A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is a metric that tracks the ongoing health of a business activity against a target. Unlike a Key Result, which exists for one goal cycle and is meant to change, a KPI is usually steady-state: a number you monitor continuously, such as churn, gross margin, or uptime.
The distinction that trips teams up: KPIs measure whether you are running the business well; Key Results measure whether you are changing it. Customer churn is a KPI you watch every month. "Cut churn from 5% to 3% this quarter" turns that KPI into a Key Result for one cycle.
Healthy systems carry both. A small set of KPIs forms the steady scorecard leadership watches; goals are layered on top when a KPI needs to move faster than business-as-usual will carry it.
KPIs for a SaaS team: monthly recurring revenue, net revenue retention, gross margin, support CSAT, and 99.9% uptime.
Vindaris runs OKRs, KPIs, EOS, OGSM, SMART goals, the Balanced Scorecard, and Hoshin Kanri in one place, each goal linked to the traceable work moving it. Start free, no credit card.
Sign Up for Free