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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Improvement field descriptions

Improvement Initiative form and related field descriptions.

Improvement Initiative form

FieldDescription
NumberUnique CIM number.
Business serviceCMDB Business service improved by the improvement initiative.
Service offeringService offering associated with this improvement initiative.
Business process

Business process improved by the improvement initiative.

When a business process is selected, the improvement area Type field on the Details tab is automatically set to Process.

CIM CoordinatorUser primarily responsible for ensuring the completion of the improvement initiative. The CIM Coordinator must have the Improvement Coordinator role \(sn\_cim.improvement\_coordinator\).
Approver groupGroup of users that have permission to approve the improvement initiative. CIM Approvers group is added with Continual Improvement Management. Default is empty.
Strategies

Strategic objectives impacted by the improvement initiative. Multiple strategic objectives can be selected. Strategic objectives can be added from the lookup list.

The lookup list contains both Continual Improvement Management strategic objectives and business enterprise strategies to align with the improvement initiative.

An enterprise strategy can be added from the navigation menu Continual Improvement > Enterprise Strategies.

Also accessible through Business Planner and Organization navigation menus.

Note: If the improvement initiative does not align with a company strategic objective, you can click Reject in the header bar to reject the improvement initiative.

StateState of the improvement initiative. This field is read only. - New - Accepted - Assess - Approved - In Progress - On Hold - Monitor/Review - Closed - Canceled
On hold reason

Reason for putting the improvement initiative on hold.Note: This field is shown only when the state is on hold.

When an improvement initiative is placed on hold, all CIM tasks are also placed on hold, but the state can be changed manually.

When the improvement initiative is taken off hold, the CIM tasks are returned back to their previous state unless they were changed manually.

PrioritySequence in which an incident or problem is to be worked on, based on impact and urgency. - 1 - Critical - 2 - High - 3 - Moderate - 4 - Low - 5 - Planning
Effort estimateEstimate of effort to complete all required tasks for the improvement initiative. - Small - Medium - Large - Extra Large
BenefitsExpected level of benefits achieved by completing the improvement initiative.
Percent completePercentage of work completed. The percentage is based on the completed state of the CIM phases that belong to this improvement initiative. For example, if there are five CIM phases, each contributes to 20% completion.
Short descriptionBrief explanation of the improvement initiative.
Business justificationDescription about the importance of the improvement and additional details that includes metrics or KPIs used to measure the success.

Goals tab

FieldDescription
Success measurement method- Automated: PA Indicator: An improvement KPI. - Reports: Reports to track progress. Users who do not use performance analytics can add reports to track the initiatives. - Survey and Assessment: An Assessment metric type. - Manual: All other types.
Improvement KPI

Primary KPI used to measure the improvement of the improvement initiative.

The Show Score Card icon launches the Performance Analytics score card for the improvement KPI.

Note: This field is shown only when the Success Measurement Method field is set to Automated: PA Indicator.

Breakdown

The breakdown of the improvement KPI, if one exists.

Note: This field is shown only when an improvement KPI is selected for the Automated: PA Indicator success measurement method.

Element

The element of the KPI breakdown.

Note: This field is shown only when a breakdown is selected.

2nd Breakdown

The second-level breakdown of the improvement KPI, if one exists.

Note: This field is shown only after the first breakdown is selected.

2nd Element

The element of the second-level KPI breakdown.

Note: This field is shown only when a second-level breakdown is selected.

Time Series

Time series for the improvement KPI.

Note: This field is shown only when an improvement KPI is selected.

Survey & Assessment

Assessment metric type associated with the improvement initiative.Note: This field is shown only for the Survey & Assessment success measurement method.

If the improvement initiative was created from within the Survey Management application, this field is not automatically populated.

Base valueBase value of the success measurement method when the target is set.
Percentage improvement

Percent improvement target.

Note: This field is shown only when an improvement KPI is selected.

If the KPI is a percent type, then this field is calculated automatically (based on Base value and Target value fields).

Target value

Absolute target value.

Note: For the Automated: PA Indicator success measurement method, if the KPI is not a percent type, then this field is calculated automatically (based on base value and percentage improvement).

If the target value is already set on the indicator, breakdown, element, and aggregation, this field is automatically set. However, you can override this value by specifying a percent in the Percent Improvement field.

The target value set in this field is synced with the Performance Analytics indicator target for the KPI (Performance Analytics > Indicator > Targets).

Target review date

Date the goal should be achieved.

Note: For the Automated: PA Indicator success measurement method, even if the target date is already set on the indicator, breakdown, element, and aggregation, this field is not automatically set.

Expected outcomesTangible artifacts and updates expected by the improvement initiative \(for example, updated process published in new template, work Instructions, and FAQ published in knowledge base\).

Details tab

FieldDescription
Requested forUser for which the improvement initiative was created.
Type

Area improved by the improvement initiative. One or many areas may be selected.

  • People
  • Process
  • Technology

When a value is selected for the Business Process field, the Type field is automatically set to Process.

Watch listUsers notified when updates are made to the improvement initiative.
Parent initiative

Parent initiative associated with this child initiative.

When a parent initiative is selected, all associated child initiatives display in the Child Initiatives related list.

Source/Parent

Source or parent application from which the improvement initiative was created.

  • Coaching Opportunity (COP)

Coaching opportunity record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • CMDB

Remediate Duplicate Tasks record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • Demand (DMND)

Demand record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • GRC issue

Issue record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • Incident (INC)

Incident record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • Problem (PRB)

Problem record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

  • (Survey) Assessment Metric Type

Assessment metric type for the survey definition record to which the improvement initiative is linked.

Note: This field is shown only when an improvement initiative is created from Coaching, CMDB, Demand Management, GRC, Incident Management, Problem Management, or Survey Management applications.

Schedule tab

FieldDescription
Planned start dateExpected start date. By default, this field displays the date and time when the CIM initiative was created.
Planned end dateExpected end date. By default, this field displays the date and time for the day after the planned start date.
Actual start dateThe date and time when the progress on a new initiative starts.
Actual end dateThe date and time when the last task associated with an initiative is completed.

Notes tab

FieldDescription
Additional comments \(customer visible\)

Check box to show additional comments that are visible to the customer.

If checked, the Additional comments (Customer visible) field content is shown.

Work notes

Work notes relating to the improvement initiative.

Note: Required when submitting the improvement initiative for reapproval.

Closure Notes tab

FieldDescription
Closure code- Successful: Goals met. - Withdrawn: No longer needed/applicable. - Unsuccessful: Goals not met.
Achieved outcome category- Cost Reduction - Revenue Generation - Time Savings - Customer Satisfaction - Quality Improvement
Close notesNotes regarding the improvement initiative closure.
FieldDescription
NumberUnique CIMT phase number.
ParentImprovement initiative to which the CIM phase belongs. There can be multiple CIM phases per improvement initiative. The CIM phase groups the tasks, sets a planned end date, and shows the percent complete for tracking purposes.
Percent completePercentage of work completed. Percentage is based on the completed state of the CIM tasks that belong to this CIM phase. For example, if there are five CIM tasks, each contributes to 20% completion.
Planned end dateEstimated phase end date.
Actual end dateEnd date of the phase.
Short DescriptionShort description of the phase.
Description\(Required\) Full description of the phase.
FieldDescription
NumberUnique CIMT task number.
ParentIf the CIM task is tied to a CIM phase, the improvement phase number to which the CIM task belongs. A CIM task can only be tied to one CIM phase. You can also create a CIM task directly from a CIM initiative. CIM tasks consist of the work required to complete the improvement initiative.
ActiveCheck box that indicates whether the task is active.
Assigned toUser primarily responsible for completion of the task.
Improvement InitiativeImprovement initiative number to which the CIM task belongs.
PrioritySequence in which an incident or problem is to be worked on, based on impact and urgency. - 1 - Critical - 2 - High - 3 - Moderate - 4 - Low - 5 - Planning
StateState of the task. - Pending - Open - Work In Process - Closed Complete - Closed Incomplete - Closed Skipped - On Hold
On Hold Reason

Reason for putting the CIM task on hold.Note: This field is shown only when the state is on hold.

When an improvement initiative is placed on hold, all CIM tasks are also placed on hold, but the state can be changed manually.

When the improvement initiative is taken off hold, the CIM tasks are returned back to their previous state (unless they were changed manually).

Planned end dateEstimated end date of the task.
Short DescriptionShort description of the task.
DescriptionFull description of the task.
Work notesWork notes for the task.
FieldDescription
Improvement InitiativeImprovement initiative number to which the impacted KPI belongs.
Impacted KPIOther related KPIs (independent of the Improvement KPI) that are affected by changes made as a result of the improvement initiative.
Breakdown

The breakdown of the impacted KPI.

Note: This field is shown only when an impacted KPI is selected.

Element

The element of the KPI breakdown.

Note: This field is shown only when a breakdown is selected.

Breakdown Level 2

The second-level breakdown of the improvement KPI, if one exists.

Note: This field is shown only after the first breakdown is selected.

Element Level 2

The element of the second-level KPI breakdown.

Note: This field is shown only when a second-level breakdown is selected.

View Scorecard

Related link to view the scorecard for the KPI.

Note: The View KPI details button displays the details of the improvement KPI.

FieldDescription
StateState of the approval. - Not Yet Requested - Requested - Approved - Rejected - Canceled - No Longer Required
Approver

User authorized to approve the improvement initiative.

Approvers are members of the group set in the Approver Group field on the Improvement Initiative form.

CommentsComments for the approval improvement initiative.
CreatedDate the improvement initiative was created.

Parent Topic:Continual Improvement Management reference