project-insights

Project Insights

Overview

This skill enables you to generate comprehensive project health insights from ServiceNow's Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) module. It covers:

Analyzing schedule variance and timeline adherence across project tasks
Measuring resource utilization against planned allocations
Identifying risk indicators and potential blockers
Tracking milestone completion and upcoming deadlines
Calculating agile velocity and sprint burndown metrics
Producing executive dashboard summaries with actionable recommendations

When to use: When project managers, PMO leaders, or executives need a data-driven assessment of project health, portfolio status, or sprint performance in ServiceNow SPM.

Prerequisites

Plugins: com.snc.project (Project Portfolio Management), com.snc.sdlc.agile.2.0 (Agile Development 2.0)
Roles: project_manager, program_manager, portfolio_manager, or admin
Access: Read access to pm_project, pm_project_task, planned_task, pm_resource_plan, rm_story, rm_sprint, risk tables
Knowledge: Understanding of project scheduling concepts (critical path, EVM) and agile metrics (velocity, burndown)

Procedure

Step 1: Retrieve Project Overview

Fetch the core project record and its current status.

Using MCP (Claude Code/Desktop):

Tool: SN-Get-Record
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  sys_id: [project_sys_id]
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,description,state,phase,priority,risk,percent_complete,start_date,end_date,actual_start_date,actual_end_date,work_start,work_end,schedule_variance,cost_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,project_manager,program,portfolio,business_unit,health,health_reason

If you only have the project number:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: number=PRJ0010001
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,percent_complete,start_date,end_date,actual_start_date,schedule_variance,cost_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,project_manager,health,risk
  limit: 1

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project?sysparm_query=number=PRJ0010001&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,percent_complete,start_date,end_date,actual_start_date,schedule_variance,cost_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,project_manager,health,risk&sysparm_limit=1&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 2: Analyze Schedule Variance

Query project tasks to identify overdue, at-risk, and on-track items.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project_task
  query: parent=[project_sys_id]^stateNOT IN3,4,7^end_date<javascript:gs.nowDateTime()
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,start_date,end_date,actual_start_date,actual_end_date,assigned_to,priority,milestone
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project_task?sysparm_query=parent=[project_sys_id]^stateNOT IN3,4,7^end_date<javascript:gs.nowDateTime()&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,start_date,end_date,assigned_to,priority,milestone&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Query upcoming tasks due within the next 14 days:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project_task
  query: parent=[project_sys_id]^stateNOT IN3,4,7^end_date>=javascript:gs.nowDateTime()^end_date<=javascript:gs.daysAgoEnd(-14)
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,end_date,assigned_to,priority,milestone
  limit: 30

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project_task?sysparm_query=parent=[project_sys_id]^stateNOT IN3,4,7^end_date>=javascript:gs.nowDateTime()^end_date<=javascript:gs.daysAgoEnd(-14)&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,end_date,assigned_to,priority&sysparm_limit=30&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 3: Assess Resource Utilization

Query resource plans to understand allocation versus actual effort.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_resource_plan
  query: task=[project_sys_id]^state=2
  fields: sys_id,resource,planned_hours,actual_hours,remaining_hours,utilization,start_date,end_date,resource_type,group
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_resource_plan?sysparm_query=task=[project_sys_id]^state=2&sysparm_fields=sys_id,resource,planned_hours,actual_hours,remaining_hours,utilization,start_date,end_date,resource_type,group&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Calculate utilization metrics:

Over-allocated: Resources where actual_hours > planned_hours
Under-utilized: Resources where utilization < 50%
At capacity: Resources where utilization is between 80% and 100%

Step 4: Review Risk Indicators

Query the risk table for project-specific risks and issues.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: risk
  query: task=[project_sys_id]^state!=6
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,category,risk_score,probability,impact,state,response,assigned_to,due_date,mitigation_plan
  limit: 20

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/risk?sysparm_query=task=[project_sys_id]^state!=6&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,category,risk_score,probability,impact,state,response,assigned_to,due_date,mitigation_plan&sysparm_limit=20&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 5: Track Milestones

Query milestone tasks to assess progress against key deliverables.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project_task
  query: parent=[project_sys_id]^milestone=true^ORDERBYend_date
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,end_date,actual_end_date,assigned_to,priority
  limit: 20

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project_task?sysparm_query=parent=[project_sys_id]^milestone=true^ORDERBYend_date&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,percent_complete,end_date,actual_end_date,assigned_to,priority&sysparm_limit=20&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 6: Gather Agile Metrics (If Applicable)

For projects using Agile methodology, query sprint and story data.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_sprint
  query: release.product.project=[project_sys_id]^state=3^ORDERBYDESCend_date
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,start_date,end_date,story_points,capacity,state
  limit: 5

Query completed stories per sprint to calculate velocity:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_story
  query: sprint=[sprint_sys_id]^state=3
  fields: sys_id,number,story_points,state,sprint
  limit: 100

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/rm_story?sysparm_query=sprint=[sprint_sys_id]^state=3&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,story_points,state&sysparm_limit=100

Calculate velocity: Sum of story_points for completed stories in each sprint. Average the last 3-5 sprints for a reliable velocity metric.

Step 7: Compile the Executive Dashboard Summary

Assemble all collected data into a structured health report:

=== PROJECT HEALTH DASHBOARD ===
Project: PRJ0010001 - Cloud Migration Phase 2
Manager: Sarah Chen | Program: Digital Transformation
Phase: Execution | Health: [Green/Yellow/Red]

SCHEDULE PERFORMANCE:
  Planned End: 2026-06-30 | Projected End: 2026-07-15
  Schedule Variance: +15 days (at risk)
  Tasks Overdue: 4 of 32 (12.5%)
  Tasks Due Next 14 Days: 7
  Milestones Completed: 3 of 8 (37.5%)
  Next Milestone: "Integration Testing Complete" due 2026-04-01

COST PERFORMANCE:
  Budget: $450,000 | Actual Spend: $285,000 (63.3%)
  Cost Variance: -$12,000 (under budget)
  Burn Rate: $47,500/month
  Projected Total: $427,500

RESOURCE UTILIZATION:
  Total Resources: 12
  Over-allocated (>100%): 2 (John D. 120%, Maria S. 115%)
  Under-utilized (<50%): 1 (Alex K. 35%)
  Average Utilization: 82%

RISK SUMMARY:
  Open Risks: 5 (2 High, 2 Medium, 1 Low)
  Top Risk: "Vendor API deprecation" (Score: 16, Impact: High)
  Overdue Mitigations: 1

AGILE VELOCITY (Last 3 Sprints):
  Sprint 14: 34 pts | Sprint 15: 38 pts | Sprint 16: 31 pts
  Average Velocity: 34.3 pts/sprint
  Remaining Backlog: 142 pts
  Projected Sprints to Complete: 4.1 sprints

RECOMMENDATIONS:
  1. [URGENT] Address 4 overdue tasks blocking Integration Testing milestone
  2. [ACTION] Rebalance workload from John D. and Maria S. to Alex K.
  3. [MONITOR] Vendor API deprecation risk - mitigation plan overdue
  4. [PLAN] At current velocity, backlog completion extends 1 sprint beyond plan

Step 8: Portfolio-Level Insights

For PMO leaders, aggregate project health across the portfolio.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: portfolio=[portfolio_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,3,4
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,cost_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,risk,project_manager,end_date
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project?sysparm_query=portfolio=[portfolio_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,3,4&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,cost_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,risk,project_manager,end_date&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Tool Usage

MCP Tools Reference

Tool	When to Use
`SN-Get-Record`	Retrieve a single project or task record by sys_id
`SN-Query-Table`	Query bounded task, resource, risk, milestone, sprint, and story fields; calculate summaries locally
`SN-Natural-Language-Search`	Natural language search for projects (e.g., "find at-risk projects in Q2")

REST API Reference

Endpoint	Method	Purpose
`/api/now/table/pm_project`	GET	Query project records and portfolio data
`/api/now/table/pm_project_task`	GET	Query tasks, milestones, schedule data
`/api/now/table/pm_resource_plan`	GET	Resource allocation and utilization
`/api/now/table/risk`	GET	Project risks and mitigations
`/api/now/table/rm_sprint`	GET	Sprint data for velocity calculations
`/api/now/table/rm_story`	GET	Story completion for burndown metrics
`/api/now/table/pm_portfolio`	GET	Portfolio-level aggregation
`/api/now/table/pm_program`	GET	Program-level project grouping

Best Practices

Use Display Values: Always include sysparm_display_value=true in REST calls for readable output in dashboards
Calculate Earned Value: Use percent_complete * budget_cost to derive earned value for EVM analysis
Trend Over Time: Compare metrics across multiple reporting periods to identify trends, not just snapshots
Focus on Leading Indicators: Prioritize velocity trends, upcoming milestones, and resource constraints over lagging metrics
Set Health Thresholds: Define clear Green/Yellow/Red criteria (e.g., Green = schedule variance < 5 days, Yellow = 5-15 days, Red = >15 days)
Include Recommendations: Raw data is insufficient; always provide actionable recommendations with urgency levels
Cross-Reference Risks: Correlate overdue tasks with open risks to identify systemic issues
Validate Data Freshness: Check sys_updated_on timestamps to ensure metrics reflect current state

Troubleshooting

"Project shows 0% complete despite finished tasks"

Cause: Percent complete may be calculated from planned duration, not task completion Solution: Check the project's percent_complete_method field. Options include "manual," "task-based," and "duration-based." Verify task states are correctly updated.

"Resource utilization numbers seem incorrect"

Cause: Resource plan records may not have actuals logged Solution: Verify that time entries are being recorded against the project tasks. Check actual_hours on pm_resource_plan records.

"No risk records found for the project"

Cause: Risks may be linked via the task field to project tasks rather than the project itself Solution: Query with task.parent=[project_sys_id] to find risks linked to child tasks. Also check risk_condition for auto-generated risk records.

"Sprint velocity data is inconsistent"

Cause: Stories may be moved between sprints or completed after sprint closure Solution: Filter for stories where sprint matches the target sprint and state=3 (Complete). Exclude stories moved out via sprint_changed field if available.

Examples

Example 1: Weekly Status Report for a Single Project

Step 1 - Gather data:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: number=PRJ0010042
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,project_manager,end_date
  limit: 1

Step 2 - Get overdue tasks:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project_task
  query: parent=[sys_id]^state=2^end_date<javascript:gs.nowDateTime()
  fields: number,short_description,end_date,assigned_to,priority
  limit: 10

Output:

WEEKLY STATUS - PRJ0010042 ERP Upgrade
Report Date: 2026-03-19

Health: YELLOW | Phase: Testing | Complete: 72%
Schedule: 8 days behind plan | Budget: $12K under budget

KEY ISSUES:
- 3 overdue tasks in Integration Testing phase
- UAT environment provisioning delayed by vendor

MILESTONES:
  [DONE] Requirements Complete (Feb 15)
  [DONE] Development Complete (Mar 01)
  [LATE] Integration Testing (Due Mar 10, now projected Mar 22)
  [UPCOMING] UAT Sign-off (Due Apr 05)
  [UPCOMING] Go-Live (Due Apr 30)

ACTIONS NEEDED:
1. Escalate vendor environment issue to procurement
2. Add 2 QA resources for parallel testing

Example 2: Portfolio Health Summary

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: portfolio.short_description=Digital Transformation^stateNOT IN-5,3,4
  fields: number,short_description,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,end_date,project_manager
  limit: 20

Output:

PORTFOLIO DASHBOARD - Digital Transformation
Active Projects: 8 | Total Budget: $3.2M

HEALTH DISTRIBUTION:
  Green: 5 projects (62.5%)
  Yellow: 2 projects (25.0%)
  Red: 1 project (12.5%)

AT-RISK PROJECTS:
  [RED] PRJ0010042 - ERP Upgrade (8 days behind, vendor dependency)
  [YELLOW] PRJ0010055 - API Gateway (resource constraints)
  [YELLOW] PRJ0010061 - Data Lake (scope change pending approval)

BUDGET SUMMARY:
  Allocated: $3,200,000
  Spent: $1,890,000 (59.1%)
  Projected: $3,050,000 (4.7% under budget)

Related Skills

spm/agile-story-generation - Generate and manage user stories
spm/planning-summarization - Summarize planning sessions and portfolio decisions
spm/feedback-summarization - Analyze retrospective and stakeholder feedback
reporting/executive-dashboard - Build executive dashboards and visualizations
reporting/trend-analysis - Trend analysis for project metrics over time

About this skill

Overview

Prerequisites

Procedure

Step 1: Retrieve Project Overview

Step 2: Analyze Schedule Variance

Step 3: Assess Resource Utilization

Step 4: Review Risk Indicators

Step 5: Track Milestones

Step 6: Gather Agile Metrics (If Applicable)

Step 7: Compile the Executive Dashboard Summary

Step 8: Portfolio-Level Insights

Tool Usage

MCP Tools Reference

REST API Reference

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

"Project shows 0% complete despite finished tasks"

"Resource utilization numbers seem incorrect"

"No risk records found for the project"

"Sprint velocity data is inconsistent"

Examples

Example 1: Weekly Status Report for a Single Project

Example 2: Portfolio Health Summary

Related Skills