FlowProofsWhat a metric tree is, and why it beats a KPI dashboard
A metric tree breaks one number into the numbers that make it up. A worked example, how to build one in a spreadsheet, and where KPI dashboards fall short.
Explaining numbers, in practice.
Worked examples on variance, metric trees, funnels and the meetings where someone asks why. Written by Hiten, who builds FlowProofs.
All posts
Conversion funnel analysis: finding the step that actually broke
Conversion funnel analysis, worked through: conversion falls from 3.2% to 2.7% on $120K of ad spend. Find the step that broke and rule out false alarms.
Data storytelling for people who hate the phrase "data storytelling"
Data storytelling without the buzzwords: practical rules for presenting numbers in a meeting. One question per view, show the driver, and show the source.
How to build a budget vs actual report people read
How to build a budget vs actual report people read: the layout, which variances to flag, sensible thresholds, sign conventions, and how to annotate each line.
How to build a KPI tree (with a free template)
A KPI tree template you can download, plus five steps to build your own and three worked example trees for a SaaS company, an online store and a services firm.
How to explain why revenue changed (before someone asks)
Why did revenue change? Decompose the movement into drivers with a revenue bridge, check the calendar first, and avoid the mistakes that derail the meeting.
Power BI is great. It's also too much for most reports.
Is Power BI too complex for your reports? An honest look at when DAX and data modelling earn their keep, when they don't, and what simpler setups look like.
The 8 metrics a seed-stage board actually looks at
The board meeting metrics that matter at seed stage: MRR, net new MRR, churn, burn, runway and three more, and how to show each one on a single page.
Variance analysis without the jargon: a worked example
Variance analysis on a fictional $4.2M budget: split a $600K revenue variance into price, volume and mix, with the exact formulas to build it in a spreadsheet.
Why Excel dashboards break (and what to do instead)
Why Excel dashboards break: copy-paste staleness, broken references, pivots that don't refresh and version hell. Practical fixes, most needing no new tool.