An example method of determining a state of a key performance indicator (KPI) comprises: receiving one or more entity definitions, wherein each entity definition associates an entity with machine data pertaining to the entity; receiving a service definition for a service provided by one or more entities, the service definition including a reference to a corresponding entity definition of the entity definitions, wherein the service definition includes a respective reference for each of the one or more entities; receiving definitions of one or more KPIs, each KPI defined by a respective search query that produces a value derived from particular machine data, wherein the particular machine data is identified by the service definition, wherein each value is indicative of performance of the service at a point in time or during a period of time; deriving, by performing on the machine data a search query associated with the KPI, one or more KPI values for the KPI; selecting, among a plurality of states of the KPI, a state satisfying a condition applied to the one or more KPI values; and causing display of a visual indicator of the state of the KPI.