How to Create, Edit and Manage Custom KPIs

The ability to create and customize KPIs tailored to your individual role allows businesses to change and adapt effectively.

One of the most significant components of NetSuite is the ability to have a real-time, 360 view of your business on a single dashboard. Visibility is critical to understanding your business, increasing efficiency, and distinguishing the areas that need to improve. NetSuite Key Performance Indicators present just that…an overview of your need-to-know business data, with drill-down capabilities.

This tips guide reveals the important steps to create, edit, and manage KPIs based on your individual business requirements.

CUSTOM KPIs

NetSuite offers 75 out-of-the-box KPIs that can appear in your dashboard’s KPI portlet. These standard report figures permit you to drill down into the complete report for further information and detail when needed. But in most situations, businesses have specific data that they need to display that is not available in NetSuite’s standard reporting.

In such a case, users have the ability to establish a new saved search or utilize an existing saved search that is consistent with this data.

Establishing a NEW Search to be a custom KPI

Follow the steps to generate a new saved search to be utilized as a custom KPI:

1. Go to: Lists > Search > Saved Searches (Admin) > New.

2. Select a search type in the new Saved Search index.

3. Label the name of your search in the Saved Search form as it will display in the custom KPI lists, scorecard and Set Up KPI popup.

4. The Criteria subtab should have filters to restrict the search data.
• Make sure that date filters are not used. KPIs are unable to implement summary criteria filters in groupings, which may result in different information from the original saved search.

5. The Results subtab should only have one field that utilizes summary type.

• To display a counted number of search outputs for a single KPI choose the ID field (Number) and determine a Count summary type.

• To reveal summary data like maximum, total amount, average, or minimum, choose a field and select its summary type.

6. Attach a date field to the Available Filters subtab to analyze side by side saved search results through various date intervals in a KPI scorecard, portlet, graph or meter. If a date column isn’t available as a filter, utilize a different search type.

7. Once completed, click Save & Run to confirm that the results are accurate.

You can utilize your search as a custom KPI and add it to the KPI scorecard, KPI portlet, or set it to appear in a trend graph portlet.

Utilizing an EXISTING Search to be a custom KPI

Follow the steps to modify a custom KPI by editing an existing saved search:

1. Go to: Lists > Search > Saved Searches.

2. Select and press Edit beside the specific search you would like to utilize as a custom KPI. Make sure that the search is identified properly to present the KPI data in the method you desire.

3. Head to the Criteria subtab and ensure that date filters are not being utilized as search requirements.

4. The Results subtab should only have one field that utilizes summary type.

• To display a counted number of search outputs for a single KPI choose the ID field (Number) and determine a Count summary type.

• To reveal summary data like maximum, total amount, average, or minimum, choose a field and select its summary type.

5. Attach a date field to the Available Filters subtab to contrast saved search results through various date intervals in a KPI scorecard, portlet, graph or meter.

6. Modify the search to fulfill your demands and resave.
• If you run into an editing issue and cannot resave a search, create an equivalent search or ask the previous owner to alter it. Select Save & Run to confirm that the results are accurate.

7. The title of the search is displayed in the custom KPI lists scorecard and in the Set-Up KPI popup.

8. Now that all of the steps have been completed, you can now add it to the KPI scorecard, portlet, or set it to appear in a trend graph portlet.

NetSuite gives users the ability to display 1-10 custom KPIs in each portlet with drill down results from its saved search.

How to add custom KPIs to the KPI Portlet

1. Inside the KPI portlet select Set Up.

2. Click Add Custom KPIs in the Set Up KPI popup to select the Choose Custom KPI popup window. Moving the desired saved searches to the left list indicates that you would like it to be shown as a custom KPI. Select Done.

Fun fact: Custom KPIS are displayed with a c icon.

#3-6 apply for every selected KPI:

3. Inside the Range list choose a date range that you would like the data included.

4. In the Compare column, select the box to compare the results specified in the Range list into the Compare Range list with the findings from a different period.

5. If you selected the Compare box inside the Compare Range list, make sure the data date range is set from the initial range.

6. In the Highlight If list, emphasize data that is insufficient or surpasses a determined boundary and threshold. Make sure to enter a Threshold value if Highlight If was selected.

7. Save!

Utilizing Custom KPIs in a KPI Scorecard

A Key Performance Scorecard reveals comparative research amongst numerous KPIs through several date timelines or accounting periods. Identify ten custom KPIs to be calculated in each KPI scorecard portlet.

Follow the steps to learn how to add a custom KPI to a KPI scorecard:

1. Select the KPI scorecard to which you would like to add a custom KPI.

• Editing a KPI scorecard: Head to Customization > Centers and Tabs > KPI Scorecards (Admin) and select Edit on the scorecard you would like to modify.

• Creating a KPI scorecard: Head to Customization > Centers and Tabs > KPI Scorecards > New (Admin).

2. Select a Custom KPI #1 – #10 on the Content tab.

• Locate the custom KPI number that you selected from the KPIs list on the Custom subtab and select the saved search that you would like to utilize as this custom KPI.

• In order to add a custom KPI scorecard formula, choose a formula out of the KPIs list, click on Set Formula in the Formula column, and determine a custom KPI that you specified on the Custom subtab.

• Now you can establish other conditions for the KPI comparison.

KPI METER PORTLETS

Every KPI meter displays visuals that correspond to KPI data in the dashboards KPI portlet for a single date range, two date ranges or an indicated threshold amount. NetSuite allows you to display up to 3 Key Performance Indicator meter portlets in a dashboard. KPI choices for a meter include Actual vs Forecast, Forecast vs Quota / Alt. Sales, and Actual vs Quota.

How to set up a KPI meter portlet

1. Before you start, ensure that your KPI meter that you would like to expose is listed in the KPI portlet. Not listed? Select Set up in the portlet menu > Add Standard KPIs / Add Custom KPIs, choose the KPI, and click Done.

2. Select the Personalize Dashboard to add the KPI meter portlet. Click the KPI meter icon in the add content panel. Note: KPI meter portlets display the KPI listed first in the portlet.

3. If you receive a message that reads “No data available for this portlet” you need to add underlying KPIs to the portlet in order for it to display in the meter. In order to display:

• Actual vs. Forecast meter you must add Sales, Forecast (Alt. Sales) to the KPI Portlet

• Forecast vs. Quota (Alt. Sales) meter you must add Forecast (Alt. Sales), Quota (Alt. Sales)

• Actual vs. Quota meter you must add Sales, Quota

• Forecast vs. Quota meter you must add Forecast (Alt. Sales), Quota

To include these KPIs in the portlet, Go to Set Up > Add Standard KPIs > Select the desired KPIs > Done and Save.

1. To modify the KPI meter set up for range, threshold, and highlights select Set up, edit the items, and Save. NetSuite also allows you to download or print KPI meters by clicking on the three circles on top right of the portlet menu.

2. Alter the placement of your portlet by clicking on it and dragging it anywhere on your dashboard.

How to Set up Trend Graph Portlets

NetSuite allows you to add 5 trend graph portlets to a page and set display possibilities for up to 3 Key Performance Indicators. Each trend graph portlet incorporates the option to download, export to a CSV file or print for your records.

1. In the Settings, portlet click the Personalize link.

2. Select a Trend Graph icon on the Standard Content tab and drag it to your dashboard.

3. Select the Set Up link in the portlet menu. Choose up to 3 custom or standard KPIs

4. Head to the Custom Portlet Title and create a title.

5. Set the Default Chart Type (Column, Area, Bar or Line) to select the portlet display.

6. Select Trend Type to determine the time scope of daily, annually and everything in between.

7. Choose from a Chart Theme list to set your visual data preferences for bolder tints and shades different than the default theme.

8. If there is a specific hex color you would like to use for your chart, select the Custom Series Color field.

Check out our recent blog post recapping the latest and greatest updates for 2023.1.

9. Click Save and the trend graph will refresh itself.

In order for a saved search to be utilized as a custom KPI that reviles performance for numerous date ranges in the KPI Portlet, scorecard, meter, or trend graph, the search definition must meet these terms:

The saved search does not incorporate date fields that are specified as filters on the Criteria subtab.

Must have only one field with a count, group or sum on the results subtab and summary type.

Date field must be identified as an available filter.

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