KPIs may be calculated and shown on both reports and dashboards

Description

KPIs (Key Performance Indicator) are measurable values that demonstrate achievement of a business objectives. The CPM software should include functionality to easily create, calculate and visualize KPIs on both reports and dashboards.

Example Use Case

Scenario: A SaaS company uses CPM software to monitor its performance. It needs to measure the health of its business through KPIs like MRR, churn, and upsell.

Solution: The CPM software should allow the creation and definition of these KPIs. Once defined, the system should automatically calculate the KPI values from the underlying data. These KPIs should also be visible on both reports for detailed analyses and dashboards for quick, at-a-glance views.

Considerations

KPIs are in the eye of the beholder - essentially, anything that can be calculated and used as a goal or measure is a KPI. In the context of CPM, this means that the system should be able to calculate anything that falls into these categories. This might be a simple calculation, or it may be something incredibly sophisticated that factors in 5 data sources, 7 dimensions and 10 accounts. Confirm with the vendor that the system can calculate your metric, or if certain portions of the calculation will be done offline. Answers to these questions will help you understand what your ongoing offline maintenance will be to keep the system functioning.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

• KPI Configurability: How easy is it to define and modify KPIs within your tool? Can you show us a complex KPI calculation in your system?
• Presentation capabilities: How does your system visualize KPIs on both the reports and dashboards?
• Source Data: How do we create a KPI from several sources of data?