> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://portf.gitbook.io/portf-user-guide/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://portf.gitbook.io/portf-user-guide/kpis.md).

# KPIs

**Definition:** KPI Metrics are numerical measurements used to track the performance of companies across your portfolio. There are two types of KPIs, each serving a distinct purpose.

### Why KPI Types Matter

Understanding the difference between KPI types ensures consistency in reporting, streamlines data collection, and enables meaningful portfolio-level and company-specific insights.

There are 2 types of KPIs:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Type 1 KPI (Portfolio-Wide)" %}
These KPIs apply across the entire portfolio and are most commonly used for fund-wide analytics. You can define them as either:

* **Must-have** – Required KPIs that power analytics across all companies (e.g., `Revenue`, used to calculate *Revenue growth for the whole portfolio*).
* **Suggested** – Optional KPIs that are recommended where applicable (e.g., `MRR` if relevant to a subset of companies).

> You can choose from a pre-defined list on the platform or create new ones to serve as consistent metrics across your fund.
> {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Type 2 KPI (Company-Specific)" %}
These KPIs apply to individual companies and are not expected to be consistent across the portfolio. They are highly flexible and useful for operational or sector-specific metrics.

Like Type 1 KPIs, they can also be:

* **Must-have** – Crucial for tracking specific metrics (e.g., *Number of charging points installed*).
* **Suggested** – Nice-to-have metrics that add extra detail when available.

> PortF allows full flexibility to define Type 2 KPIs from scratch without needing to standardize them portfolio-wide.
> {% endtab %}
> {% endtabs %}

### KPI Type Comparison Table

<table><thead><tr><th width="151.34375">Feature</th><th>Type 1 KPI (Portfolio-Wide)</th><th>Type 2 KPI (Company-Specific)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Scope</strong></td><td>Applies to all companies in the portfolio</td><td>Applies to individual companies</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Purpose</strong></td><td>Enables portfolio-level reporting and comparisons</td><td>Tracks company-level operational metrics</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Examples</strong></td><td>Revenue, MRR, Gross Margin</td><td>Charging Points Installed, Unique App Users</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Customizability</strong></td><td>Choose from pre-defined list or create consistent metrics</td><td>Fully customizable per company</td></tr><tr><td><strong>“Must-Have” Impact</strong></td><td>Populates company dashboards by default</td><td>Required for important company-specific tracking</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Automated Collection</strong></td><td>Data collection frequency required</td><td>Optional setup; may be tracked manually</td></tr></tbody></table>

### Additional Notes

* For all **Must-have KPIs**, you’ll be prompted to define a **collection frequency**, enabling PortF to automate collection.
* **Suggested KPIs** are optional but recommended when applicable to the company or sector.
* Type 1 KPIs help power fund-level dashboards, while Type 2 KPIs give you granular insight at the company level.

{% hint style="info" %}
To better understand the difference between a Private Attribute and a KPI  &#x20;

&#x20; <a href="/portf-user-guide/knowledge-base/kpi-vs-private-attribute.md" class="button primary">Click here to learn more</a>
{% endhint %}

***

## KPI Examples Library: Type 1 vs Type 2

### Type 1 KPIs (Portfolio-Wide)

These should be consistently defined and applicable across all companies

| KPI Name                            | Defintion                                                                |
| ----------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Revenue**                         | Total gross revenue reported per month or quarter                        |
| **MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)** | Revenue that recurs on a monthly basis (for SaaS/Subscription companies) |
| **Gross Margin %**                  | (Revenue – Cost of Goods Sold) / Revenue                                 |
| **EBITDA**                          | Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization          |
| **Cash Balance**                    | Total liquid assets held at the end of a period                          |
| **Burn Rate**                       | Net cash outflow per month                                               |
| **Headcount**                       | Total number of full-time employees                                      |
| **Runway (Months)**                 | Cash balance divided by burn rate                                        |

*Note: Most of these can be used to benchmark across the portfolio.*

### Type 2 KPIs (Company-Wide)

These are tailored to individual companies or industries.

| KPI Name                                | Definition/Use Cases                                      |
| --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Number of Charging Points Installed** | For EV/Infrastructure companies                           |
| **Active App Users (Monthly)**          | For B2C mobile platforms                                  |
| **Number of Units Manufactured**        | For hardware or physical goods companies                  |
| **Net Promotor Score (NPS)**            | Measures customer satisfaction (common for B2C platforms) |
| **On-Time Delivery Rate**               | For logistics or supply chain-focused businesses          |
| **Carbon Emissions Saved (TCO2e)**      | For ClimateTech or ESG-driven companies                   |
| **API Calls per Month**                 | For API-driven SaaS businesses                            |
| **Loan Default Rate**                   | For FinTech or lending startups                           |

*Note: These are highly dependent on business model and can’t be standardized across a portfolio.*

***

## Creating a KPI

**Steps:**

1. Navigate to the **Data** section and select **Data Requests**.
2. Click the **Create New KPI** button.
3. Enter a **KPI Name** and choose whether it's:

   * **Type 1** (Portfolio-wide), or
   * **Type 2** (Company-specific)

   &#x20;   *Optional:* Add a **formula** and specify the **unit of measurement**.
4. Choose the **KPI Module** (e.g. Commercial, ESG, Impact).
5. Select the **Company Type** the KPI applies to:
   * Direct Investment
   * Fund
6. Click **Finish** to save the KPI.

> **Tip:** Use clear, fund-wide terminology for Type 1 KPIs so they’re easier to benchmark across the portfolio.

## Creating a New KPI Interactive Demo

{% @arcade/embed flowId="m0imhqAAunbVZQQhNLgP" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/m0imhqAAunbVZQQhNLgP>" %}

***

## Uploading KPI Data&#x20;

Use these tools to **backfill historical KPI values** and **add forecasts** using downloadable Excel templates. You’ll be able to compare both data types in dashboards.

***

## Uploading Historical KPI Data

Use this method to backfill past KPI data using a downloadable Excel template.

**Steps:**

1. **Select the company**
2. **Click on the KPI card or row** to open KPI options
3. **Click the “Historical” button**
4. **Choose relevant KPIs** and click **“Download KPI Value Template”**&#x20;
5. Open the Excel sheet and **enter your historical data** into the cells&#x20;
6. Return to the upload screen and click **“Upload KPI Value Template”**
7. **Upload your completed Excel file**

{% hint style="info" %}
Historical data is used to track past company performance over time.
{% endhint %}

***

## Uploading Forecast KPI Data

Learn how to download a forecast KPI template, populate it with data, and upload it back into the platform.

**Steps**:

1. **Select the Company**
2. **Click on the KPI card or row** to open KPI options.
3. **Click the “Forecast” button**
4. **Choose KPIs** you want to include in the forecast template.
5. **Click “Download KPI Value Template”**
6. Open the Excel sheet and **enter your forecast data** into the appropriate cells.
7. Return to the platform and **click “Upload KPI Value Template.”**
8. **Upload the completed Excel file** with your data.
9. **Name your forecast** (e.g., “Q3 2025 Revenue Forecast”).
10. **Select a forecast line colour** (for visual tracking).
11. **Choose visibility**:
    * Just your organisation
    * Your organisation and others
12. **Add a Drift Alert** (optional):
    * Set a name
    * Define a threshold (%) for alerting
    * Add any comments
13. **Click “Create Forecast”**
14. You’re done! You can now **view, compare, and edit** forecast vs. historical KPI data.

{% hint style="info" %}
Forecasts help project future trends and set expectations with stakeholders.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

***

### Quick Comparison

| Feature                     | Historical KPI Upload  | Forecast KPI Upload              |
| --------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Purpose                     | Track Past Performance | Plan and monitor future outcomes |
| Editable in Dashboard       | ✅                      | ✅                                |
| Optional Drift Alerts       | ❌                      | ✅                                |
| Forecast Line Colour Needed | ❌                      | ✅                                |
| Visibility Options          | ❌                      | ✅ (Org-only or Org + others)     |

***

## Interactive Demos

### Uploading KPI Data Interactive Demo

{% @arcade/embed flowId="CGEcqQpV0D43m6GLbnvQ" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/CGEcqQpV0D43m6GLbnvQ>" %}

### Editing and Deleting KPI Data Points in PortF

{% @arcade/embed flowId="y2wJ6xxFNCWBF2lHpvnX" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/y2wJ6xxFNCWBF2lHpvnX>" %}

### View and Filter Data

{% @arcade/embed flowId="ev6g8ELkPCekJII7tz5K" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/ev6g8ELkPCekJII7tz5K>" %}

***

## KPI Requests

#### What would the investee see on KPI requests?

Once you have set out periodic KPI requests, all the KPI requests will be grouped together and sent out on the 1st of the month. Investees will experience the following screen:

1. An automated email is generated on 11 am - 1st of the month.

<figure><img src="https://3667824179-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYXAiSEnwXVrFEfWRWaSa%2Fuploads%2F3rSiPEkr45THhyviQSk0%2FScreenshot%202025-07-14%20at%2014.19.25.png?alt=media&amp;token=a7975d32-7ce1-4e56-8f56-29c43c4d5c2b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

2. Clicking on 'Complete Now' will take you to the user to the login screen

<figure><img src="https://3667824179-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYXAiSEnwXVrFEfWRWaSa%2Fuploads%2FyXSLElhSr1CkP5FgOp7x%2FScreenshot%202025-05-16%20at%2014.01.42.png?alt=media&amp;token=e25b05c1-80f3-4dc5-ab68-a7d0849bfa4d" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

3. Once logged in, the user will be automatically directed to the following screen where the user can manually click on '**Data Requests**' Tab on the left hand side of the panel where they can input requested KPIs

<figure><img src="https://3667824179-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FYXAiSEnwXVrFEfWRWaSa%2Fuploads%2FiUuZW7Y98lVB3vn37Flu%2FScreenshot%202025-07-14%20at%2014.11.15.png?alt=media&amp;token=b1da4af3-e565-4cf0-8959-b31ab96d5376" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

4. Investee will also get a reminder 7, 3 and 1 day(s) before the deadline.&#x20;

***