sSPLX-OS
Try the demoSign inStart free
All guides · Strategy

How to build a scorecard metric

Create a measurable scorecard metric, record check-in values each period, and interpret color-coded results so your team can act on variances early.

Open in SPLX OS

A scorecard metric is the answer to "how will we know if we're winning?" Without a number on a cadence, strategic goals stay narrative. When Northwoods Outfitters created a "Guide certification rate" metric (target: 90%, monthly cadence), Priya could see at a glance whether the guide training priority was actually moving — and the three red cells in a row in Q2 triggered the intervention that turned it around.

Before you start

  • The Strategy module is required, so it is on in every workspace.
  • Creating, editing, and deleting metrics needs strategy.metrics.manage — owner, admin, and advisor by default. Recording check-in values needs strategy.metrics.snapshot.write, which contributors hold too, so a contributor can log the actuals for the metrics they own. Viewers can see the full scorecard but not record values.

Step 1: Open the Scorecard

Click Strategy → Scorecard in the sidebar. The table shows the 13 most recent periods for the currently selected cadence tab (Weekly / Monthly / Quarterly / Annual). The current period column has a subtle background highlight.

Step 2: Add a metric

Click Add Metric at the top right. The Add Metric dialog opens; fill in the required fields first:

Field Notes
Name Short label — appears as the row header in the table.
Target Numeric goal. This becomes the default target for every period.
Direction Higher is better (higher_better) or Lower is better (lower_better). This controls whether green means above or below target.
Cadence weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual. Determines which tab the metric appears on.

Then fill in the optional fields as needed:

Field Notes
Unit Appended to values in the table. Use %, USD, units, etc.
Operational Definition How the metric is calculated or measured. Shown as an info tooltip.
Jump-off Point Free-text baseline note, e.g. "Baseline: 62 certified guides as of Jan 2026."
Scope company (default), department, or individual. Department requires selecting a department; individual requires selecting an owner.
Owner Person accountable for the metric. Optional, except for individual-scope metrics. Owned metrics show up under Metrics you owe on the owner's My Day until the period's value is in.
Category Free-text grouping label used with the "Group by category" view option.
Source type Defaults to Manual (you type each value). Other sources, such as process, finance, CRM, people, execution, and rhythm metrics, are calculated automatically.
Scoring Mode Target Delta (% of target) or Threshold (absolute yellow and red bands); this decides when a cell turns yellow or red.

Click Add Metric to save it (the button reads Save Changes when editing).

Step 3: Record a check-in value

Click any period cell in the metric's row. A check-in popover opens with:

  • Actual — the recorded value for that period. Required to save.

  • Target — overrides the metric's default target for this period only. Leave blank to use the default.

  • Cause Code — appears only when the actual value misses the target. Select the most accurate category:

    Display label Code value
    Measurement Error measurement-error
    External Factor external
    Process Gap process-gap
    Resource Constraint resource-constraint
    Off-Track Execution off-track-execution
    On Track on-track

    The "On Track" cause code is available when the actual misses target but the miss was planned or acceptable (e.g. a seasonal pattern). Using a cause code is optional even on misses, but it makes the audit trail more useful.

  • Context — free-text note explaining the period result.

Click Save to record the check-in. The cell turns green if the actual meets or beats the target based on direction; a miss shows yellow or red depending on the metric's Scoring Mode.

Step 4: Edit or reorder metrics

Click the pencil icon on any metric row to edit any field. Direction and cadence changes take effect immediately.

When no grouping is active, drag the grip handle on the left edge of a row to reorder metrics. Reordering is disabled when "Group by owner" or "Group by category" is active.

Step 5: Use filters and grouping

Above the table:

  • Search — filters by metric name, department name, or category.
  • Scope filter — All / Company / Department / Individual.
  • Group by — None, Owner, or Category.

Switch cadence tabs (Weekly / Monthly / Quarterly / Annual) to see only metrics on that cadence.

Deleting a metric

Use the Delete metric (trash) control on the metric's row, or Delete in its row menu. A Delete metric? confirmation dialog warns that deleting the metric also permanently removes all its check-in snapshots. This cannot be undone.

What comes next