Why does an indicator need a reference sheet?
Take the indicator “number of people trained”. One officer counts everyone who walked in. Another counts only people who attended all three days. A third counts the same person once for each course. The numbers look alike in a report, but they mean different things.
A reference sheet stops this. It writes down, in one place, what the indicator means and how to produce it. New staff can follow it. A reviewer can check a result against it. A donor can see that the figure follows a stable rule.
What fields should the sheet contain?
Keep the sheet to one page. These fields cover most needs.
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Indicator name | The exact wording used in the results framework |
| Result level | Output, outcome or impact |
| Definition | What counts, what does not, and key terms explained |
| Unit | Person, household, session, item, percent |
| Formula | Numerator and denominator, or the counting rule |
| Data source | Attendance sheet, survey, registry, partner report |
| Method and frequency | How and how often the data is collected |
| Responsible | The role that collects, and the role that checks |
| Disaggregation | Groups to break the result down by |
| Baseline and target | Values and the dates they apply to |
| Limits | Known weaknesses, such as self-reported data |
| Version | Number, date and a short change note |
How do you write a clear definition?
A good definition lets two people reach the same number. Use this order:
- Name the thing counted. “A person who completed at least two of three training sessions.”
- Say what is excluded. “Staff of partner organizations are not counted.”
- Define the hard words. If you write “vulnerable household”, say how you decide.
- Set the time window. “Counted in the quarter in which the third session ended.”
- Say how to handle repeats. Decide whether a person who attends twice counts once or twice, and write it down.
If the definition needs a paragraph, the indicator may be trying to measure too much. Consider splitting it in two.
How do you state the formula?
For a count, the formula is the counting rule: “Total number of unique participants who meet the definition.” For a percentage, give both parts:
- Numerator: households that report eating two or more meals a day.
- Denominator: all households surveyed in the round.
- Result: numerator divided by denominator, times 100.
State what happens when the denominator is zero or the data is missing. A rule written now saves an argument later.
Where does the data come from, and who is responsible?
Name the source in plain terms: “signed attendance sheets entered by the training officer”, or “household survey of a random sample”. Then name the roles:
- Collector: the person who gathers the raw data.
- Checker: the person who reviews it before it counts.
- Owner: the person who answers questions about the indicator.
Use roles, not personal names, so the sheet survives staff changes. Our article on how to check field data quality covers the checker’s job in detail.
What should you do about disaggregation and limits?
List the groups you will break the result down by, such as sex, age band and disability status. Keep the list short and only include breakdowns you can really collect. The article on disaggregating by sex, age and disability explains how to choose.
Then write the limits honestly. “Data is self-reported.” “Only people with a phone can be reached.” A limit stated in the sheet is a caveat. A limit found later by a donor is a problem.
How do you keep the sheets current?
Treat each sheet as a controlled document.
- Give it a version number and a date.
- Record every change, with the reason and who approved it.
- Say whether earlier results can still be compared with new ones.
- Review all sheets at the start of each reporting year, and when a donor changes its requirements.
Store the sheets where the whole team can read them. A sheet that sits on one person’s laptop is not a standard.
Where EMPOBase fits
EMPOBase includes a library of 235 indicators in 8 sectors. Each entry has a definition, means of verification and disaggregation guidance that you can adapt for your own sheet. You review and adapt the wording to your donor’s requirements; the library is a starting point, not a certification of compliance. The library text does not create an automatic live link between a results framework row and indicator results. You can see how indicators are organized on the indicators page, or look at how the field-to-results workflow handles data once it is collected.