ScaleXP provides fully editable automated metrics. Create your own definitions for metrics and KPIs and then use them in any report, dashboard, or presentation.
A metric built here is reusable everywhere. If you only need a one-off calculation inside a single report, build it as a formula row in that report instead — see How to create or edit a formula in a report. Both use the same formula builder.
How to view existing metrics (how to create formulas and definitions)
To view existing metric definitions, go to the Settings cog (top bar, right side)>metric library (left sidebar) and use the search bar (top left) or scroll down to find the metric you wish to change.
Click the Edit metric button (right side) by the metric you wish to modify.
This opens a formula editor screen where you can change all aspects of the metric definition: the data source, time periods, calculation rules, and more.
How to create a new metric
Click on an existing data source to change it, or to add a new data point, click the blank row that says "Click here to add new row or create a formula."
How to create and edit a new formula
Select a data source for each row
The options are:
- Accounting — accounts and groups of accounts from your accounting system;
- CRM - data from HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive pipelines and stages
- Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel — data and KPIs connected from your spreadsheets;
- ScaleXP — your metrics, customer and CRM data, and manual-entry data;
- Fixed Number
- Row
- Brackets
Use the Type to search box to find a specific item, and the ( ) button to add brackets to a calculation.
Once the data is added, you can further edit with tracking codes/classes/locations and time periods.
To report a line by Xero tracking codes or QuickBooks classes or locations, click the row, open its settings (the cog), and use the Classes / Category selector. Tick the codes or classes to include, then Save.
If you are using Xero as your accounting input, you can also select the cash rather than accrual version of a line item. Note: you can't select classes or categories and cashflow at the same time. Be sure to Save changes.
Select the time period for each row
Each line can use its own time period, always relative to the report's reporting month. Click the row, open its settings (the cog), and under Time Period choose the type and the period (for example, Value for 1 month ago):
- Value — a single month, for example the current month;
- Add — the total across a range of months, for example the past 3 months;
- Average — the average across a range of months;
- Change — the difference in value between two dates, for example the increase in active customer numbers.
Select the function(s) and order of operations
Once you have added data, make further edits such as:
- move it — drag and drop (dots at far left).
- change the mathematical function (sign at left).
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change the data source — click on the row to edit it further:
- change the data source (first dropdown);
- change the data source detail, such as a specific report on the Customers tab (second dropdown, if available);
- select which entities to include (consolidated entities only);
- add brackets;
- add a fixed number;
- delete (bin icon).
Add a row for each piece of data, then set the calculation type for each using the symbol at its left: Add, Subtract, Multiply, or Divide.
Use brackets to control the order of operations: click the ( ) button, then drag rows into the bracketed group using the six dots at the left, or add new data inside the brackets where it says Click here to add a new row.
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Select the output settings (format, aggregation type, title)
Use the controls on the formula total row to set how the result is named, formatted, and aggregated.
Rename using the pencil icon
Rename the metric or report row here.
Select output format (monetary, numerical or percent)
Use the dropdown menu at the far right of the formula total row to select the output number type: monetary, numerical, or percentage.
Other formula properties (cog icon)
Decimals — select the number of decimals here. In reports, this overrides the overall format for the whole page and is applied only to the row.
Variance — determines whether an increase in the metric value is treated as good, bad, or neutral.
YTD aggregation — choose between four options to calculate multi-month time periods such as year to date, quarter to date, full year, and quarter.
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Default summation — uses rules based on the mix of components in the formula:
- for example, if any of the components are balance sheet or "last," it returns the value from the most recent month; if all values in the formula are from the P&L, it sums the component parts and applies the formula;
- common uses: % margin, basic P&L or balance sheet reports.
-
Ending value — always returns the value of the last month in the series:
- for example, YTD January to March returns the value for March;
- common use: number of customers, ending cash balance, other balance sheet reports.
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Starting value — always returns the value of the first month in the series:
- for example, YTD January to March returns the value for January;
- common uses: opening cash balance, beginning customer numbers.
-
Cumulative monthly — returns the sum of the monthly outputs in the series:
- for example, YTD January to March returns January plus February plus March;
- common uses: cash flow reports, total new customers.
When done, be sure to Save. Also see How do I change the name of a metric?
Example
There are a number of default churn metrics built into the system. To view these, search for churn in the search bar (top left). Select the one you want to edit, then click Edit metric at the right of the name to reveal a formula summary like this:
To see detail on the data sources and time periods, click on the row.
In the screenshot above, Customer Churn (1 month annualised) is currently measured as:
that is, customers lost or churned in the current month as per the default ("global") report on the Customers tab (in this case, the one called "2. MRR"),
divided by
active customers, also as per the report "2. MRR", here for the time period 1 month ago — the clock symbol in the initial screen indicates a month other than the current one.
all multiplied by 12 to get the annualized result.
To change the source of the customers lost, click "Lost Customers" and use the dropdown to select a different data source (Accounting, manual entry data, CRM, Customers tab, and so on), or click "Default (2.MRR)" to select a different report on the Customers tab.
To change the time period, click the cog symbol and choose from the menu options.
When done, Save.