# How do I configure a KPI card widget?
### **Overview**
Configuring a KPI card widget shows one key number on your dashboard, with an optional comparison to a previous period so you can see whether it's trending up or down.
### **When to Use**
Use this feature when:
- You want to highlight a single key metric, like total submissions or completion rate
- You want to show whether a number has gone up or down compared to a previous period
- You need a custom calculation that a simple count, sum, or average can't do
### **Concepts**
- KPI Card – A widget that shows one number, usually with a label and a trend arrow
- Source Field – The field whose values the KPI calculates — for example, submission count
- Aggregation – How a field's values are combined into one number, such as Sum, Count, or Average
- Compare Period – An optional second time period the KPI compares against, to show a trend
- Custom Formula – A manually written calculation, used when the built-in aggregations aren't enough
### **Set Up Guide**
1. Go to a dashboard and click Add Widget
2. Select KPI Card
3. Choose the source — if the dashboard has only one source, it's selected automatically; if there are multiple sources or a relationship, choose which one to use
4. Build the KPI in one of two ways:
- Select one field and choose the aggregation (Sum, Count, Average, etc.)
- Or write a custom formula instead
5. Turn on Compare Period if you want to show change vs. a previous period, and pick that period
6. Apply any filters you want the KPI to respect
7. Click Save
### **Best Practices**
- Use Compare Period when the trend matters more than the raw number
- Only use Custom Formula when Sum, Count, or Average can't do what you need — it's harder to maintain
- Keep the KPI's label short so it's easy to read at a glance
### **Related Links/FAQs**
Related pages in this book:
- What widget types are available in Vantage?
- How do I configure a chart widget?
##### FAQs
**Can a KPI card use a custom formula?**
Yes — if the built-in aggregations (Sum, Count, Average) don't cover what you need, you can write your own formula.
**Does the KPI card show a trend automatically?**
Only if you turn on Compare Period and pick a period to compare against.
**Can I combine data from two sources in one KPI card?**
Yes — but you need a Relationship defined between the sources first.
### **Version Notes**
Last Updated: Oct 2026