--- title: "Create a basic metric" slug: "create-a-basic-metric" updated: 2026-11-03T16:02:35Z published: 2026-11-03T16:02:35Z canonical: "help.gong.io/create-a-basic-metric" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gong.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Create a basic metric > **Who can use this**: Business admin > > **Available on**: Gong Foundation > > **Ideal for**: RevOps > > **Required permissions:** Manage metrics A basic metric measures one field on an object in Gong, such as the total amount of your open deals or a count of deals at a certain stage. Create one when the number you need comes straight from a single field, so your team can track it on dashboards and Forecast boards. If your measurement combines several metrics, such as a win rate, create a [formula metric](/v1/docs/create-a-formula-metric) instead. ## Before you begin Metrics that use CRM fields need your CRM connected to Gong. A new CRM field can take a few hours to sync after you import it, so it may not appear in the metric builder right away. ## Create a basic metric Building a metric takes six steps. You choose what it measures, narrow which records count, decide how results are grouped, and set what opens when someone clicks the number on a dashboard. ### Step 1: Open the metric builder You create metrics from Admin center, where each metric type has its own form. The basic metric form is built for measuring a single field. **To open the metric builder:** 1. From the left sidebar, click **Admin center**. 2. In the **Settings** tab, click **Metrics** under the **Data Studio** card. 3. Click **New metric**, and select **Basic metric**. ### Step 2: Choose what the metric measures This step defines the number itself: which object the metric looks at, and which field it adds up or counts. The options in the rest of the form change with the base object you choose, so set it first. **To define what the metric measures:** 1. Enter a name for the metric in the **Name** field. 2. (Optional) Enter a description that explains to others what the metric measures in the **Description** field. 3. Click the **Base object** dropdown, and select the object to measure, such as Deals or Accounts. 4. (Optional, Deals only) Click the **Enable history tracking** toggle to enable it. This makes an eligible deal-based metric available in the **Custom trend** mode of a Trends widget and the **Custom changes** mode of a Changes widget. **Note:** History tracking and the Trends and Changes widgets require Gong Forecast. Every Opportunity field the metric uses must also have history tracking enabled in [Field Management](/v1/docs/track-history-for-opportunity-fields). 5. Click the **What's aggregated and how** dropdown, and select the aggregation type and the field to measure. **Note:** To count distinct values instead of records, select **Count uniques**. This option is available only for reference fields, such as when you count unique accounts across deals. 6. (Optional, Deals only) Click the **Apply splits** toggle to enable it. This distributes the calculation across everyone involved in a deal, and it requires the Salesforce [Opportunity Split](/v1/docs/opportunity-teams-and-splits-faqs) object to be imported into Gong. ### Step 3: Narrow which records count Conditions filter the records the metric includes, for example only open deals or only enterprise accounts. Add them when the base object is too broad on its own, and keep them focused so the result isn't skewed by records you didn't mean to include. Skip this step if every record of the base object should count. **To add conditions:** (Optional) In **Apply conditions**, click **+ Add**, and select an option: - **Single condition:** Filter on one field of the base object or of a related object. - **Condition group:** Combine several conditions with **AND** or **OR** logic to measure a specific subset, such as won deals in a particular region. > [!NOTE] > Note: > > Related object fields appear at the bottom of the field list under **Related Objects**. Select the related object, then select its field. For example, a deal-based metric can use account fields, including custom account reference fields such as **Partner Account ID**. This lets you group opportunities by parent account owner, or filter opportunity line items by the parent opportunity's stage, close date, or owner. ### Step 4: Group results by team member and date These settings decide who each result belongs to and which period it falls in. They are what let a dashboard show the metric for a team and a date range you pick. **To set the team member and date attributes:** 1. Click the **Team member attribute** dropdown, and select the field that identifies the team member the result belongs to, for example the record owner. For a deal-based metric, you can also select a related object field, such as an account field. 2. (Optional, Deals only) If opportunity splits or teams are enabled, set **Show deals where team members are in** to include deals where the selected team member is on the opportunity team or appears in the team member field you selected. 3. (Optional) Click the **Apply external period filters** toggle to disable it. Do this when the metric should ignore the period selected on a dashboard, either because time doesn't matter for the metric or because it should always use specific dates set in its conditions. 4. Click the **Date attribute** dropdown, and select the field that defines the date for each record. For a deal-based metric, you can also select a related object field, such as an account field. ### Step 5: Choose what opens from a dashboard The drilldown view lets your team go from the number on a dashboard to the records behind it. Choose the view that opens when a team member clicks the metric's value. **To choose the drilldown view:** (Optional) Click the **Drilldown view** dropdown, and select a list view. For a deal-based metric, you can also select a deal board. A widget's own settings can override this selection. ### Step 6: Save the metric The **Preview** panel calculates the metric for a team and period you choose, so you can confirm the number looks right before anyone sees it on a dashboard. **To save the metric:** 1. In the **Preview** panel, select a team and period, and check that the result is what you expect. 2. Click **Save**. The metric appears in your metrics list and is available to select when you configure dashboard widgets and Forecast boards. > [!NOTE] > Note: > > Any edits to a metric take effect immediately across all dashboards and Forecast boards that use it. Learn more about [managing your metrics](/v1/docs/manage-your-metrics). ## Frequently asked questions ****What is the difference between a basic metric and a formula metric?**** A basic metric aggregates a single field on an object, such as summing an amount field or counting records. A formula metric combines two or more existing metrics, targets, or forecast submissions using a mathematical expression, which makes it suitable for calculations like win rate or pipeline coverage. If your measurement requires multiple entities or a ratio, use a formula metric. ****Why can't I turn on history tracking for my metric?**** History tracking is available only for eligible deal-based metrics. Every Opportunity field the metric uses must already have history tracking enabled and backfilled in Field Management. If a field isn't tracked, enable history tracking for it first. A team member who manages the business entities in Gong, such as deal and forecast boards. [Find my Business admin](/v1/docs/find-your-technical-or-business-admin). Gong’s core platform for gaining advanced visibility into your revenue operations. Also the prerequisite license needed for Gong’s add-on packages. Access to features depends on your [company’s plan and your assigned seat](/v1/docs/plans-and-seats). A team member who manages and optimizes revenue-related workflows by managing business entities such as metrics, targets, and dashboards.