ClickUp

How to Track KPIs & OKRs in ClickUp

September 15, 2023

As your business grows and becomes more profitable, you’ll likely realize that it’s time to start incorporating specific goals and metrics. So, instead of having broader goals like:

I want to bring on new clients, or I want to sell a course, they need to become more focused and measurable, like:

I want to bring on five new clients by the end of the year or I want to sell a course to at least 20 people.

But, how do you even get started with a measurement plan like that? With a little something called KPIs and OKRs, both of which we’re breaking down in our latest video – including what they are, why they’re important, and how to create and track them. Plus, there’s a brand-new ClickUp template to help you do both and execute your new plan of action. Exciting, right?

Wanna save the video for later? Get the details below!

Remind me again, what are KPIs and OKRs?

If you’re new to marketing lingo and jargon, no worries! Here’s a quick breakdown of each and why they’re important for scaling your business.

KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)H4: For your business

For your business

KPIs – which stands for key performance indicators – are all about tracking and measuring the performance of your business across all platforms. That can include dozens of KPIs, like:

  • Views/clicks on a social post
  • Downloads of free resources
  • New client contracts
  • Sign-ups for a course
  • Revenue growth
  • Generating new leads
  • Clicks on a website CTA
  • Email subscribers
  • And so much more!

KPIs are something you track and monitor regularly to ensure you’re on the right track to meet your goals. These metrics can also give you better insight into what’s working, what’s not, and what can be optimized to perform better. As a result, you can uncover bottlenecks, streamline your business, and reach your goals faster.

For your team members

You can also use KPIs to track the performance of team members. You can set individual goals for everyone and monitor the progress and outcome of each. For example, if you wanted to set a goal for someone on your team to schedule 35 pins per week, we can add that to a tracker in ClickUp and include details like:

  • Who’s responsible for the task/goal
  • What the numeric goal is
  • The actual number
  • The outcome
  • The status (on track, at risk, etc.)
  • Notes for why the goal was or wasn’t successful

This is a great way to set your teammates up for success and get a closer look at what hurdles they may be running into.

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results)

OKRs – which stands for objectives and key results – are all about future goals and making sure your entire team is on the same page. The easiest way to break it down looks like this:

  • Objectives = Where do I want to go?
  • Key results = How will I get there?

You can also think of OKRs as a framework for your entire business that outlines your strategy, goals, and steps needed to get there over a certain amount of time.

ClickUp's Goal section, pictured below, is an amazing way to set and track OKRs within your business.

What’s the difference between KPIs and OKRs?

In simplest terms, KPIs measure past and current performance, while OKRs outline future goals. KPIs are also much more specific measurements, while objectives and key results are a bit broader. Both KPIs and OKRs can work together or individually and are incredibly crucial in scaling your business in a smart and strategic way.

To get a better understanding of each, it helps to see exactly how they work together. Let’s walk through a simple example:

  • Step 1: Outline your objective
  • Step 2: Outline key results (goals)
  • Step 3: Identify KPIs to measure the progress of the key results

So, when we add in a specific goal, that looks like:

  • Objective: Grow my list of email subscribers
  • Key Results: Increase email signups from 150 to 200 in Q2
  • KPIs to Monitor: Site visits, bounce rates, email signup conversion rates, number of free downloads

On the other hand, you can use KPIs and OKRs individually – depending on the unique goals of your business and your team. As mentioned before, you can create KPIs for individual team members, which feeds directly into their overall goals. You can also set OKRs to monitor team members’ progress towards other goals that can’t only be measured by KPIs.

How KPIs and OKRs are crucial to business success

Following the example above, we can see how KPIs and OKRs are crucial to reaching your goals. For instance, if you tap into your KPIs and realize you’re not getting many email subscribers from your website’s home page, you can try making changes like:

  • Moving your signup box higher on the page
  • Sweetening the deal (e.g. offer them a freebie for signing up)
  • Eliminating the number of fields users need to fill out

Then, continue to monitor your KPIs – and compare them to previous ones – to determine whether your changes were successful. Remember: The changes you make don’t have to be set in stone; it’s all about testing and learning!

The same goes for leveraging KPIs and OKRs for your team – you can outline goals, track their progress, and help them succeed in their role. All of which helps you succeed in yours!

Now that we’ve walked through an example, it becomes a lot more clear that KPIs and OKRs can also:

  • Establish more specific goals for your business
  • Improve your team’s efficiency
  • Get everyone on the same page
  • Provide clear expectations
  • Identify bottlenecks and less successful tactics
  • Track overall business growth
  • And so much more!

How to measure KPIs and OKRs with our ClickUp template

We know we’ve just thrown a lot at you. And yes, taking these next steps might seem a bit overwhelming. The good news? We’ve got your back.

At the request of our Systems School Community, we’ve built a brand-new ClickUp template to outline and track your KPIs + OKRs for your business and team — right inside ClickUp! It’s simple to use and perfect for getting your entire team on the same page. That way, you’re not using tons of different documents and spreadsheets to keep track of everything – it’s all in one place!

The end result? Clearer goals for your business and teammates and a roadmap to success for everyone. Download our KPI & OKR template now for just $35, or you can join the Systems School Membership and get access to this template — and dozens more!

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