Create a box plot data visualization

task australia Updated Sep 10, 2026 7 min read create-dv-box-plot.md
Raw file servicenow.com

Use a boxplot to show the median and lower and upper quartiles of numeric data along with outliers. You can also compare the distribution of different groups of this data.

Before you begin

Important: The Boxplot visualization is included in the latest data visualizations application from the ServiceNow® Store.

Role required: Anyone with access to data can create a visualization of that data on any dashboard that they can edit. Users with the itil, report_user, admin, or viz_creator role can create a visualization in the Visualization Designer. When you create a visualization in the Visualization Designer, it is saved to the Library. For more information on access, see Report_view access control and Platform Analytics roles.

About this task

The Boxplot visualization only supports table data. Indicator, MetricBase, and Usage Insights data is not supported.

For information about the use of a Boxplot visualization in a dashboard, see the Developer Site.

This site gives information about Box plot components in the UI Builder, and some configuration options may differ from the Visualization Designer.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > Platform Analytics > Library > Data Visualizations.

  2. Select Create data visualization.

  3. Provide a name and useful description for the visualization and select Create data visualization.

    The description enables users to find the visualization more easily in the library.

  4. Select the Boxplot ([Omitted image "inline-data-vis-box.png"] Alt text: vertical box icon) visualization type.

  5. Select Add a data source.

    For general descriptions of the data sources, see Data sources for data visualizations.

    The Suggested data sources are the indicators and tables you have recently selected.

    When you select a data source, you see a preview of the information in the source. Add conditions to the data source and then select Add this source.

  6. Configure the Header and border. Header and border options are the same for all data sources.

    None of the Header and border fields is required.

Header and border fields

Description

Show border

Option to display a line around the component.

Show header

The visualization header, including title and icons.

Show header separator

Option to display a line separating the header from the rest of the component.

Chart title

Title of the visualization.

Title alignment

Choose Start to align the title with the start of line, End to align it with the end of the line, or Center for center alignment.

Description

A short overview about the visualization that the end user sees. Descriptions help users find the visualization.

Wrap title

Option to wrap long titles onto a second line. If false, displays an ellipsis to truncate long titles.

Wrap labels

Select to wrap long elements labels on the axis.

Max label size, px

Specify the maximum label size for element names on the axis. Default=100 px.

Line of truncation

Specify where to truncate long labels with an ellipsis. Options are 1, 2, and 3.

Bare

Option to remove padding around data visualization to provide more compact positioning on the page. Only available when Show border is turned off.

Show refresh option

Option to show or hide the refresh option from data visualizations. If cache is enabled on a dashboard, the Refresh option is hidden.

Show export options

Option to show or hide the visualization's export types.

Header background color

Specify the color behind the title of the visualization.

Title color

Specify the text color of the title. The default title color is black, but you can choose a color that contrasts better with the header background. Only available when Header background color is selected.
7. Configure the metric, data update, and no data message options for your data source. 
If your visualization represents table data, go to [Table data options for boxplot visualizations](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/now-intelligence/config-dv-box-table-data.md).
  1. Under Presentation, provide display and color information..

Field

Description

Display settings

Y axis

Hide axis

Option to hide the primary axis.

Primary axis title

Title to display on the vertical axis of the visualization.This property applies only when Hide primary axis is false.

If there is more than one Y-axis, you have additional axis titles, representing the properties yAxis1Title, yAxis2Title, etc.

Add a Y-axis scale for a metric in the More options menu for the metric.

Axis range - from

Starting point for the values on the primary axis.

Axis range - to

End point for the values on the primary axis.

Axis position

Position of the primary axis. Options include:- Left

  • Right This property applies only when Hide axis is false. If there is more than one primary axis, such as multiple Y axes on a vertical bar visualization, you can set each axis position separately.

Show grid

Shows a grid of fine lines perpendicular to the primary axis, to help align values against that axis.

Axis style

Style of the primary axis. - Clean clean: Adds a straight line to the primary axis.

  • No tick lines noTicks: Option to remove all marks from the primary axis.
  • Standard default: Adds a line and tick marks to the primary axis.

X axis

X axis title

Title to display on the horizontal axis of the visualization.

Wrap labels

Select to wrap long elements labels on the axis.

Max label size, px

Specify the maximum label size for element names on the axis. Default=100 px.

Colors

Set color type
  • Default: A color or set of colors that come from the UX Theme that is applied to the instance. For more information, see Working with themes in Next Experience.
  • Single color/Colors per metric: Select a single color in the Set value color field. Interacting with that field opens a selector where you can choose the color from either a set of icons or from a list. You can also search for a color. Entering a search value has the selector show you a list of colors filtered by that search value.
9. Under **Chart interaction**, set what if anything happens when a viewer selects a chart or a chart segment on the visualization.

Field

Description

Allow chart interaction

Enable an event to occur when a user selects a visualization or one of its segments.

Action

Choose the event that occurs when a user selects in a visualization or one of its segments. Choices depend on the visualization type and data source. Applies only when Allow chart interaction is on. For more information, see Chart interactions in a data visualization.

  • Go to data view opens a list view, KPI Details page, or Usage Insights overview page relevant to the associated segment or visualization. For table data, a system property determines whether a Core UI list or a Platform Analytics list opens. For more information, see Data views for different data sources.
  • Go to URL opens the specified URL, which can be on the instance or external. You have the option of specifying a page name to appear in the tooltip, for those visualizations with tooltips.
  • Drill down to chart (Visualization Designer only) Opens a different data visualization that is filtered by the selected data. You can add a drill-down visualization for each metric on the parent visualization.

Note: The last level of drill down in the Platform Analytics experience is always a Core UI list. Records don't open in Workspace embedded lists.

Drill down to chart supports only table data sources.
10. Select **Save** to continue editing the visualization, or **Save and close** to return to the Analytics Overview main screen.

What to do next

Parent Topic:Creating data visualizations

Keywords create boxplot visualizationcreate box report
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