# How to Create a KPI Display key metrics as prominent, easy-to-read numbers ## 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](how-to-save-a-kpi) for reuse - Add KPIs to a [presentation](../../Canvases/importing-a-powerpoint-or-slides-presentation/how-to-create-a-presentation) - Create [charts](../chart-types/how-to-create-a-chart) to show trends behind the number