Indicators
An indicator is a measurable unit that tracks progress toward a specific result. In ImpactMEL, indicators are defined once at the organization level and then linked to one or more projects. Each project sets its own targets and reports values per period.
Examples of indicators:
- Number of people with access to clean water (unit: people)
- % of households with functioning handwashing stations (unit: %)
- Number of community health workers trained (unit: persons)
- Dropout rate in supported schools (unit: %)
The Indicator Library
Navigate to Indicators in the sidebar to view your organization's complete indicator library.
📸 Figure 6.1 — Indicator Library Page
The Indicators list page showing a searchable table. Columns include Code, Indicator Name, Unit, Aggregation Method (shown as a badge), Linked Result Node, and the number of projects using this indicator. A search bar and filters for Aggregation Method and Result Level are at the top. A "New Indicator" button is in the top-right corner. Indicators are grouped by their result framework level (Impact / Outcome / Output).
File: user-manual/images/06-01-indicator-library.png
Creating an Indicator
- Click + New Indicator in the top-right corner
- Fill in the indicator details:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator Name | ✅ | Full name in sentence case — be specific and measurable |
| Indicator Code | ✅ | Short reference code (e.g., WASH-01, EDU-03) |
| Unit of Measurement | ✅ | What the value represents: people, %, HHs, USD, sessions, etc. |
| Aggregation Method | ✅ | How to combine values across periods (see below) |
| Description | Full definition and how to measure it | |
| Data Source | Where the data comes from (survey, register, report, etc.) | |
| Result Node | Link to a specific Output or Outcome in your results framework |
- Click Create Indicator
📸 Figure 6.2 — New Indicator Form
The "Create Indicator" form slide-over panel showing all fields. The Aggregation Method field shows a segmented control with the five options (Sum, Average, Latest, Min, Max) and a tooltip icon that explains each option. The Result Node field is an auto-complete dropdown showing the results framework tree.
File: user-manual/images/06-02-new-indicator-form.png
Aggregation Methods — Explained
When a report covers multiple reporting periods, ImpactMEL needs to combine the values from each period into a single number. The Aggregation Method tells the system how to do this.
| Method | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sum | Counting people, events, or activities — where each period adds to the total | # of people trained: Q1=200, Q2=300 → Report total = 500 |
| Average | Rates, percentages, satisfaction scores — where you want the mean over the period | % satisfaction: Q1=78%, Q2=82% → Report value = 80% |
| Latest | Stock indicators — where the current state is what matters, not the history | # of functioning water points: Q1=45, Q2=48 → Report value = 48 |
| Min | Worst-case tracking — report the lowest value across periods | Minimum coverage rate: Q1=65%, Q2=72% → Report value = 65% |
| Max | Peak achievement — report the highest value reached | Maximum beneficiaries in a session: Q1=120, Q2=95 → Report value = 120 |
TIP
The most commonly used methods are Sum (for counts) and Latest (for stock indicators). Use Average for percentages and rates.
Setting Targets
Targets are set when you link an indicator to a project, not on the indicator definition itself. This allows the same indicator to have different targets across different projects.
To set or update targets:
- Open the Project → Indicators tab
- Click the target value for any indicator (or click the pencil icon)
- Enter the project-level target
- Optionally set per-period targets if each period has a different expected value
- Click Save
📸 Figure 6.3 — Setting Indicator Targets
The target editing dialog showing an overall project target field and a "Per-period targets" toggle. When the toggle is enabled, a table appears listing each reporting period with an individual target field. A baseline field appears below the overall target.
File: user-manual/images/06-03-setting-targets.png
Disaggregations
Many indicators need to be broken down by categories — such as sex, age group, or geographic area. These breakdowns are called disaggregations.
Example: The indicator # of community health workers trained may be disaggregated by sex (Female / Male) and by district (Gasabo / Kicukiro / Nyarugenge).
Adding a disaggregation
- Open the indicator → click Disaggregations tab (or edit the indicator)
- Click + Add Disaggregation
- Enter the dimension name (e.g., Sex)
- Add the categories (e.g., Female, Male, Non-binary) — press Enter after each
- Click Save
When reporters submit values for this indicator, they can enter a value for each category. The system automatically sums them as the total value.
📸 Figure 6.4 — Disaggregation Setup
The disaggregation editor showing two existing disaggregation dimensions: "Sex" with categories Female/Male/Non-binary, and "Age Group" with categories Under 18 / 18-35 / 36-60 / Over 60. An "Add Disaggregation" button appears below. Each category has a small trash icon to delete it.
File: user-manual/images/06-04-disaggregations.png
Formula Indicators
A formula indicator automatically calculates its value from other indicators, instead of requiring manual data entry. This is useful for derived metrics like percentages or ratios.
Example: Instead of asking reporters to calculate the percentage, define:
WASH-01— # of HHs with access to clean water (reported manually)WASH-02— Total # of HHs in project area (reported manually)WASH-PCT-01— % of HHs with clean water access =WASH-01 / WASH-02 * 100(computed automatically)
Creating a formula indicator
- Create a new indicator
- Toggle Formula Indicator to ON
- In the Formula field, enter the expression using other indicators' codes as variables
- Click Save
At report generation time, the system fetches the aggregated values for each referenced indicator and evaluates the formula.
📸 Figure 6.5 — Formula Indicator Setup
The indicator form with the "Formula Indicator" toggle enabled. A new "Formula" text field appears below, containing the expression "WASH-01 / WASH-02 * 100". A green tooltip appears confirming that the formula is valid and listing the two referenced indicators. The Unit field is set to "%".
File: user-manual/images/06-05-formula-indicator.png
Viewing an Indicator's History
Click any indicator in the library to open its detail view, which shows:
- A chart of reported values over time (across all projects and periods)
- A table of all submitted indicator reports — who submitted, when, what value, what status
- The current progress score vs. target
- Links to the projects using this indicator
📸 Figure 6.6 — Indicator Detail View
The indicator detail page showing a line chart at the top with value on the Y-axis and reporting periods on the X-axis. Below the chart, a table shows all submitted reports with columns for Project, Period, Submitted Value, Target, Progress, Status (Approved/Pending/Rejected), and Submitted By. A "View in Project" link appears on each row.
File: user-manual/images/06-06-indicator-detail.png
Editing and Deleting Indicators
Edit: Open the indicator → click Edit Indicator (top-right) → change the fields → Save Changes.
Delete: Open the indicator → three-dot menu → Delete. An indicator cannot be deleted if it has submitted data. You must archive the indicator instead, which hides it from the library without deleting historical values.
WARNING
Changing an indicator's aggregation method after data has already been submitted will change how existing data is aggregated in future reports. Make sure to review and communicate this change to your team.