Why You Need a Metrics Dashboard
If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. Investors will ask for these numbers. Your team needs them for decision-making. And Zolra Intelligence can use them to improve your raise readiness score.
The Essential Metrics
Revenue Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Good Benchmark (Seed-stage SaaS) |
|---|---|---|
| MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) | Sum of all active subscription revenue | ₹2L+ for seed, ₹50L+ for Series A |
| ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) | MRR × 12 | ₹24L+ for seed |
| MoM Growth | (This month MRR – Last month MRR) / Last month MRR | 15–30% MoM at early stage |
| Net Revenue Retention | (Expansion + Retained – Churned) / Starting MRR | 100%+ (great: 120%+) |
Unit Economics
| Metric | Formula | Target |
|---|---|---|
| CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) | Total sales & marketing spend / New customers | Lower is better; LTV:CAC > 3:1 |
| LTV (Lifetime Value) | ARPU × Average customer lifetime | LTV > 3× CAC |
| Payback Period | CAC / Monthly gross profit per customer | < 12 months for SaaS |
| Gross Margin | (Revenue – COGS) / Revenue | 70%+ for SaaS |
Engagement Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Target |
|---|---|---|
| DAU/MAU | Daily Active Users / Monthly Active Users | 20%+ (great: 40%+) |
| Churn Rate | Customers lost / Starting customers | < 5% monthly for SMB SaaS |
| Activation Rate | Users completing key action / Total signups | 40%+ |
Cash Metrics
| Metric | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burn Rate | Total monthly expenses – Total monthly revenue | Track net burn, not gross |
| Runway | Cash in bank / Monthly net burn | Keep 12+ months runway |
| Cash Zero Date | Today + (Cash / Burn Rate) | Start raising 6 months before this date |
How to Set This Up
- Google Sheets: Create a “Metrics Dashboard” sheet with monthly columns. Use formulas to auto-calculate MoM growth, runway, and LTV:CAC ratio
- Notion: Use a database with monthly entries. Add formula properties for calculated metrics. Create a dashboard view with charts
- Update frequency: Weekly for burn rate and cash. Monthly for everything else. Share with your co-founder and board monthly
Pro Tip
Connect your metrics to Zolra’s startup profile. Zolra Intelligence factors your traction metrics into raise readiness scoring and investor matching.