What is a scorecard in a dashboard?
Quick answer
A scorecard is a chart that shows a single metric as one big number for the report's date range, for example Active users or Sessions. Dashboards usually put three to five scorecards along the top as the headline.
Last updated
Take the free module →Module 1 of the free Looker Studio Basics: A Free GA4 Website Dashboard course, about 8 minutes. No account needed.
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
People reading a report want the headline first: how many, and is it up or down. A scorecard answers that before anyone reads a chart.
Too many scorecards hide the important ones. Pick the few numbers that decide what you do next.
A good set mixes quantity and quality: how many people came, how many visits there were, and how many of those visits were real ones. For a website that is Active users, Sessions and Engagement rate.
In a real lesson: Looker Studio: Connect GA4 and Build Your First Report
In the Looker Studio first report lesson you click Add a chart, pick Scorecard, place it, and change its metric from Views to Active users in the Setup panel, then add Sessions and Engagement rate the same way.
Each scorecard follows the report's date range, so when a viewer picks Last 30 days in a date range control, all three numbers change together.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Scorecard vs balanced scorecard
A balanced scorecard is a management framework with goals in four areas. A scorecard chart is simply one number on a dashboard.
Scorecard vs KPI
A KPI is the measure you track; a scorecard is one way to display it.
Scorecard vs table
A table shows many rows, such as sessions per channel. A scorecard shows the total for all rows, which is why it sits above the detail, not instead of it.
Tips
- Add a comparison period so the scorecard shows the change, not just the number.
- Label it in plain words your readers use, such as Visitors instead of Active users, if that helps them.
- Line scorecards up along the top in the order people read them: volume first, quality second.
Related terms
More Business terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Looker Studio: Connect GA4 and Build Your First Report (Looker Studio, 8 min)
- Score Every Candidate Fairly After the Interview using ChatGPT (ChatGPT, 7 min)
- Keep Top Candidates Warm with Honest Status Replies using ChatGPT (ChatGPT, 9 min)
- OLVA: Listen in Interviews and Debrief Against the Scorecard (OLVA, 8 min)
Watch it in a free lesson: Score Every Candidate Fairly After the Interview using ChatGPT
3:06An interview debrief in, a fair scorecard out with ChatGPT
Turn the transcript of an interview panel's debrief into a scorecard against the role's must-haves, the decisions, action items with owners and dates, and a follow-up email to the candidate.
Frequently asked questions
- How many scorecards should a dashboard have?
- Usually three to five along the top. More than that and readers stop knowing which one matters.
- Can a scorecard show the change from last month?
- Yes. In Looker Studio set a comparison date range in the scorecard's Setup panel; it then shows the change as a percentage, in green or red.
- How do I add a scorecard in Looker Studio?
- In edit mode click Add a chart, pick Scorecard, click on the page, then choose the metric under Setup.
- Why does my scorecard show a different number than GA4?
- Check the date range first: Looker Studio defaults to the last 28 days excluding today, while GA4 may show a different period. Also check that both use the same metric, such as Active users rather than Total users.