Sales Metrics Review

The Sales Metrics Review dashboard is a combination of widgets: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), focused metric tables and graphic displays of your data.  The data displayed on the dashboard is intended to give you actionable insights into your sales performance, and also a tool for informing other operational factors such as shopper incentive opportunities and labor allocations.

It is important to note that the data considered begins with the date on the heading panel of the dashboard, under Earliest Transaction Date.  This means that your trends and filtered data will start with the transactions on this date.

Keep in mind that your data may include non-merchandise items and activity such as shipping, services, etc. You can use the filters on the dashbaord to include / exclude data as needed.

You will see a link to this document in the top of the dashboard, under the heading Dashboard Help. 

KPIs

At the top of the dashboard, a selection of KPIs appear in two rows. The top row represents the "Review Date" metrics, and the bottom row represents the "Comp Date" metrics; these date periods are controlled with the filters to the right of the dashboard. Here you can compare the KPIs for two time periods to gauge performance, as well as to measure initiatives you may be testing. You can watch the metrics to be sure your expected performance is on track for the period, and make adjustments as needed.  As you initiate operational changes and set goals to measure success, you can use this section of the dashboard to know how the results compare with your goals and with previous results.  You are able to filter the KPIs to activity related to certain categories & items, or to specific promotions.  You are also able to filter to specific stores to further narrow the focus.  When you need to analyze your activity based on how your customers are shopping, say In Store or Buy Online Pickup In Store (BOPIS), you are able to filter to that data.

You are able to filter this dashboard to see store sales, including online orders that are fulfilled by the store such as BOPIS/Curbside or Same Day Delivery. Use the filters to the right of the dashboard to narrow Store Name to the store(s) you want to see, plus your online "location" i.e. xyz.com. Then use the Location Id for Online Orders filter to select the location id of the store(s) you are analyzing. For example, if you want to analyze Store #1 ABC: on the Store Name filter choose ABC and xyz.com; on the Location Id for Online Orders choose 1. This will reflect the In-Store sales for that location plus the online orders that the store fulfilled.

The KPIs are relatively straightforward, and will respond to the Review Date and Comp Date filters, as well as any of the other more specific filters. You may want to see how a specific category compares with the previous quarter or year - maybe you have seasonal type merchandise and are getting ready to order the next round, maybe you are considering an in-store promotion and want to set expectations. Use the filters here to understand at a high, or granular level how your sales are performing.

Graphic Displays

Below the KPI panels, you will see a high level comparison by category - at a quick glance you can see if certain categories are materially different from your Comp period. Perhaps you have a store that recently changed it's floor layout, or maybe you marketing team offered a new type of promotion - you can see at a high level how the performance changed and then dig into the details as you move through the dashboard. Next to the graphic there is a table of metrics that correspond to the KPI panel - you will see it organized by product type to understand which categories are performing well, and which might need some extra attention. You can right-click on a product type to drill deeper into the details.  Be sure to pay attention to the collection of metrics, a single indicator may not tell the whole story.

On the chart, if your distribution contains "Other" as a grouping, this represents the smaller sections of category sales - click on the "Other" section to expand that section; to revert back to the initial graphic, click on the "Back" button that appeared when you clicked on "Other".

Graphics will often tell a story about your business or operations that is not obvious when looking only at metrics.  Look for trends in the data, where the different metrics intersect, and which metrics seem to impact the others.  You can make more informed decisions about your business when you combine what your data is telling you with the knowledge you have about influencing factors such as promotions and initiatives.

Sales, Transaction & Customer Trends

Here you will see trend lines for sales and for transactions as they relate to customers. These graphics do not respond to the Review Date and Comp Date filters, they represent a longer time frame. Remember that customer counts will exclude your guest shoppers. Here you want to use the power of the filters - did transactions spike in a particular month unexpectedly? Did your overall sales trend behave higher than you anticipated? Start digging here by using the various filters - you'll be able to get closer to the factors that impacted your trends. Maybe you "know" why your sales performed a certain way - check your assumptions here, you may be surprised at what you find. Pay attention to the ebbs and flows of the trends - you will want to be aware of seasonality, special events and other causes for the spikes and dips.

Focused Metrics

There are sections of mini data tables on the dashboard. The focus areas display data for locations, weekday and hourly distribution of your activity. 

Maybe you want a quick scan of a certain metric, among some or all of your locations, maybe you want to compare locations in a certain region, or of a similar footprint - you can start with the Sales Comps by Location and use the filters to isolate the ones you want to analyze further. Your KPIs are presented here in a complimentary format to the earlier sections of the dashboard, arranged by location. If you have online sales, your marketplace sales will be represented with specific locations, for example Amazon.com.

For marketplace sales, if your operation includes online sales directly from stores, you can also review the metrics by the originating location that sent the product.  The second data table represents the originating location sales that processed through one of your marketplace "stores".  For example, if your Amazon.com "store" reflects sales of $1,000 in the first table, the second table will show you a list of brick & mortar location sales totaling $1,000.

By using the Store Name filter to the right of the dashboard you can look at only the marketplace "stores" in the first table (filter to them specifically), and the second table will reflect the equivalent sales by location.

Note that on the weekday table, your selected date range might include, for example, more Mondays than Tuesdays - you will want to choose a date range (calendar is the best date option here) that includes an equal number of each weekday for the weekday table to be effective.  The weekday and hourly tables can be useful in budgeting labor, and also for marketing purposes where you can see incentive opportunities to increase business during the slower days or hours.  Ask yourself questions about the days and times when certain categories, specials, promotions tend to sell - is this similar in each location? Are your locations staffed appropriately during the busiest times? Are you offering incentives to shoppers to visit on the slowest day of the week?

If you hover to the right of the field names, you will see an arrow that allows an ascending/descending sort. You can export the data in these tables, to work with it outside of the dashboard.  Do this by clicking on the 3 dots at the top right corner of the widget, choose Download and export an image or file.  The recommended file type for a spreadsheet is CSV.

Any of the data tables can be exported to work with the data outside the dashboard. Do this by clicking on the 3 dots at the top right corner of the widget, choose Download and export an image or file.  The recommended file type for a spreadsheet is CSV.