Source Reliability and Metric Definition Gate (Onboarding)

Source Reliability and Metric Definition Gate (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Inventory every data source feeding the client's first dashboard and name the system of record for each metric

   List ad platforms, CRM, billing, and product databases separately. Where two systems disagree on the same number, the client's finance or ops owner picks the winner before any chart is built.

2. 02

   Test each connector against a live pull and record the refresh latency and failure mode

   A platform that syncs hourly and one that syncs daily cannot share a same-day reporting promise. Note the observed lag per source so the delivery timeline reflects reality rather than the vendor's marketing page.

3. 03

   Write the metric definition for every headline number in one shared document the client signs

   Define qualified lead, active customer, and pipeline value in plain language with the exact filter logic. Ambiguous definitions are the most common cause of a dashboard being rejected in week three.

4. 04

   Map each metric to the decision it informs and the person who owns that decision

   A metric with no named decision owner becomes dashboard decoration. If the client cannot say who acts on a number, cut it from the first release.

5. 05

   Confirm access permissions and data residency constraints before connecting client systems

   Check whether client contracts restrict where data can be stored or which team members may view it. Forrester's September 2026 analysis of private versus public AI deployments makes the same point for model access: shared infrastructure erases differentiation and raises governance questions clients now ask about directly.

6. 06

   Run a reconciliation pass comparing the new dashboard totals against the client's existing report

   Expect variance. Document each gap with its cause, whether timezone handling, attribution window, or a duplicate record, and get written acknowledgment before launch.

7. 07

   Set the review cadence and the named reviewer for the first 30 days

   Assign one analyst to check refresh health and metric drift weekly. Unreviewed dashboards decay quietly, and the client notices before the agency does.