Quick Wins - Step 5 of 9

Create your
first KPI.

Start small. Choose a handful of measures that are easy to retrieve, easy to understand and easy to update. The quickest way to experience the value of Presto's KPI dashboard is to begin filling a Bowler Chart with reliable results on a regular cadence.

Start simple

Your first KPI should be easy to measure.

Resist the temptation to start with your most complicated performance measures. Pick a few KPIs where the result is already available and where the person responsible for providing it is easy to identify. This lets you practise the full Presto KPI cycle quickly.

Sales RevenueDaily, weekly or monthly sales figures that are already routinely produced by the business.
Audits CompletedCount the number of audits performed during the reporting period.
Defects IdentifiedTrack the number of defects, quality issues or non-conformances found.
Orders ShippedUse a straightforward volume measure already available from operational reporting.
Customer ComplaintsTrack the number of complaints received or resolved during the period.
Safety IncidentsCapture a simple count of incidents, near misses or injuries.
TIP
Choose the Feeder before you choose the complexity.

A simple KPI with a clearly identified Feeder user who can provide the result every week or month will teach you more about the system than a sophisticated KPI whose data is difficult to retrieve.

1

Pick a reliable measure

Choose data that already exists and can be provided without a lengthy calculation or investigation.

2

Identify the Feeder

Know who will provide the result through KPIConnect at the selected daily, weekly or monthly cadence.

3

Let the Bowler build

Consistent result entry creates the trend, history and governance value that makes KPI reporting powerful.

A

Create & Start Feeding Your KPI

Use the dashboard to add the KPI, capture the essentials and begin building a consistent history of results.

Step 1

Start directly from the KPI Dashboard.

Use the Add KPI button on the dashboard to begin creating a new measure. This opens the KPI creation panel without taking you away from the performance-management workspace.

  1. 1
    Open the KPI DashboardNavigate to the area where your team or company KPIs are displayed.
  2. 2
    Click Add KPILaunch the KPI creation input panel directly from the dashboard.
  3. 3
    Keep the first KPI simpleChoose one of the easy-to-retrieve measures discussed above.
KPI Dashboard showing step 1 selecting the KPIs tab and step 2 clicking the Add KPI button
Show the Add KPI control accessible directly from the KPI Dashboard.
Add a new KPI panel showing category, KPI code, sub code, team supervisor, team, KPI name and unit of measure
The KPI creation panel should show the core fields needed to create the measure quickly.
Step 2

Capture only the essentials to get started.

After clicking + Add KPI, this panel appears. Capture the essential details needed to create the KPI quickly on the fly. You can always refine the more advanced settings later.

KPI CategorySelect the broad category that best fits the KPI, such as Customer, Process, Finance, People & Growth or another company category.
KPI Code / Sub CategoryChoose the relevant KPI code and sub category so the measure is classified correctly for reporting and dashboard views.
Team Supervisor (Owner)Select the supervisor or owner responsible for the KPI and its ongoing performance review.
TeamChoose the team that owns the measure and will see it within the appropriate dashboard structure.
KPI NameEnter a short, meaningful name that makes the measure immediately understandable to users.
UOM (Unit of Measure)Select the unit used to report the result, for example Amount, Hours, %, Units, Count, Days or another relevant measure.
KPIConnect Target PermissionEnable target editing only when the Feeder user should be allowed to adjust the KPI target through KPIConnect.
GOOD
A good first KPI is obvious to everyone.

If a manager can understand the KPI name, unit and owner in a few seconds, you are starting in the right place.

What good looks like

Watch the Bowler Chart come alive.

The real value appears as results begin filling the reporting periods. A well-maintained Bowler Chart creates an immediate visual history of performance and becomes a powerful support for daily, weekly or monthly governance conversations.

Sample Presto KPI Bowler Chart showing monthly results, RAG status, trends, action plans, root causes and commentary
A well-maintained Bowler Chart turns recurring KPI results into an immediate visual performance story, combining monthly results, RAG status, trends, commentary, action plans and root-cause information in one governance-ready view.

See the trend

Regular results transform isolated numbers into a visible performance story across time.

Support governance cadence

Use the same Bowler Chart in daily, weekly or monthly management reviews instead of rebuilding reporting manually.

Ask better questions

When performance changes, managers can quickly focus discussion on the result, ownership, commentary and required action.

KEY
The magic is consistency, not complexity.

An easy-to-source KPI updated reliably by the right Feeder user will produce a far more useful Bowler Chart than an advanced KPI with missing or irregular results.

B

Take the KPI to the Next Level

Once the KPI exists, configure the recurring workflow, visual thresholds and ownership rules that make ongoing performance management easier.

KPI configuration

Move from manual KPI capture to a governed performance cycle.

These next settings are where the KPI becomes more automated and management-ready. You do not need to master every option today; this Quick Win simply introduces the three controls that matter most.

KPI Bowler Chart highlighting the Details button used to access advanced KPI configuration
How to access it: From the full-screen Bowler Chart, click Details in the bottom-right corner, then select the KPI you want to configure to open its advanced configuration menu.

1. Turn on the KPI Scheduler

Define when Presto should expect the next result. The scheduler establishes the daily, weekly, monthly or other cadence that keeps KPI reporting moving consistently.

KPI scheduling configuration panel showing daily and monthly scheduling controls

2. Set Red-Amber-Green Thresholds

Define what good, warning and poor performance look like so results can immediately translate into a clear visual status on dashboards and reports.

KPI threshold configuration panel showing red amber green performance ranges

3. Assign Ownership with RACI

Clarify who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted and Informed for the KPI so ownership is visible and the right people participate in updates and governance.

KPI ownership configuration panel showing Responsible Accountable Consulted and Informed assignments
NEXT
Scheduler + thresholds + ownership turns a KPI into a repeatable governance process.

Once these controls are configured, Presto can help managers know when results are due, who should provide them and when performance needs attention.

Quick Win checklist

What does "done" look like?

You do not need a sophisticated scorecard yet. One or two reliable KPIs with clear ownership and a regular result cadence is enough to complete this Quick Win.

1

A simple KPI exists

The measure has a clear name, unit, category and organisational owner.

2

The result can be fed regularly

You know where the data comes from and which Feeder user can provide it on cadence.

3

The Bowler can start building

Results can now accumulate into a visible performance history ready for ongoing governance.

Quick Win 5 complete.

You have created a KPI that can begin building a reliable performance history. Keep the first measures simple, feed them consistently, and use the Bowler Chart to establish the rhythm that will make more advanced KPI governance valuable later.