The metrics that belong on the scorecard
A working scorecard has 8-12 metrics, not 30. The right metrics across four categories:
- Revenue: trailing 12-month booked revenue, quarterly bookings, average deal size, win rate on registered deals
- Pipeline: open pipeline value, registered deals in last quarter, conversion rate of registrations to closed-won
- Capacity: certified sales reps, certified pre-sales engineers, time-since-last-cert-refresh
- Retention: 12-month gross retention of customers sourced by this partner, customer count, expansion revenue
For SI partners, add CSAT and time-to-value. For Technology partners, add joint-customer count.
Quarterly format (one page)
The quarterly scorecard is one page: header with partner name and tier, four metric cards (revenue / pipeline / capacity / retention) each with this quarter's number and trailing-four-quarter trend, a brief commentary section (2-3 sentences from the channel manager), and a forward action items section.
One page forces priority. The scorecard should be readable in 60 seconds and tell you within that time whether this partner is on track, ahead, or behind.
Annual format (the tier review)
The annual scorecard runs every January and drives tier movement. It includes all the quarterly metrics summed over 12 months, plus: tier eligibility analysis (does this partner meet current-tier thresholds, do they meet next-tier thresholds, do they meet demotion criteria), year-over-year growth comparison, and a written narrative of the partnership trajectory.
Tier decisions come out of the annual scorecard. Demotion is communicated privately with the scorecard as evidence; promotion is celebrated publicly.
What not to measure
Common vanity metrics to avoid on the scorecard: number of trainings attended (low signal), partner satisfaction scores from internal surveys (subject to selection bias), "engagement" metrics like portal logins (gameable), social media activity (irrelevant to revenue).
Every metric on the scorecard should have a direct connection to revenue, retention, or capacity. If it does not, it is decoration and dilutes attention from what matters.
Distributing the scorecard
The scorecard is shared with the partner before each QBR — ideally 5 business days in advance. The partner has time to prepare context, surface disagreements with the data, and bring proposed action items. Surprising a partner with their scorecard in the QBR meeting is poor practice and produces defensive conversations.
Internally, the scorecard is shared with the channel manager, VP channel, and (for Premier-tier partners) the executive sponsor. Wider internal distribution invites political dynamics and partner data should not be loose.