Format Selections

Trend

Show the trend of a KPI, either upward, stable, or downward.

The trend symbol represents the gap performance of each KPI. The KPI's Gap Performance measure is matched to the Stable Gap Performance Range. The symbol is determined by where it fits in that range.

If a KPI does not have a trend symbol, it means the scorecard administrator did not set the values for the KPI.

Each KPI may have a trend status indicator that has a trend symbol based on the Gap Performance value.

The KPI Details view shows details about how the trend indicator is determined. For more information, see KPI Details.

Index KPIs do not have a trend indicator.

KPI Status

Shows the status indicator for the KPI, which identifies performance. The color is determined by comparing the score value of the KPI to the appropriate thresholds specified in the KPI definition.

Non-KPI Status

For all levels above KPIs, the status color is determined by the underlying items. For example, in a classic Perspective/Objective/KPI scorecard hierarchy, objective scores are based on underlying KPIs and perspective scores are based on underlying objectives.

When Indexed Scoring is used, the color is determined by matching the score value of the underlying items to appropriate index values. For example, if an objective is measured on the average of underlying KPIs, the color of each KPI is assigned an index value and the index values are averaged to score the objective.

When Absolute Scoring is used, the color is determined directly from the underlying items. For example, if an objective is measured on the average of underlying KPIs, the KPI scores are simply averaged and then compared to the thresholds set in the objective definition.

Actual

The actual value for a KPI, along with the target value, determines the KPI's score.

Target

The actual value for a KPI, along with the target value, determines the KPI's score.

If you do not see a Target column in the table, but you do see a Forecast or Benchmark column (or something similar), it means your site is set up to use a Type dimension. The Type dimension has members that allow you to switch what is being compared to actual, such as target, forecast, or benchmark. The Dimension Filters allow you to switch from one Type dimension member to another.

Score

The score determines the status indicator color. How this row's score rates in relation to the breakpoint values shown in the Details view determines the color of its status indicator.

For a scored context, the score is determined by the status of the underlying measured perspectives of the context, or by the status of one KPI.

For a perspective, the score is determined by the status of the underlying objectives of the perspective, or by the status of one KPI.

For an objective, the score is determined by the status of the underlying KPIs of the objective. For more information, see Indexed Scoring vs. Absolute Scoring.

For KPIs, the deviation between the actual value and target value is the KPI's score.

For index KPIs, the score is determined by the status of the underlying KPIs of the index KPI.

The scorecard administrator determines whether the context or the perspectives has scores and how the scores are determined.

Previous Actual

The actual value for a KPI from the previous time frame.

The previous time frame is determined by the current reporting date you set in the Hierarchy view in relation to the periodicity for which data is stored for the Actual measure. If data is being reported quarterly and you are displaying a current date of June 30, then the previous actual represents the value at the end of March 31.

Actual % Change

Percentage that the actual value of a KPI changed from the previous period to the current period.

Previous Target

The target value for a KPI from the previous time frame.

For information about the previous time frame, see the description of Previous Actual.

Target % Change

Percentage that the target value of a KPI changed from the previous period to the current period.

Lead/Lag

Lagging KPIs are commonly financial in nature and represent outcomes based on historical performance. Lagging KPIs, such as Revenue and Units Sold, show performance of what has happened in the past (yesterday, last week, last quarter).

Leading KPIs are predictors of future performance, and provide direction about which lagging KPIs require more attention. Leading KPIs can be used to forecast how lagging measures will perform in the future. Leading KPIs are a critical factor because they provide an early warning signal for the organization to take actions that are proactive, rather than reactive. They provide insight into the KPIs that require attention now, so as to prevent performance degradation in the future.

Type

Quantitative KPIs are considered fact-based measurements like number of trouble tickets closed that are based on relational databases or transactional systems such as ERP or CRM.

Qualitative KPIs, like customer satisfaction, are softer and more subjective. Qualitative KPIs are soft measures because they are mostly taken from semistructured sources such as surveys, e-mails, or Excel worksheets. It is a subjective rating of the quality of execution of a KPI. Quantitative KPIs are considered either financial or operations, while qualitative KPIs do not have this distinction.

Unread Comments

Shows the number of unread comments, if any. You can select this number to display the Comments dialog box so you can read the comments.

For more information, see Reviewing Comments and Replies.

Associated Initiative

If an initiative author associated a KPI with an initiative, the KPI shows a link to the Initiatives tab.

Responsible

The name of a user who is responsible for this item.

Abnormal Performance

Shows an exclamation point (!) to alert you about an underlying problem. The exclamation point is called a below-the-horizon indicator.

An item has abnormal performance if at least one association used to measure its performance is at least two statuses below the status of the overall item. This gives a clear visual indicator that while the item may be performing satisfactorily, there is an associated element that is in need of attention.

For KPIs, the indicator appears if one or more dimension members are two or more levels below the status of the overall KPI.

For objectives, the indicator appears if one or more KPIs are two or more levels below the status of the overall objective.

Budget Status

Shows whether the initiative is under budget, on budget, or over budget.

The colors of the status indicators are determined as follows:

• If the actual value is greater than the budget, then the status is red because this initiative is over budget.

• If the actual value is less than budget, then the status is green because this initiative is under budget.

• If the actual value is equal to budget, then the status is yellow because this initiative is on budget.

• If the actual value and budget value are both 0 or empty (there is no cost associated with this initiative), then no status is displayed.

Schedule Status

Shows whether the initiative is ahead of schedule, on schedule, or behind schedule.

An initiative's schedule status is determined differently based on whether it is active (has no actual end date) or completed (has an actual end date).

If an initiative is active, the initiative derives its schedule status from the milestone that is the most behind schedule. If any of its milestones are behind schedule (red), the initiative is considered behind schedule and has a red status. If any of its milestones are either on time (yellow) or ahead of schedule (green), the initiative is considered ahead of schedule and is green. If all milestones are on time (yellow), the initiative is considered on time and is yellow. If it does not have any milestones assigned, the initiative does not show any schedule status.

If an initiative is completed, then the initiative derives its schedule status by whether its target end date is before or after the actual end date. If its actual end date is before the target end date, the initiative is ahead (green). If its actual end date is after the target end date, the initiative is behind (red). If its actual end date is the same as the target end date, the initiative is on time (yellow).

Start

Start date of the initiative.

Target End

Expected end date of the initiative.

Actual End

End date of a completed initiative.

Include Initiatives

Includes initiatives in the scorecard hierarchy.