Main Metric: Large, prominent number (e.g., "3.2%")
Formatted automatically (percentages, currency, etc.)
Updates in real-time based on selected date range
Color coding for quick status assessment
Configure Big Number KPIs
Learn how to create and configure Big Number widgets for monitoring key performance indicators with comparisons and alerts.
Overview
Big Number widgets are the cornerstone of executive dashboards, displaying your most important metrics in a clear, prominent format. This guide covers everything from basic setup to advanced configurations with comparisons and alerts.
Perfect for: KPIs, conversion rates, revenue tracking, traffic monitoring, and any single-metric focus
Time Required: 5-10 minutes per widget
When to Use Big Number Widgets
Show high-level KPIs for leadership review:
Monthly revenue vs. target
Overall conversion rate
Total active users
Customer satisfaction score
Track critical metrics requiring immediate attention:
System uptime percentage
Daily sales targets
Marketing qualified leads
Customer churn rate
Monitor progress toward specific objectives:
Revenue targets
Growth percentages
Cost reduction goals
Efficiency improvements
Prerequisites
Access to Analytics with Edit permissions
Existing dashboard or create new one
At least 14 days of data (recommended for comparisons)
Understanding of your key business metrics
Creating Your First Big Number Widget
1
Add Widget to Dashboard
From your dashboard, click "+ Add Widget".
Select "Big Number Metric" from the widget type options.
2
Choose Your Metric
In the configuration panel, click the Metric dropdown.
Popular KPI Metrics:
Conversion Rate
Total Revenue
Sessions
Average Order Value
User Retention Rate
Customer Lifetime Value
For this example: Select "Conversion Rate"
3
Configure Comparison (Recommended)
The comparison feature shows how your metric changed vs. a reference period:
Most Common Choice
Compares to the same period length before current selection
Example: This month vs. last month, this week vs. last week
Use for: Regular performance monitoring
Segment Analysis
Compares current metric against different filter conditions
Example: Mobile users vs. desktop users
Use for: A/B testing, segment analysis
Simple Display
Shows only the metric value without comparison
Use for: Absolute numbers like total users, inventory count
For this example: Select "Previous selected time-range"
4
Position and Save
Your widget will auto-position in the next available spot. Big Number widgets are sized 3×3 by default, allowing 4 widgets across a standard dashboard.
Click "Save Widget" to add it to your dashboard.
Understanding Your Big Number Display
Your Big Number widget shows multiple pieces of information:
Display Components
Change vs. Reference: Shows difference from comparison period
Green positive (+0.5%): Improvement for positive metrics
Red negative (-0.3%): Decline requiring attention
Percentage or absolute change displayed
Visual Indicators: Quick visual cues for performance
↗️ Up arrow: Positive trend
↘️ Down arrow: Negative trend
→ Flat arrow: No significant change
Advanced Big Number Configurations
Setting Up Multiple Related KPIs
Create a KPI dashboard section with related metrics:
E-commerce Performance Suite:
Conversion Rate (Primary KPI)
Average Order Value (Supporting metric)
Total Revenue (Business impact)
Sessions (Traffic context)
Layout Strategy:
This gives complete performance context in one view.
Industry-Specific KPI Examples
SaaS/Subscription Business:
Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
Customer Churn Rate
Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Lifetime Value (LTV)
E-commerce:
Conversion Rate
Average Order Value
Cart Abandonment Rate
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Content/Media:
Page Views per Session
Bounce Rate
Time on Site
Return Visitor Rate
Lead Generation:
Lead Conversion Rate
Cost per Lead
Marketing Qualified Leads
Sales Qualified Leads
Comparison Configuration Deep Dive
Time-based Comparisons
1
Same Period Last Year
Perfect for seasonal businesses:
Compares December this year vs. December last year
Accounts for seasonal variations
Shows year-over-year growth trends
2
Previous Period
Most common comparison type:
Daily view: Today vs. yesterday
Weekly view: This week vs. last week
Monthly view: This month vs. last month
Custom range: Previous equivalent period
3
Rolling Averages
Smooths out daily fluctuations:
Compare today vs. 7-day rolling average
Reduces noise from weekend/weekday patterns
Better for volatile metrics
Filter-based Comparisons
Use Cases:
A/B Testing: Variant A performance vs. Variant B
Segment Analysis: Mobile users vs. desktop users
Geographic: Country A performance vs. Country B
Channel: Organic traffic vs. paid traffic
Setup Process:
Select "Filter Comparison" in comparison dropdown
Define your base filter conditions
Set comparison filter conditions
Widget shows: Base metric vs. Comparison metric
Setting Up Performance Alerts
Big Number widgets can trigger alerts when values exceed thresholds:
1
Access Alert Configuration
Click the menu (⋮) on your Big Number widget.
Select "Configure Alerts" from the dropdown.
2
Define Alert Conditions
Set up your alert criteria:
Trigger when metric crosses a specific value:
Above: Alert when metric > X (e.g., churn rate > 5%)
Below: Alert when metric < X (e.g., conversion rate < 2%)
Trigger when metric changes significantly:
Increase: Alert when metric increases > X% (e.g., +25% traffic spike)
Decrease: Alert when metric decreases > X% (e.g., -15% revenue drop)
3
Configure Notification Settings
Choose how you want to be notified:
Email: Immediate email alerts to specified recipients
Dashboard: Visual alerts in dashboard interface
Frequency: Immediate, daily summary, or weekly digest
Best Practices for Big Number KPIs
Layout and Design
Executive Dashboard Layout:
Guidelines:
Most important metric in top-left position
Maximum 4-6 Big Numbers per dashboard row
Group related metrics together
Use consistent time ranges across related widgets
Metric Selection Strategy
Business-Critical Metrics (1-2 per dashboard):
Revenue, profit, or main business outcome
Primary conversion or engagement metric
Customer satisfaction or retention
Characteristics:
Directly tied to business objectives
Reviewed by executives regularly
Clear targets or benchmarks exist
Context and Diagnosis (2-4 per dashboard):
Traffic volume (Sessions, Users)
Engagement quality (Bounce Rate, Time on Site)
Efficiency metrics (Cost per Acquisition)
Characteristics:
Help explain primary KPI changes
Provide operational context
Enable root cause analysis
Alert Threshold Guidelines
Conservative Starting Points:
Revenue metrics: ±15-20% change alerts
Traffic metrics: ±25-30% change alerts
Conversion metrics: ±20-25% change alerts
Quality metrics: ±50% change alerts
Adjustment Strategy:
Start with conservative thresholds
Monitor for false positives over 2-4 weeks
Adjust based on normal business variance
Review and refine monthly
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Widget Shows "No Data Available"
Diagnostic Steps:
Check date range: Extend to last 30 days
Verify metric availability: Some metrics require specific tracking
Review filters: Remove any restrictive dashboard filters
Confirm data source: Ensure data collection is active
Comparison Shows Unexpected Results
Common Causes:
Different data availability between periods
Date range boundaries cutting off complete periods
Seasonal variations affecting comparison validity
Data collection changes between compared periods
Solutions:
Use complete weeks/months for comparison
Check for known data collection changes
Consider year-over-year comparisons for seasonal data
Performance Issues with Multiple Big Numbers
Optimization Tips:
Limit to 8-10 widgets total per dashboard
Use shorter date ranges (30-90 days) for operational dashboards
Avoid complex filters on multiple widgets
Consider splitting into multiple focused dashboards
FAQ
How many Big Number widgets should I use on one dashboard?
Executive Dashboards: 4-6 Big Numbers maximum Operational Dashboards: 6-8 Big Numbers with supporting charts Focus Dashboards: 2-4 Big Numbers for specific area analysis
More than 8-10 total widgets can slow loading and overwhelm users.
What's the best comparison type for tracking monthly performance?
For monthly performance tracking, use "Previous selected time-range":
Compares this month vs. last month
Accounts for month-length variations
Shows month-over-month growth trends
For seasonal businesses, also create year-over-year comparison widgets to account for seasonal patterns.
Can I customize the number formatting in Big Number widgets?
Yes! Number formatting is automatic based on metric type:
Currency: Displays with $ symbol and appropriate decimals
Percentages: Shows % symbol with 1-2 decimal places
Large numbers: Uses K/M/B abbreviations (e.g., 1.2K, 5.4M)
The system automatically selects the most readable format for your data.
How do I know if my KPI targets are realistic?
Benchmark Sources:
Industry reports: Look up industry average conversion rates, etc.
Historical performance: Use your own 6-12 month trends
Competitor analysis: Public data or industry studies
Business goals: Work backward from revenue/growth targets
Start with conservative targets and adjust based on actual performance trends.
Related Guides:
Create Your First Dashboard
Setup Performance Alerts
Track E-commerce Performance
Understand the Analytics Interface
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