Configure Breakdowns and Breakdown Sources
About 22% of the CIS-PA exam — see all 6 domains.
A breakdown lets you slice an indicator's scores along a dimension. For instance, the indicator "Open Incidents" broken down by Priority gives you open incidents per priority, each tracked over time.
Breakdown sources, elements and mappings
- A breakdown source specifies which unique values, called breakdown elements, a breakdown contains. It is defined as a set of records from a table or database view (using a field with a unique value per record, usually Sys ID), or as a bucket group. For example, a Groups source takes its elements from Group [sys_user_group] records, and the Incident.Category source takes its elements from Choice records. Multiple breakdowns can use the same breakdown source.
- A breakdown mapping is defined on the breakdown, per facts table: it names the field on the indicator source that references the breakdown source (for example the incident Assignment group field), or a script when no simple field exists. One breakdown can have mappings for several facts tables, so it can be reused across indicators on different sources.
- Records whose mapped field is empty, or matches no element, are scored under the Unmatched element (the default value of Label for unmatched on the breakdown source).
- A bucket group groups values into labeled buckets, for example numeric ranges or the true and false values of a boolean.
- A manual breakdown has elements you define yourself and broken-down scores that users enter manually; it does not map to any fields on an indicator source and is used with manual indicators.
Configuration order for an automated breakdown: breakdown source, breakdown, breakdown mapping, assign the breakdown to the indicator, then collect.
Breakdown matrix
When at least two breakdowns are assigned to an automated indicator and Collect breakdown matrix is enabled, the instance also collects the two-breakdown combinations (for example priority within each assignment group). These second-level scores are stored in Scores Level 2 [pa_scores_l2]. Breakdown matrix exclusions stop collection of meaningless breakdown pairs, for example Country with Region, which only repeats the Country scores; scores for the individual breakdowns are still collected. The property com.snc.pa.dc.max_breakdown_elements_level2_limit caps second-level elements, and if a breakdown source exceeds com.snc.pa.dc.max_breakdown_elements_limit, the data collector skips that source entirely.
Breakdown relations, grouping and security
- A breakdown relation sets up navigation between breakdown elements: between parent and child elements of one hierarchical breakdown (country to city), or between the elements of two breakdowns (an assignment group to its members). It is not the way to collect two-dimensional scores; that is the breakdown matrix.
- At analysis time you can apply a breakdown to see all its elements side by side, or select one element to filter the scores to it.
- Element security (ACLs on the breakdown source) limits which breakdown elements a subset of users can view, in widgets, workspaces and the Analytics Hub.
Best practice: avoid high-cardinality breakdowns and unnecessary matrix combinations, because every element (and every combination) adds scores to collect and store.
Sample questions from this domain
Three of the 59 in this domain, with the reasoning. The full set is in the question bank.
What does a breakdown allow you to do with an indicator's score?
- A. Split (group) the score by a dimension such as priority, category, or assignment group ✓
- B. Combine the scores of several indicators into one calculated score with a formula indicator
- C. Compare the score against a normal range and send a notification when the range is crossed
- D. Rank the individual records behind the score by weighted criteria such as age and priority
Why: A breakdown splits an indicator's aggregated score into elements along a dimension (for example, by priority or assignment group), enabling group-level analysis. Combining several indicators into one calculated score is what a formula indicator does. Comparing the score against a normal range and notifying users is a threshold. Ranking the records behind a score by weighted criteria is Spotlight. None of these is the job of a breakdown.
A consultant is explaining the difference between a breakdown source and a breakdown mapping to a new administrator. What does the breakdown source define?
- A. The field or script on the indicator source that relates each record to a breakdown element
- B. The two-breakdown combinations that data collection stores for an indicator, minus any exclusions
- C. The navigation path between elements of two related breakdowns, such as from a group to its parent group
- D. The set of records (from a table or database view, or a bucket group) that supplies the breakdown elements ✓
Why: A breakdown source specifies which unique values, called breakdown elements, a breakdown contains. It is defined as a set of records from a table or database view, or as a bucket group, optionally filtered by conditions. The field or script on the indicator source that relates each record to an element is the breakdown mapping, not the source. The two-breakdown combinations collected for an indicator, minus exclusions, are the breakdown matrix. Navigation between elements of related breakdowns is defined by breakdown relations.
A breakdown mapping connects which two things?
- A. A breakdown to a dashboard, so that selecting one of its elements filters the widgets on that dashboard
- B. Two breakdowns on one indicator, defining which element combinations are collected as a matrix
- C. A breakdown source to an indicator source, telling collection how to relate records to breakdown elements ✓
- D. Elements of two breakdowns, so users can navigate from one element to the related elements of another
Why: A breakdown mapping links a breakdown source to an indicator source so the collection job knows how each record relates to a breakdown element (a field on the facts table, or a script when no simple field exists). Adding a breakdown source to a dashboard so its elements filter the widgets is a dashboard configuration, not a mapping. Defining which two-breakdown combinations are collected is the breakdown matrix. Letting users navigate from an element to related elements of another breakdown is a breakdown relation.