How to Create a KPI

Overview

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are single-number displays that highlight your most important metrics. Unlike charts that show trends or comparisons, KPIs present one prominent value, making them perfect for executive dashboards and at-a-glance reporting.

When to Use a KPI

KPIs work best when you need to answer questions like:

"What's our total revenue this month?"
"How many active customers do we have?"
"What's the average deal size?"
"How does this period compare to last?"

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open Your Dataset

Navigate to the dataset containing the metric you want to display.

Step 2: Access KPI Builder

Click the KPI button in the toolbar, or select a numeric column and choose "Create KPI" from the menu.

Step 3: Select Your Metric

Choose the number you want to display:

Sum: Total of all values (e.g., total revenue)
Count: Number of rows (e.g., number of deals)
Average: Mean value (e.g., average order size)
Min/Max: Extremes (e.g., highest sale)

Step 4: Apply Filters (Optional)

Narrow your KPI to specific data:

Date range: "This month" or "Last 30 days"
Categories: "Enterprise customers only"
Conditions: "Deals > $10,000"

Step 5: Add Comparison (Optional)

Make your KPI more meaningful with context:

Comparison Type	Example
vs. Previous Period	Revenue this month vs. last month
vs. Same Period Last Year	Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023
vs. Target	Actual vs. Goal

Scoop shows the change as both a percentage and absolute value, with color coding (green for improvement, red for decline).

Step 6: Format the Display

Customize how your number appears:

Number format: Currency, percentage, decimal places
Abbreviations: Show "1.2M" instead of "1,200,000"
Labels: Add a title and subtitle
Colors: Match your brand or use conditional formatting

KPI Examples

Metric	Aggregation	Filters	Comparison
Monthly Recurring Revenue	Sum of MRR	Active customers	vs. Previous Month
Customer Count	Count of rows	None	vs. Same Month Last Year
Average Deal Size	Average of Amount	Closed-Won only	vs. Target
Days to Close	Average of Sales Cycle	This quarter	vs. Last Quarter

Best Practices

One metric per KPI: Don't combine multiple numbers
Use meaningful comparisons: Context makes numbers actionable
Keep labels short: "Revenue" not "Total Monthly Recurring Revenue from Active Customers"
Group related KPIs: Place them together in your dashboard

What's Next?

Save your KPI for reuse
Add KPIs to a presentation
Create charts to show trends behind the number