Choosing the Right Metric Type

A goal in Ministry Goals can have one or more metrics attached to it. Each metric is a different way of measuring the same goal. Pick the metric that answers the question you’re really asking.

There are seven metric types. Here they are with the question each one answers best.

1. Cumulative Count

Question: How many in total?

A running sum of every value you log. Use it when the goal is a single number you’re working toward over time.

Examples

  • Read 40 books this year
  • Have 100 discipleship conversations this season
  • Visit 50 families before Christmas

Set a target to drive a progress ring on the Dashboard.

2. Streak

Question: How many days in a row?

Counts consecutive days where you logged at least the minimum value. The streak resets the first day you miss.

Examples

  • Pray every morning
  • Read Scripture daily
  • Journal each evening

Set a small minValue (often 1) so a single tap counts as “did it.” Streaks pair beautifully with the streak-at-risk evening reminder.

3. Cadence Count

Question: How many times per week, month, or quarter?

Counts occurrences inside the current calendar window — say, this week or this month — and resets when the window rolls over.

Examples

  • 5 sermon-prep sessions per week
  • 12 hospital visits per month
  • 2 leadership huddles per quarter

Choose the window (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and set a target. The Dashboard shows how many you’ve logged inside the current period.

4. Daily Cadence

Question: How many days per period did I do it?

Counts the days within a window where you met the minimum threshold. Different from a streak: missed days don’t reset progress.

Examples

  • Write 5 days per week
  • Fast 1 day per week
  • Exercise 3 days per week

Useful when consistency over a window matters more than an unbroken chain.

5. Score Average

Question: On average, how well did it go?

Averages the scores you log. Pair it with a scoring rubric (a small list of named values like “Distracted: 1, Engaged: 3, Deeply Engaged: 5”) so each entry is a tap, not arithmetic.

Examples

  • Average sermon-prep focus score
  • Worship rehearsal energy
  • Quality of personal devotion time

Edit the rubric from the metric’s settings. Tapping the quick-log button opens the rubric picker.

6. Ratio

Question: What’s the conversion or proportion?

Compares two logged values as a ratio or percentage.

Examples

  • Visitors who returned a second time
  • People invited vs. people attended
  • Discipleship conversations vs. follow-ups completed

Ratio metrics shine for funnel-style ministry: outreach pipelines, orientation flows, leadership development paths.

7. Duration

Question: How much time did I spend?

Sums the time logged on each entry.

Examples

  • Total prayer hours this month
  • Study time per week
  • Counseling minutes per quarter

Quick-log offers a simple time entry. The Unit setting controls whether you see minutes or hours.


How to choose

A short decision tree:

  • Daily habit, can’t miss? → Streak
  • Weekly/monthly frequency target? → Cadence Count or Daily Cadence
  • Single number you’re climbing toward? → Cumulative Count
  • Time you’re investing? → Duration
  • Rating quality? → Score Average
  • Comparing two things? → Ratio

You don’t have to pick perfectly the first time. Open the goal, scroll to Metrics, and edit or add another. Activity history is preserved when you change metric settings.

Multiple metrics on one goal

A single goal can have several metrics. The primary metric drives the goal’s progress ring; the others appear below it. For example, a Sermon Prep goal might have:

  • Cadence Count — sessions per week (primary)
  • Duration — total hours per week
  • Score Average — focus rating per session

This gives you a single goal with three lenses on the same work.

What’s next

  • Organizing Goals with SuperGoals — bundling several goals together
  • Reading Your Progress — what each metric type looks like on the History view

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