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Build a KPI

Create a KPI in the KPI builder, publish it, and enter its first value.

Written by Angad Singh

Create a KPI in five sections (KPI Basics, Advanced Details, Frequency, Access & Visibility, Source), publish it, and enter its first value.

Who this is for: Admins and anyone with permission to create KPIs.

Before you start:

  • Know the pillar the KPI belongs to. Pillars are set up for your workspace by LeanSuite.

  • Decide the unit, the target, and whether lower is better.

  • Decide who enters the values. They get reminders.

  • New to KPIs? Read About KPI indicators, targets and trees (open the article) first.

Time: 5 minutes.

Steps

Open the KPI builder

  1. In the left menu, open KPIs > Dashboard and click + KPI Builder at the top right. The dashboard has the Bowling chart, Tree KPIs and Indicators tabs. You can also open KPIs > New KPI directly.

    The KPI dashboard bowling chart with the KPI Builder button at the top right

Section 1: KPI Basics

  1. In the builder, keep Create Indicator selected for a standalone KPI (choose Build Tree for a parent KPI with children). Enter the KPI Name, choose the Pillar, optionally link the goal it contributes to, and write a KPI Description (what the KPI measures and how it is calculated).

  2. Set the KPI Format (the unit, for example % or parts) and the Target Value. The target is the global target. When you enter a value later, you can override the target for that day; leave it blank to use the global target.

    The KPI Builder with the KPI Basics section and the five-section list on the right

  3. Click Save and next.

Section 2: Advanced Details

  1. Set Which direction is suitable for this KPI? (higher or lower is better; choose lower is better for scrap or downtime) and How is this KPI aggregated (sum or average over a period).

  2. Optional:
    ​Is this a calculated KPI: turn on to build the KPI from a formula that uses other KPIs, for example A ÷ B. Calculated by holds the KPIs and operation.
    ​What are your RAG thresholds?: red, amber and green ranges. Each result is colored by the range it falls in.
    ​Pareto Settings: turn on Pareto for this KPI and add categories, such as downtime reasons or shifts. You then choose a category when you enter a value, and can view the KPI as a Pareto chart.

  3. Click Save and next.

Important: only change the total or aggregation option if you mean to make a calculated KPI. Changing the "total" dropdown also turns the KPI into a calculated KPI.

Section 3: Frequency

  1. Set Repeat Every: how often a value is due, every N days or weeks, on the weekdays you choose.

  2. Set the Start Date, the End Date (or Never, the KPI's lifetime) and the Time zone.

  3. Set the start and end time: the window each day for entering the value. It drives the calendar entry and the reminder email.

  4. Click Save and next.

Section 4: Access & Visibility

  1. Choose who can see the KPI and who enters values:
    ​Private: only you can see it. Use this for sensitive KPIs, such as cost or finance.
    ​Facility: everyone in the selected Facility can see it.
    ​User: only the Roles and Users you select can see it.
    ​Assignee: the person responsible for entering values. Assignees receive reminders.

  2. Click Save and next.

Section 5: Source

  1. Choose where the values come from:
    ​Manual: users enter values by hand (single entry or bulk) or upload an Excel or CSV file.
    ​LeanSuite: values are calculated from data in other LeanSuite modules, for example quality Issues. Pick the Module, Facility, Time Range, Date, Actual and optional Target.
    ​Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel (OneDrive or SharePoint): values are read from a connected file on a schedule. Sign in, select the sheet or table, then map Date and Actuals. See Connect a KPI to Excel or Google Sheets (open the article).

Publish

  1. Click Publish.

What you should see

Your KPI appears on the KPI dashboard under its pillar with its next review date. It can be added as a widget to a board in Boards (formerly Lean Studio).

Enter the first value (manual source)

  1. Open the KPI from the dashboard and click Input Value.

  2. Choose the date and enter the value.

  3. If the KPI uses categories, choose one, for example the reason for downtime.

  4. Leave target blank to use the KPI's standard target. Only fill it in to override the target for that date.

  5. Add a comment if needed, then click Save All.

    The Bulk Entry grid with Date, Actual, Target, Category and Comments columns

To enter several dates at once, use Bulk Entry, set a date range with the two date pickers in the top right, fill in the grid for each date, and click Save All. This is useful for catching up on missed days or entering past data. Single Entry enters one value at a time.

You can also enter a value from a board: on a board in Boards, click a date on a KPI widget, click Add KPI, and enter the value without leaving the board.

The KPI panel also shows how the KPI is measured (aggregation, frequency, direction), its review schedule, who can see it, and its linked documents.

The KPI panel with Input Value and Upload File, how it is measured, the review schedule and who can see it

If it does not work

Problem

Likely cause

Fix

The KPI became a calculated KPI by accident

The total or aggregation dropdown was changed

Open the KPI with the pencil icon and set the aggregation back. Only change it when you mean to build a formula.

Nobody gets a reminder to enter values

No assignee set

Open the KPI, click the pencil icon, open Access & Visibility and assign the person. They get an email when a value is due.

A colleague cannot see the KPI

Visibility is Private, or they are not in the selected roles or users

Change the visibility in Access & Visibility, then ask them to sign out and back in.

The Microsoft sign-in window does not open

A pop-up blocker

Allow pop-ups for theleansuite.app.

The Excel connection asks for approval

Your Microsoft 365 admin must approve the Lean connector consent request

Ask your IT admin to approve it.

The Excel file is not found

Only the OneDrive root folder is searched; shared drives are not supported yet

Move the file to the OneDrive root and keep exactly the same file name. One file can feed several KPIs.

Good to know

  • A target can stay the same all year, or you can set a different target for each period, for example month by month.

  • Keep sensitive KPIs, such as cost, private.

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