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

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.

Big Number widget selection
Big Number widgets are perfect for displaying single, important metrics prominently
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

Metric selection dropdown
Search for your desired metric or browse by category

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

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:

Big Number widget components
Components of a Big Number widget with time comparison enabled

Display Components

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

Advanced Big Number Configurations

chevron-rightIndustry-Specific KPI Exampleshashtag

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:

  1. Select "Filter Comparison" in comparison dropdown

  2. Define your base filter conditions

  3. Set comparison filter conditions

  4. 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%)

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

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:

  1. Start with conservative thresholds

  2. Monitor for false positives over 2-4 weeks

  3. Adjust based on normal business variance

  4. Review and refine monthly

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Widget Shows "No Data Available"

Diagnostic Steps:

  1. Check date range: Extend to last 30 days

  2. Verify metric availability: Some metrics require specific tracking

  3. Review filters: Remove any restrictive dashboard filters

  4. 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

chevron-rightHow many Big Number widgets should I use on one dashboard?hashtag

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.

chevron-rightWhat's the best comparison type for tracking monthly performance?hashtag

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.

chevron-rightCan I customize the number formatting in Big Number widgets?hashtag

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.

chevron-rightHow do I know if my KPI targets are realistic?hashtag

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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