics, and reveal previously hidden relationships.

These insights enable users to make data-driven decisions, optimize processes, and drive business performance. With the power of Database Views and seamless integration through the Alpha Serve’s connectors, users can extract valuable intelligence and gain a competitive edge.

First, to export a Database View to Power BI, ensure you have installed the Power BI Connector for ServiceNow version 1.5.5. If not, follow the installation guide instructions to install the connector. Once installed, you can proceed with the following steps:

1. Go to the Power BI Connector page: Instance-Name.service-now.com/pbi_connector.
2. Create a Data Source by providing a name and optional description.

3. Set the Rows limit and choose whether to use field labels for column names.
4. Optionally, restrict editing access by checking "Disable editing for other users."
5. Click the "Add Source" button to add the Database View tables.
6. Select the fields you want to export, adjust options like "Use display value," and set a Filter string for accurate data.

7. Click "Save" to save the Data Source.
8. Go to the Power BI Connector page: Instance-Name.service-now.com/pbi_connector and find the Data Source in the list.
9. Right-click on the Data Source and choose "Copy OData feed URL."
10. Open Power BI Desktop, click "Get Data." and select "OData feed" and paste the copied URL.

11. Configure Basic authentication using your ServiceNow credentials and click "Connect" to establish the connection.
12. In the Navigator preview, select the tables to load by checking the checkboxes. Click "Load" to import the data.

13. Once the import is complete, you can build dashboards with the imported ServiceNow Database View data.

To export a Database View to Tableau, the process is quite similar. Ensure you have installed the Tableau Connector for ServiceNow version 1.0.6 or later. If you need to install the connector, please follow the installation guide instructions. Once the connector is installed, you can proceed with the following steps:

1. Go to the Tableau Connector page at Instance-Name.service-now.com/tableau_connector.
2. Click "New" to create a Data Source and fill in the required information.

3. Set the Rows limit, choose whether to use field labels for column names and add the Database View from the provided list using the "Add Source" button.
4. Select fields, and set options like "Use display value" and "Filter string" for accurate data.

5. Click "Save" to save the Data Source.
6. Locate the Data Source in the list using filters or search.
7. Right-click on the Data Source and choose "Copy OData feed URL."
8. Open Tableau Desktop, select "OData," and enter the copied URL in the Server field.
9. Select "Username and Password" authentication, enter your credentials, and click "Sign In."

10. The import process will begin, and once completed, you can start building views with the imported ServiceNow data in Tableau.

Introducing the Power BI Connector for ServiceNow version 1.5.5 and the Tableau Connector for ServiceNow version 1.0.6 has revolutionized how users can export Database View data, providing enhanced reporting and analysis capabilities. Simply install the respective connector from the ServiceNow Store to take advantage of this feature.

For detailed instructions on how to use the connectors and export your ServiceNow data, please refer to the user guides provided below:

• Power BI Connector for ServiceNow User Guide
• Tableau Connector for ServiceNow User Guide

Take advantage of the opportunity to transform your ServiceNow reporting and gain valuable insights. Install the connectors today and unleash the power of your Database Views in Power BI and Tableau.