Creating and Using Custom Metrics for Dashboard Reports
Understanding Custom Metrics
Custom Metrics are a powerful feature within your CRM that allow you to define and track the specific key performance indicators (KPIs) most important to your business. They enable you to pull data from various sources in your CRM, apply your own mathematical formulas, and display the results directly in your dashboards and reports. This eliminates the need to export data to external spreadsheets for complex calculations. You can create metrics for figures like conversion rates, return on investment, or cost per acquisition, and customize how they are displayed.
Note: The Custom Metrics feature is available on plans starting at $497 and above. It now supports metric-level filtering and integration with additional data sources, including Meta Ads and Google Analytics.
Key Benefits of Using Custom Metrics
Custom Metrics provide a tailored approach to reporting, offering several key advantages:
- Personalized KPIs: Build metrics that precisely match your business objectives by combining data from multiple sources.
- Efficient Setup: Create metrics entirely from scratch or save time by cloning existing ones to ensure consistency.
- Intuitive Formula Editor: Construct calculations using a live validation editor that supports operators and constants from different data sources.
- Flexible Display: Choose how your metric values are presented, such as Integer, Float, Currency, or Percentage.
- Trend Direction Control: Define whether an increasing or decreasing value is considered a positive outcome for your business.
- Customizable Charts: Rename charts, apply color themes, and compare data across time periods for deeper analysis.
- Seamless Integration: Use your custom metrics across Dashboards, Custom Reports, and Snapshots.
How to Set Up a Custom Metric
Access the Dashboard
Navigate to the Dashboard section from the left-hand menu of your CRM. This is your central hub for managing report widgets.
Enter Edit Mode
Click the Edit Dashboard icon located at the top right corner of the dashboard screen. This action activates the editing interface.
Add a Widget
While in edit mode, click the Add Widget button, also at the top right. A panel will appear with different widget types you can add.
Select Custom Metrics
From the widget options panel, click on the Custom Metrics tab to access the tools for creating a new KPI.
Create a New Metric
Click the + Create Custom Metrics button to start the setup process.
Choose a Starting Point
You will be prompted to either Start from scratch to build a new metric or Clone existing to use a pre-configured metric as a template. Click the Select button to confirm your choice.
Define Metric Details
In the setup form, provide the following information:
- Metric Name: Enter a clear, descriptive name for your metric (e.g., "Monthly Revenue Growth").
- Data Type: Select how the calculated value should be formatted (Integer, Float, Percentage, or Currency).
- Description: Add a brief note explaining the purpose of the metric for your team.
Build Your Formula
In the Formula field, construct the calculation for your metric. You can combine up to four different metrics using mathematical operators (+, -, ×, ÷) and constants. For example, to calculate a conversion rate, you could create a formula that divides the number of 'Won Opportunities' by the number of 'New Leads' and multiplies by 100.
Configure Advanced Settings
In the Advanced Settings section, you must assign a date property to each metric used in your formula. The available date fields (e.g., 'Visited On', 'Created On') will change dynamically based on the metrics you selected. Selecting the correct date property for each component ensures your calculations are aligned with the proper time frame, which is critical for accurate comparisons and trend analysis.
Set the Comparison Value
Use the Comparison Value settings to specify whether an increase or a decrease in the metric's value should be interpreted as a positive trend for your business reporting.