Reading ROI and Waterfall Calculations

Short Description ROI and waterfall are two of Hive9's most important calculations. This article explains how each works and what to watch for.

What this article answers

How Hive9 calculates ROI.
What waterfall conversion looks like.
Common reasons numbers don't match expectations.

ROI

ROI in Hive9 is:

ROI = (Attributed Revenue - Tactic Cost) / Tactic Cost

It's expressed as a ratio or percentage. ROI of 2.0 (or 200%) means the tactic returned twice its cost in revenue.

Inputs:

Attributed Revenue comes from Measure, using the attribution model you've selected.
Tactic Cost comes from Plan — typically Actual Cost (with Planned Cost as a fallback if Actuals aren't tracked).

Picking the right cost basis

Your instance's configuration determines whether ROI uses Actual or Planned Cost:

Actuals-based ROI is most accurate but requires Actuals to be flowing (via transactions, PRs, accruals).
Planned-based ROI is a stand-in when Actuals aren't available. Set under Admin → Org Setup → "Use Planned Cost as Actual Cost."

If your instance uses Planned as a stand-in, the ROI is an approximation — real Actuals may shift the number.

Attribution affects ROI

Switching attribution models changes the revenue attribution per tactic, which changes ROI. Don't compare ROI across models without explaining the model in your reporting.

Waterfall conversion

Waterfall conversion is the cascade of conversion rates between funnel stages:

Responses → MQLs → SQLs → Opportunities → Closed Won

Each step has a conversion rate (e.g., 30% of MQLs become SQLs). Multiplying the rates together gives the end-to-end conversion from top to bottom.

[SCREENSHOT NEEDED — Waterfall dashboard with stages and conversion rates]

Where waterfall rates come from

Two sources combine:

Model defaults — your Model's Tactic Library defines per-stage default conversion rates and velocity (days between stages).
Measure data — actual conversions observed in your integrated data.

Dashboards may show either or both, depending on configuration.

Velocity

Velocity is the average calendar days between stages. A waterfall with healthy conversion rates but long velocity (months at each stage) tells a different story than one with shorter velocity.

Why numbers might not match expectations

ROI lower than expected.

Actual cost is higher than what was planned for.
Attribution model is one you don't typically use.
Revenue attribution lags — the closed-won data hasn't flowed in yet for recent deals.

ROI higher than expected.

Costs aren't fully recognized yet (Actuals still flowing in).
Attribution model is favorable to this tactic (first or last touch overstating credit).

Waterfall conversion looks wrong.

Stage definitions in Hive9 don't match how your CRM is configured.
Integration mapping is off — events are landing in the wrong stage.
Model defaults are being shown instead of actuals.

Numbers don't reconcile to your CRM.

Cost vs revenue is computed on different time bases. Compare period definitions.
Some events aren't synced yet.
Attribution differs between Hive9 and your CRM's native attribution.

Common questions

Should I use Actuals or Planned for ROI? Actuals if you have them flowing reliably. Planned only as a stand-in when Actuals aren't tracked.

Why does my waterfall show stages with zero conversion? Either the stage genuinely has zero conversion in this data, or the integration isn't mapping events to that stage. Check with your CRM admin or contact Support.

Can I customize waterfall stages? Stages are defined at the Model level. Admins can configure them in the Model's Tactic Library. End-users use whatever stages the Model defines.

Why is my Tactic Type performance so different from other tactics in the same Type? Likely a few outliers in the data, or attribution model bias for that specific tactic. Filter to a single Tactic Type and review individual tactics.

ROI