Skip to main content
Build your own metric from a formula over the measures Upstack already tracks — revenue per unit sold, ad spend as a share of revenue, net revenue after ad spend. For example, revenue per unit sold:
Each operand (orders.net_revenue, orders.units) is a base measure you select from a picker, so you never have to remember exact names. Set the format to Currency and the result displays as $23.50.

​
Creating a custom measure

Custom measures are scoped to a single pixel and managed from a custom dashboard.
Creating, editing, and deleting custom measures is available to admin and owner roles. Viewers can still chart existing custom measures but won’t see the management entry points.
1

Open the Custom Measures dialog

On a custom dashboard, click Custom Measures in the dashboard toolbar. You can also open it from the Manage custom measures link next to the Metric field when adding or editing a widget.
2

Start a new measure

Click + New custom measure to open the builder.
3

Name the measure

Enter a Name (e.g., Revenue per Unit) and an optional Short title (e.g., Rev/Unit) used where space is tight, such as chart legends and compact cards. Add an optional Description — it appears in the measure’s tooltip.
4

Choose how it's formatted

Set the Format — Number, Currency, Percentage, or Multiplier — and the value displays accordingly across charts and summary cards.
5

Set the period total

Choose how the summary card totals the measure across your date range:
  • Sum — adds each day’s value. Use for amounts, like revenue net of ad spend.
  • Average — recalculates the formula over the whole period. Use for ratios and percentages — averaging a ratio per day gives the wrong number.
Upstack picks a sensible default from your formula; change it if needed.
6

Write the formula

Type your formula, using Insert measure to add base measures from a searchable, grouped picker. Validation runs as you type — a valid formula shows Formula is valid., and errors explain what to fix.
7

Save

Click Save. The measure is enabled by default and immediately available in the measure picker. Use the eye icon in the list to disable a measure without deleting it.

​
Writing formulas

Formulas support standard arithmetic over base measures and numeric constants: Some common patterns:

​
Using it on a dashboard

Once saved and enabled, a custom measure appears in the Custom group of the measure picker when you add or edit a widget. It works with Metric, Sparkline, Bar, and Area charts. From there it behaves like a built-in measure:
  • Filters — an orders filter only affects orders measures, an ads filter only affects ad measures.
  • Date range, comparison period, and granularity — same as any other measure on the dashboard.
  • Cost settings — formulas that use cost measures follow your cost settings, just like the built-in cost measures.

Measures & Dimensions

The base measures you build custom formulas from.

Query Guide

Build reports with measures, dimensions, and filters.

Cost Settings

Configure costs so margin-based custom measures are accurate.

Attribution Reporting

Compare attribution models and channel credit allocation.