Adding a key value will help you to pull out the important numbers from your metrics so you can see them at a glance. You can also compare your key value against a comparison value (e.g., this month vs last month).
The process of adding a key value is different if you are using the updated Metric Builder or the basic builder. This article will show the process in both versions of the Metric Builder.
Using Data Explorer
The key value is tied into the date column and range selected, so once you have selected that or your chart, it's simple to add a key value.
Click on "Key Value" in the chart option list, and choose the column that has the data you need and then select the aggregation you want to use (similar to selecting the chart values).
You can change the label and the formatting for the key value. By default the value will be shortened to show something like "60.2K". If you want to see the entire number, then check the box labeled "Show un-abbreviated number on metric."
Setting a comparison value
You can select a second date range to calculate the percent difference between the key value and that prior period. Next to the dropdown where you can select the date range to use for the key value, there is another dropdown to select the related date range. You can choose form the immediate prior period (for example, if you selected "30 days back" this would be the prior 30 days) up to the same period a year ago (for example, the same last 30 days, but last year).
Using Basic Builder
There are two options for creating a key value: a manual key value and an automatic key value.
To add a manual key value, you need to have the value you want to use in your data (it could be after running some transforms to get it) or in Spreadsheet Functions.
An automatic key value lets you select a column and calculate the kay value automatically (for example, getting a month-to-date total when you have daily data). Automatic key values are only available when you have a date column selected as your x-axis labels, since they are calculated according to a date range you select. Also, you cannot select an automatic key value from Spreadsheet Functions.
Add a Manual Key Value
- At the left side of the Chart tab, click on Add key value.
- The manual option is selected as default, so you can now select the cell in your data that you want to use. The Key Value will appear at the top left of your metric.
You can give the key value a title and change the formatting of the key value to display it as a currency, percentage, or a rounded number.
If the value is a large number, then Grow will abbreviate the number (for example, 156,432 will be displayed as 156k). If you want to see the entire number check the "Show Un-Abbreviated Number on Metric" box.
If the key value is not a number, then check the box Treat Value as Text to ensure it displays as expected.
Add a Comparison Value to a Manual Key Value
- Under the Key Values header at the left, click on the settings button.
- Click Add data under Comparison Value.
- Select the cell that you want to be the comparison value.
A percentage will appear next to your key value with an up or down arrow. The percentage indicates how much the key value has increased or decreased in comparison to the comparison value.
Grow will assume that you want the current value to be higher than the comparison value (like getting more sales this month than last month) and will display the comparison percentage in green. If the key value represents a number that you want to be lower than the comparison, check the box Negative Numbers Are Desirable. This will show the comparison value in red if the current value is higher than the comparison.
Add an Automatic Key Value
- At the left side of the Chart tab, click on Add key value.
- Click on Automatic at the top of the pop-up, then select the column that has the data you want to use for the key value. As the default, it will give you the sum of the entire column.
- To change the logic behind the auto key value, click on the settings button next to the key value at the left and open the menu labeled "calculation".
- Here you can select the aggregation you would like to use (sum, count, average, etc.), and the date range you would like to include (month-to-date, 7 days back, etc.).
- You can click on "back" at the top of that menu to return to the general key value settings.
You can give the key value a title and change the formatting of the key value to display it as a currency, percentage, or a rounded number.
If the value is a large number, then Grow will abbreviate the number (for example, 156,432 will be displayed as 156k). If you want to see the entire number check the "Show Un-Abbreviated Number on Metric" box.
Add a Comparison Value to an Automatic Key Value
- Under the Key Values header at the left, click on the settings button.
- Click Add data under Comparison Value.
- Select the column that has the data you want to compare (it can be the same column as the main key value).
- Open the menu labeled calculation to change the aggregation and date range used for the comparison.
A percentage will appear next to your key value with an up or down arrow. The percentage indicates how much the key value has increased or decreased in comparison to the comparison value.
Grow will assume that you want the current value to be higher than the comparison value (like getting more sales this month than last month) and will display the comparison percentage in green. If the key value represents a number that you want to be lower than the comparison, check the box "Negative Numbers Are Desirable". This will show the comparison value in red if the current value is higher than the comparison.
Notes about Comparison Key Values
Grow calculates the comparison percentage this way:
(original value - comparison value) / comparison value = percent difference
So if this month you have 80 deals so far and last month you had 100, it would be (80-100)/100 = -0.20, or 20% below last month.