What are Metrics?

Metrics is a FieldDoc feature for tracking progress and assessing the impact of work being done within an organization or program.

Organizational-Level Metrics: Metrics can be set at the organizational level to track the overall impact and progress toward achieving broader organizational goals. This allows you to have a high-level view of how the entire portfolio is performing.

Program-Level Metrics: Program Managers also set metrics at the level of specific funding opportunities. When users configure Pacts within those programs, they may have additional metrics that are associated with activities and can help track progress toward the program's goals.

Planned Values and Target Outcomes: Metrics have planned_values —target outcomes that organizations aim to achieve. When building a portfolio, users assign metrics to each activity. Use the Implementation feature to track progress toward these goals.

Aggregation of Metrics: Metrics are rolled up (aggregated) within an organization or Funding Opportunities. Standardization of nomenclature allows for a consolidated view of how individual activities contribute to larger organizational or programmatic goals.

Key Benefits of Metrics

Tracking metrics in a tool like FieldDoc offers several key benefits, especially for organizations focused on environmental restoration, conservation, and community-driven projects. Here’s why tracking metrics through a platform like FieldDoc is valuable:

1. Data Centralization and Visibility
   Centralized Data Management: FieldDoc allows users to centralize all metrics and related data across projects, programs, and organizations in one platform. This ensures that all relevant stakeholders have access to consistent, up-to-date information, improving coordination and communication.
   Transparency: By tracking metrics in a centralized system, organizations can easily share progress with funders, partners, and the public, creating transparency and accountability in their efforts.
2. Measuring Impact and Progress
   Outcome Tracking: FieldDoc helps track not just activities but the outcomes of those activities, such as water quality improvements, habitat restoration, or carbon sequestration. Monitoring these key metrics ensures that organizations are not only performing tasks but are also achieving their environmental and programmatic goals.
   Goal Alignment: By associating metrics with specific activities, organizations can ensure that every action taken is aligned with broader goals, whether at the organizational, program, or project level.
3. Data-Driven Decision Making
   Informed Adjustments: When metrics reveal progress—or lack thereof—organizations can adjust their strategies based on real-time data. This leads to more effective project management, resource allocation, and planning for future initiatives.
   Monitoring Efficiency: Tracking metrics allows teams to evaluate which activities are delivering the most impact, helping optimize workflows and focus resources on efforts that generate the greatest return.
4. Aggregation and Reporting
   Roll-Up Reporting: Metrics aggregated at the program or organizational level provide a high-level view of overall progress, which can be particularly useful for funders and organizational leadership when assessing the cumulative impact of multiple projects.
   Easier Reporting: FieldDoc simplifies the reporting process by automatically generating data and visualizations from tracked metrics, which can be used to demonstrate progress to stakeholders and fulfill grant or funding requirements.
5. Benchmarking and Continuous Improvement
   Benchmarking Progress: Organizations can compare performance over time by tracking progress against baseline metrics and planned values. This helps in evaluating the long-term effectiveness of interventions and refining approaches in future projects.
   Encouraging Best Practices: Regular tracking of metrics fosters a culture of continuous improvement, as organizations can identify what works best and scale successful practices across projects and teams.
6. Engaging Stakeholders
   Stakeholder Engagement: Tools like FieldDoc enable organizations to share results and impact in real-time, which can help engage community members, volunteers, and stakeholders by showing how their efforts contribute to larger goals.
   Collaboration and Partnership: By sharing metric data with partners and funders, organizations can align efforts, demonstrate collective impact, and secure additional resources or support for future projects.
7. Compliance and Accountability
   Funding and Regulatory Compliance: Many funding sources and regulatory bodies require detailed tracking of metrics. FieldDoc helps ensure that all required metrics are captured, reported, and verified, reducing the risk of non-compliance.
   Auditable Records: By using FieldDoc, organizations maintain an auditable record of project activities and outcomes, which is critical for verifying achievements in future evaluations or audits.

Create a Metric

Adding Metrics to an Organization Portfolio

Adding Metrics to an Activity

Adding Metrics to a Pact

Components of Metrics