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Build custom metrics with formulas

Use this article to create formula metrics in Reports: custom metrics that add, subtract, multiply, or divide up to six metrics, each with its own filters. Readers should already know how to create a custom report and a basic custom metric.

Written by Dawn Perrott

Use this article to create a formula metric: a custom metric that combines up to six metrics with addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and brackets. Use it to build calculations a Percentage or Ratio metric can't, such as a backlog difference or a total across filtered counts.

A Percentage, Ratio, or Absolute custom metric covers one metric, or one metric divided by another. A formula goes further. You pick the metrics, give each one a letter, and write the calculation yourself, for example:

  • A − B: new conversations minus first closed conversations, to see whether your backlog is growing.

  • A + B: email conversations plus chat conversations.

  • (B − A) ÷ B: the share of conversations that did not get a teammate reply.

  • A ÷ 40: conversations per teammate, for a team of 40.

Like every custom metric, a formula metric appears in the metric picker of every chart in your workspace, and it covers your full history from day one.

Note: Custom metrics are available on Advanced and Expert plans. You'll need the "Can edit reports" permission to create, edit, or delete formula metrics. Teammates with view-only access can use existing formula metrics in charts.

How to create a formula metric

  1. Go to Reports > Custom metrics and click + New metric in the top right. The metric builder opens in a side panel.

  2. Enter a Name. Names must be unique in your workspace and can be up to 250 characters.

  3. Under Type, choose Formula.

    The metric builder's Type field with Formula selected from the dropdown, alongside the other options Percentage, Ratio, and Absolute.

  4. Under What do you want to calculate?, pick a starting point. Each one fills in a formula and labels the metrics for you. You can change the formula at any time.

    • Rate — A / B as %
      Use this to show one metric as a share of another, as a percentage. For example, replied conversations out of all conversations.

    • Per — A / B
      Use this to divide one metric by another, like an average. For example, conversations closed per teammate.

    • Difference — A − B
      Use this to subtract one metric from another. For example, new conversations minus first closed conversations.

    • Total — A + B + ...
      Use this to add two or more metrics together. For example, email plus chat conversations.

      Or click Write your own formula to start from a blank formula.

      The four starting points and the Write your own formula option.

    Once you pick one, it shows at the top right of the builder, for example Rate · Change. Click Change to pick a different starting point.

  5. Under Metrics, pick a metric for each letter. Each metric gets a letter you can use in the formula. If you chose a starting point, each card is labeled with its role, for example Count and Out of for Rate. To narrow what a metric counts, click + Add filter on its card. Each metric has its own filters, so A and B can count different conversations.

    • Click Add metric to add another letter, up to six in total.

    • Open the ⋮ menu on a card to Duplicate or Remove it. Duplicating is the quickest way to make two versions of the same metric with different filters. The copy gets the next unused letter.

    • Where a metric can be counted against more than one date, each version appears as a separate choice. For example, New conversations is offered by Conversations started at and by Conversation created at.

    • Every metric in a formula comes from the same dataset. Once you pick the first metric, the picker only shows metrics from its dataset.

  6. Under Formula, type the calculation using the letters. You can use +, −, *, /, brackets, and plain numbers. Click a letter or an operator below the formula to insert it, or type it yourself.

    [Screenshot: two metric cards, A and B, each with its own filter]

  7. Under Display and name, choose how to Show as: Number, Percentage, or Duration.

    • Percentage shows the result as a percentage, so there's no need to multiply by 100.

    • Duration shows the result as a length of time. Use it when the formula works with time metrics, such as response times.

  8. Set A good result is to Going up or Going down. This tells Intercom whether a rise is an improvement when a chart compares two periods.

  9. Click Create metric. The button stays disabled until every letter has a metric and the formula is valid. If Intercom can't save the metric, a message appears in the panel.

Your formula metric now appears in the Custom metrics list. In every chart's metric picker, you'll find it under Custom metrics.

Tip: You can also create a metric without leaving a report. When you edit a chart, open the metric picker and click New metric.

If your formula can't be saved

The builder checks your formula as you type and tells you what to fix:

Message

What to do

Type a formula like A / B, or use the letters and operators below.

The formula is empty. Type one, or click the letters and operators.

Check the operators and parentheses in your formula.

There's an operator without a metric next to it, or a bracket that isn't closed.

There's no metric C. Add it above or remove it from the formula.

The formula uses a letter that has no metric card.

"abc" isn't a metric letter. Use the letters below, like A or B.

Letters in a formula must match a metric card, such as A or B. Words aren't supported.

Pick a metric for B to finish.

A metric card is still empty.

B isn't in the formula yet. Add it or remove the metric.

Every metric card has to be used in the formula.

Metric B can't be used in this formula. Check its metric and filters.

That metric, or one of its filters, isn't supported in formulas. Choose a different metric for that letter, or remove filters you don't need.

Worked examples

Reply rate (percentage)

Rebuild a rate you already know, then check it against the built-in metric.

  1. Choose the Rate starting point.

  2. A (Count): Teammate replied conversations.

  3. B (Out of): New conversations.

  4. Formula: A / B. Show as: Percentage. A good result is: Going up.

Put the formula next to the built-in Teammate replied conversations rate in one chart. The two should match.

Share of conversations without a reply: (B − A) ÷ B

Use brackets to report what's left over.

  1. Click Write your own formula.

  2. A: Teammate replied conversations.

  3. B: New conversations.

  4. Formula: (B − A) / B. Show as: Percentage. A good result is: Going down.

If 62% of new conversations got a teammate reply, this metric shows 38%.

Backlog growth (difference)

  1. Choose the Difference starting point.

  2. A (Start with): New conversations.

  3. B (Minus): First closed conversations.

  4. Formula: A − B. Show as: Number. A good result is: Going down.

A positive number means more conversations came in than were closed.

Email and chat conversations (total of filtered counts)

  1. Choose the Total starting point.

  2. A: New conversations, filtered to Channel is Email.

  3. B: New conversations again, filtered to Channel is Chat.

  4. Formula: A + B. Show as: Number.

Tip: To reuse a metric with different filters, open the ⋮ menu on its card and click Duplicate, then change the copy's filters. The copy gets the next unused letter, and the Total starting point adds it to the formula for you.

Conversations per teammate (using a number)

  1. Choose the Per starting point, or write your own.

  2. A: First closed conversations.

  3. Formula: A / 40, where 40 is the size of your team. Show as: Number.

Tip: To compare teams, don't filter the metric to one team. Instead, add the formula to a chart and use View by or Segment by Team.

How to add a formula metric to a chart

  1. Open any custom report, hover over a chart and click Edit.

  2. Open the metric picker and select your formula metric under Custom metrics.

  3. Choose a chart type and, if you need one, a View by or Segment by.

The chart editor showing a bar chart of Teammate reply rate by week, with the formula metric selected under Metrics and View by set to Week.

The filters on each metric in the formula travel with it, and you can add chart-level filters on top.

If a chart can't show your formula, it displays This formula chart can't be displayed and asks you to change the chart type, grouping, comparison, or filters. See Limitations for what's supported.

The chart editor with Compare to previous period turned on, showing the message “This formula chart can’t be displayed” in place of the bar chart

Editing and managing formula metrics

Go to Reports > Custom metrics to see every custom metric in your workspace. For a formula metric, the Formula column shows the metrics it uses and the operators that combine them. Hover over the filter icon next to a metric to see its filters. The Used column shows how many charts use each metric.

To edit a formula metric, click ⋮ > Edit metric on its row. The Edit formula metric panel opens. You can change its name, its metrics and their filters, the formula, and the Show as format. Click Change to pick a different starting point. When you're done, click Save changes.

The Edit formula metric panel for a saved metric, showing the A and B metric cards, a Change link to pick a different starting point, the formula A / B, and a Save changes button.

A formula metric is calculated when a chart loads, so editing it changes what every chart using it shows, including past data. If any reports use the metric, Intercom asks you to confirm before saving.

The Change this metric? confirmation dialog, saying 1 report uses this metric and that saving changes what it measures, including past data.

Important: After you create a formula metric, you can't change its type, its dataset, or its A good result is setting. To change any of these, create a new metric instead.

To delete a formula metric, click ⋮ > Delete on its row. The confirmation shows how many charts use it. Deleting can't be undone. A chart that uses only that metric shows This metric was deleted until you pick a different metric. In a chart with other metrics, the deleted one drops out and the rest still show.

The Custom metrics list with the row actions menu open on the Backlog growth metric, showing Edit metric and Delete.

Note: Formula metrics count toward your workspace's limit of 50 custom metrics.

Limitations

Building a formula

  • A formula can use up to six metrics (A to F).

  • Every metric in a formula must come from the same dataset.

  • You can't use another custom metric inside a formula. Rebuild it from its parts instead: for example, use the two metrics a Percentage custom metric divides.

  • Each metric uses its standard calculation. A metric that's an average stays an average, and a count stays a count.

  • If a formula divides by zero, for example a day with no new conversations, the result is empty rather than 0.

  • Open conversations, Snoozed conversations, Teammate time active, and Teammate time away can't be used in formulas yet. They're greyed out in the metric picker.

Charts

Formula metrics work in counter, bar, horizontal bar, line, area, table, and donut charts. They also work in heatmaps that have both a View by and a Segment by. These aren't supported yet:

  • Compare to previous period, except on counter charts.

  • Other chart types.

  • View by or Segment by a time interval other than hour, day, week, or month.

  • View by time ranges that group values into buckets.

  • Segment by with Show other turned on.

  • Segment by on a chart with more than one metric.

  • More than one metric in a chart that has no View by.

  • View by or Segment by Topics. Channel and the other breakdowns work.

  • Team or teammate filters on the chart or the report. Put the filter on a metric inside the formula, or use View by / Segment by Team or Teammate.

Exporting and drilling in

  • You can't open a list of conversations from a formula chart.

  • Export chart data (the conversation-level CSV) isn't available for formula charts. Export aggregated data works.

FAQs

What's the difference between a formula and a Percentage or Ratio metric?

A Percentage or Ratio metric divides one metric by another. A formula can use up to six metrics and add and subtract as well as divide. It can also use brackets and numbers, and show the result as a number, a percentage, or a duration. Use whichever is simplest for what you need. Both work in the same charts and reports.

Can I turn an existing Percentage or Ratio metric into a formula?

No, an existing Percentage or Ratio metric can't be turned into a formula. Create a new metric with the Formula type and pick the same two metrics. A Percentage metric is A / B shown as a percentage. A Ratio metric is A / B shown as a number.

Does my formula metric only cover data from after I created it?

No, a formula metric covers your full history, not just data from after you created it. Intercom calculates the formula when a chart loads, so it covers your full history.

Can I use averages or medians in a formula?

Yes, you can use averages or medians in a formula. Each metric keeps its standard calculation, so you can subtract one median response time from another and show the result as a Duration. Be careful when you divide averages: the result is a ratio of two averages, not an average of ratios.

Why is my formula showing an empty value?

The formula divided by zero for that period or group, for example a day with no new conversations. Intercom shows an empty value rather than a misleading 0.

Do I need to multiply by 100 for a percentage?

No, you don't need to multiply by 100 for a percentage. Choose Percentage under Show as, and 0.42 is shown as 42%.

Why can't I find a metric when I'm picking one for my formula?

Every metric in a formula comes from the same dataset, so once you've picked your first metric, the picker only shows metrics from that dataset. Custom metrics can't be used inside a formula either.

Why does my chart say "This formula chart can't be displayed"?

The chart uses a setting that formulas don't support yet, such as a comparison to a previous period or a team filter on the report. See Limitations and change the chart type, grouping, comparison, or filters.

What happens to my reports if I edit a formula metric?

Every chart that uses the metric updates to the new calculation, including past data. If any reports use it, Intercom asks you to confirm first.

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