KPI & IPF Library
Implementation note (2026-10-02): This guide's KPI/IPF relationship and downstream usage sections are conceptual and have not been fully reconciled with the current application. The global KPI creation fields below were verified against
/admin/global-kpisandPOST /admin/library/kpi. See the Creating a global KPI for the verified form fields.
Audience: Strategy Manager, Admin, Team Leads Page Type: How-To Guide Duration: Initial setup 1–2 hours; ongoing as needed
What is the KPI & IPF Library?
The KPI & IPF Library is the organization-wide catalog of standardized performance metrics that can be reused across OKRs, BSC objectives, Focus Areas, and Product Scorecards.
KPI vs. IPF
| Term | Full Name | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | A critical business metric with a measurable outcome (e.g., Monthly Revenue, Customer NPS, Churn Rate) |
| IPF | Input/Process Factor | A leading indicator or driver metric that influences KPIs (e.g., # Sales Calls, Training Hours, Website Visits) |
The distinction matters because:
- KPIs tell you what results you achieved
- IPFs tell you if you're doing the right activities to achieve those results
Why a Shared Library?
Without a shared library, organizations end up with:
- Duplicate metrics with different names (e.g., "Revenue" vs. "Net Revenue" vs. "Sales Revenue" — are they the same?)
- Inconsistent measurement methods
- No baseline benchmarks
The library ensures one definition, one measurement method, one owner per metric across the organization.
Browsing the Library
- Go to Library → KPI Library
- Browse the catalog:
Filter Options
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | KPI / IPF |
| Category | Financial, Customer, Operations, HR, etc. |
| Unit | Filter by organizational unit |
| Status | Active / Draft / Deprecated |
Search
Use the search bar to find metrics by name, category, or keyword.
Creating a global KPI
A superadmin uses Admin → Global KPI Library (/admin/global-kpis) and the Add action under the chosen dimension. Global KPIs are selectable by all tenants; creating one does not attach it to a report.
| Field | Required | Current meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Distinct KPI name |
| Dimension | Yes | One of the existing IPF dimensions |
| BSC perspective | No | One of four BSC perspectives |
| Description | No | Measurement scope and source rule |
| Unit | No | Percent, score, amount, etc. |
| Formula | No | Calculation method |
| Better direction | Shown in UI | The global admin API currently ignores this field; new records default to HIGHER_IS_BETTER. Fix the API before publishing lower-is-better metrics. |
KPI/IPF type, measurement frequency, data source, owner, benchmark, and draft status are not fields on this global creation form. Frequency and targets are set in the measurements of the KPI created from the item.
Creating KPIs from the library
A library item is a template; it does not receive measurements. The record that receives measurements is the KPI created from the item (KPI register).
- Every pull from the library creates a new KPI. The definition, breakdown template and the tenant's default success criteria template (when defined) are copied to the KPI once. Later changes to the library item do not affect existing KPIs; there is no live link.
- Several KPIs can be created from the same item (e.g. for different units or different evaluations). If the same unit already has a KPI from the same item, a duplicate warning lists the existing KPIs; choose Use existing or Create a new KPI anyway.
- You can create the KPI in two places:
- Goals & Tracking → KPI Tracking → New KPI → From library
- In a report or analysis, Add KPI → From library (new KPI): the KPI is created and added to the report.
- Product KPI library items are used the same way for Product Scorecards.
- The KPIs created from this item link on the library page filters the KPI Tracking list by that item.
- New KPIs count toward the plan's active KPI limit (
max_kpis).
Measurement frequency, targets and measurements are kept on the KPI itself. OKR key results are linked not to a library item but to a Focus Area KPI of the same planning period. See KPI Tracking.
IPF → KPI Relationships
You can define relationships between IPFs and KPIs to show causality:
- Open a KPI in the library
- Click the Drivers tab
- Click + Link IPF
- Select IPFs that are known to influence this KPI
Example:
IPF: # Discovery Calls Made → KPI: Monthly New ARR
IPF: NPS Score (12-month) → KPI: Annual Customer Churn Rate
This helps teams understand that improving a KPI requires moving specific IPFs.
Standardizing Library Metrics
Governance recommendations:
- One owner per metric — the owner is responsible for ensuring the definition stays accurate and data quality is maintained
- Naming convention — use consistent patterns (e.g., "% [Metric Name]" for percentages, "[Metric Name] (#)" for counts)
- Deprecate, don't delete — when a metric is no longer used, mark it Deprecated so historical data is preserved
- Review library annually — remove outdated metrics, add new ones aligned with current strategy