Open playbook · Updated 2026-10-11
The consumer-brand KPI library
The 18 finance KPIs our KPI Monitor tracks, with the formula, a worked example, what moves each one, and the default levels where we flag it. Use it with or without us.
Cash
Weeks of cash
Cash balance ÷ average weekly net burn (trailing 4 weeks)
Weeks of cash is how many weeks a company's current cash would last at its recent burn rate. It's calculated as the cash balance divided by average weekly …
Lowest projected cash, next 13 weeks
Minimum of the 13 week-ending cash balances in the 13-week cash forecast
Lowest projected cash is the smallest week-ending cash balance in a company's 13-week cash flow forecast. It's found by projecting receipts and payments week by week and taking …
Credit card utilization
Credit card balance (statement + unbilled) ÷ total credit card limit
Credit card utilization is the share of a company's total card credit limit currently in use. It's calculated as the card balance, statement plus unbilled charges, divided by …
Sales
Net sales vs forecast
Net sales ÷ forecast net sales for the same period
Net sales vs forecast is actual net sales for a period divided by the net sales in the active forecast, shown as a percentage. Net sales means gross …
Return rate
Returns ÷ gross sales
Return rate is the value of returned orders as a share of gross sales. It's calculated as returns divided by gross sales, where gross sales are sales before …
Average order value
DTC (Shopify) net sales ÷ number of orders
Average order value (AOV) is the average net sales per online order. It's calculated as DTC net sales, after discounts and returns, divided by the number of orders. …
Repeat order share
Returning customer orders ÷ total orders
Repeat order share is the percentage of orders placed by customers who have ordered before. It's calculated as returning customer orders divided by total orders in the period. …
Margin
Gross margin
(Net sales − cost of goods sold) ÷ net sales
Gross margin is the percentage of net sales left after the cost of goods sold. It's calculated as net sales minus COGS, divided by net sales, where COGS …
Contribution margin after marketing
(Net sales − COGS − fulfillment and shipping costs − marketing spend) ÷ net sales
Contribution margin after marketing is the percentage of net sales left after product cost, fulfillment and shipping, and marketing. It's calculated as net sales minus COGS, fulfillment costs, …
Marketing efficiency ratio (MER)
Net sales ÷ marketing spend
Marketing efficiency ratio (MER) is total net sales divided by total marketing spend. It measures how many dollars of revenue a brand generates for each dollar of marketing …
Blended customer acquisition cost
Marketing spend ÷ new customers
Blended customer acquisition cost (CAC) is total marketing spend divided by the number of new customers acquired in the same period. "Blended" means every channel is combined, paid …
Working capital
Inventory weeks on hand
Inventory value ÷ (COGS ÷ days in period × 7)
Inventory weeks on hand is how many weeks current inventory would last at the recent rate of sales, measured at cost. It's calculated as inventory value divided by …
Days sales outstanding
Accounts receivable ÷ net sales × days in period
Days sales outstanding (DSO) is the average number of days it takes a company to collect what customers owe. It's calculated as accounts receivable divided by net sales, …
Share of AR over 60 days
AR more than 60 days past invoice ÷ total accounts receivable
Share of AR over 60 days is the percentage of open accounts receivable that is more than 60 days past the invoice date. It's calculated as receivables older …
Days payables outstanding
Accounts payable ÷ COGS × days in period
Days payables outstanding (DPO) is the average number of days a company takes to pay its suppliers. It's calculated as accounts payable divided by cost of goods sold, …
AP due in 14 days vs cash
Accounts payable due in the next 14 days ÷ cash balance
AP due in 14 days vs cash is the share of current cash needed to pay bills due within the next two weeks. It's calculated as accounts payable …
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