A KPI tile is a single-number chart that shows one important figure, such as the number of placements this month. You can add a caption, set a goal, choose whether a higher or lower number is good news, and compare the number with the period before, so your team can see progress against a target at a glance. You can also add a goal and a trend line to bar, column, line, and area charts.
Goals, comparisons, the better-news direction, and trend lines are available on Business Plus and higher subscriptions.
What is a KPI tile?
A KPI tile is a chart that is presented as a Single value. It shows one number with a title above it. When you set a goal, the tile also shows the words for hitting or missing the goal next to the number, and the percentage of the goal that the number has reached. A caption under the number adds context.
For example, a tile titled “Placements This Month” can show 3, the words “Below target,” “30% of 10,” and a caption that asks, “How are we pacing for Placement KPIs this month?”
KPI tiles work well at the top of a report page, where your team sees them first.
How do I create a KPI tile?
You create a KPI tile by adding a chart that returns a single number, and then using the cogwheel icon to update its settings.
Open Reports and select the page where you want the tile.
Select Add charts or tables to this page at the bottom of the page. The Add Charts or Tables window opens.
Under Available Charts and Tables, expand a record type, such as Placements, and select the # of option, such as # of Placements. The Preview shows a single number, such as Total # of Placements.
Select OK. The chart is added to the page.
Select the cogwheel icon in the top right of the chart. The Configure Chart window opens with the Settings tab selected.
If the chart is not already a Single value, select Single value under Presentation.
Enter a Title for the tile. You can also enter a Subtitle.
Scroll down through the options below the chart type to find the caption and goal settings.
Select OK.
The # of option at the top of each record type is usually a single value. The options listed under it, such as Over Time and By Owner, are other kinds of charts.
💡 Pro Tip: Give each tile a short, plain title, such as “Placements This Month.” People scan tiles quickly, so the title should say what the number is.
How do I add a caption under the number?
Enter a short phrase in Caption under the number. The caption appears directly under the number and the goal progress on the tile.
Select the cogwheel icon in the top right of the tile.
On the Settings tab, find Caption under the number.
Enter your caption, such as “How are we pacing for Placement KPIs this month?”
Select OK.
How do I set a goal?
Enter a number in Goal / Target. The tile then shows how far the current number is toward the target, so your team can see progress at a glance.
Select the cogwheel icon in the top right of the tile.
On the Settings tab, scroll down to Goal / Target below the chart type options.
Enter your target in Goal / Target. For example, enter 10 for a goal of ten placements.
Optional: Enter the words to show when the goal is reached in Words to show when the goal is hit, such as “Goal reached!”
Optional: Enter the words to show when the goal is not reached in Words to show when the goal is missed, such as “Below target.”
Select OK.
With a goal of 10 and a number of 3, the tile shows “30% of 10” under the number, and the words for a missed goal next to it. The words and the percentage appear in orange when the goal is missed and in green when the goal is hit. If you leave the words blank, the tile shows only the percentage of the goal, such as “10% of 10.”
💡 Pro Tip: Use the same time period for the goal and the tile. For example, if your goal is ten placements a month, add a date filter for the current month, so the number and the goal cover the same period.
What does “A higher number is better news” do?
A higher number is better news tells the tile which direction is good, and it controls whether the goal counts as hit. The option is selected by default.
Leave it selected for metrics where a higher number is better, such as placements, submittals, or calls. A number at or above the goal counts as hitting it.
Clear it for metrics where a lower number is better, such as time to fill. A number at or below the goal then counts as hitting it, and the tile shows the hit words and the green formatting.
For example, a tile that shows 3 placements against a goal of 10 shows “Below target” in orange when a higher number is better. If you clear the option, the same tile treats 3 as under the goal and shows “Goal reached!” in green.
💡 Pro Tip: Always check this setting for time-based metrics. For time to fill, a lower number is good news, so clear the option and set your goal as the longest time you accept.
How do I compare a tile with the period before?
Select Compare with the period before below the chart type options, and add a date filter to the chart. The tile then compares the current period with the period before, and shows the change under the goal percentage. The comparison does not appear unless the chart has a date filter.
Select the cogwheel icon in the top right of the tile.
On the Settings tab, scroll down and select Compare with the period before.
Select the Filters tab and add a date filter, such as This and Month.
Select OK.
For example, a tile filtered to This and Month compares the current month with the month before. The tile shows the result in one of three ways:
An increase: The change appears in green, such as “+1 vs the period before.”
A decrease: The change appears in red, such as “-50% vs the period before.”
No change: The tile shows “no change vs the period before.”
💡 Pro Tip: Set the date filter to the period you review most often, such as This and Month. The tile then compares the current month with the month before, so your team can see at a glance whether the number is moving in the right direction.
What does “Use the classic style” do?
Use the classic style switches the tile to the earlier design. The number is centered and shown in blue, with the goal words, the percentage, and the caption centered below it. Clear the checkbox to use the current design, where the number is left-aligned and large.
How do I add a trend line?
Select Add a trend line below the chart type options. A trend line is a dashed line across the chart that shows the overall direction of the values. Trend lines are available on bar, column, line, and area charts. They are not available on single value tiles.
Select the cogwheel icon in the top right of the chart.
On the Settings tab, scroll down and select Add a trend line.
Select OK.
💡 Pro Tip: Trend lines are most useful when the chart shows several data points, such as months. A chart with only two or three values has little trend to show.
Can I add a goal to other charts?
Yes. Every chart that has a Goal / Target field also has Add a trend line, except a single value tile. On bar, column, line, and area charts, the goal appears as a horizontal line across the chart, so you can see which values fall short of it.
For example, a line chart of activities by type, with a goal of 10, shows a line at 10. You can add a trend line to see whether the values are moving toward or away from the goal.
Examples
Placements this month, with a target
Chart: # of Placements, presented as Single value.
Title: Placements This Month.
Date filter: This month.
Caption: How are we pacing for Placement KPIs this month?
Goal / Target: 10.
Words to show when the goal is hit: Goal reached!
Words to show when the goal is missed: Below target.
A higher number is better news: Selected.
Compare with the period before: Selected, with a date filter of This and Month.
Result: With 1 placement this month and 2 the month before, the tile shows “Below target” and “10% of 10” in orange, with “-50% vs the period before” in red.
Average time to fill, where lower is better
Chart: Average Time to Fill for all Placements, presented as Single value.
A higher number is better news: Cleared.
Goal / Target: 90.
Result: With an average of 71 days, the tile shows “79% of 90 Days” in green, because 71 days is under the goal.
Troubleshooting
Why do I not see the goal and comparison settings?
Goals, comparisons, the better-news direction, and trend lines are available on Business Plus and higher subscriptions.
Why do I not see Compare with the period before or the words for the goal?
These settings appear when the chart is presented as a Single value. Select the cogwheel icon, and then select Single value under Presentation. Other chart types show Add a trend line and Goal / Target instead.
Why do I not see Add a trend line?
Single value tiles do not have a trend line. Trend lines are available on bar, column, line, and area charts. Select a different chart type under Presentation.
Why does my goal not show on the tile?
The Goal / Target field may be empty. Enter a number, and then select OK.
Why does a goal show as reached when my number is lower than the target?
A higher number is better news is cleared, so a lower number counts as better. Select the checkbox if a higher number should count as better.
Why do I not see the change from the period before?
The chart needs a date filter, and Compare with the period before must be selected. Open the Filters tab, add a date filter such as This and Month, and then select OK.
Why does my tile say “no change vs the period before”?
The number for this period is the same as the number for the period before. For example, both periods can show 0. Check the date filter on the Filters tab to confirm it covers the period you expect.
Why is the change from the period before red?
The number went down compared with the period before. If a lower number is better for the metric, clear A higher number is better news, so the tile treats the decrease as good news.
Why do the numbers on my tile differ from another report?
Each report applies its own filters. Check the Filters tab on the tile, and compare them with the other report. Date ranges follow your time zone, so a tile and a report in a different time zone setting can show slightly different numbers.
What to share if it still does not work: a screenshot of the tile and its Settings and Filters tabs, the report page name, the metric you are tracking, and the goal you entered.
Key takeaway
A KPI tile is a chart presented as a Single value. Add a caption under the number and set a Goal / Target, and the tile shows the percentage of the goal reached, with words and colors for hitting or missing it. Choose whether a higher number is better news, and compare with the period before, using a date filter, to see whether the number went up, went down, or stayed the same. For metrics where a lower number is better, such as time to fill, clear A higher number is better news. You can also add a goal and a trend line to bar, column, line, and area charts. These settings are available on Business Plus and higher subscriptions.