How I track the metrics that typically count in academia + a free template

Here’s what the top left corner of the grants tab looks like in my tracker template…complete with four example entries from actual grants of my own.

I’ve frequently discussed the importance of setting my own metrics for success and how I work to make what I consider evidence of success visible and legible to the people who evaluate me in academia.

But, I’ve so far left out a key aspect of my process/toolkit. That is, I’ve gotten as close as I can to automating how I track the metrics that are most obvious for academia. I do this because I don’t want to spend half a month tallying beans when I need to write an annual review or promotion narrative. Instead, I want my bandwidth, at those times, protected for thinking through the less obvious metrics and how to advocate that these count too.

So, with no further ado, here’s the tracking spreadsheet I use for keeping up-to-date stats on the beans that usually do count in academia. I regularly track the following:

• Grants

• Peer-reviewed publications

• Teaching

• Presentations/talks/workshops of all sorts

• Other outputs (e.g., creative works, popular publications; for others this might be patents, etc.)

• Mentoring and supervision

Download the tracking template

When I update my tracker

I update my tracker whenever something happens. Honest to goodness, I usually update it within a week.

That means when I start a new grant proposal, get a manuscript decision, schedule an invited talk or workshop, submit an artwork, or take on a new mentee, I pretty much immediately enter it into the spreadsheet.

And, when I did my first major promotion review a few years back, I dedicated several hours to retroactively update all the tabs with my entire career history, including grants from nonprofit work, volunteers and employees I supervised before coming to academia, etc.

I could schedule a reminder to do this monthly or quarterly, but I’ve found it takes more time and effort to remember all the updates that should be made. If I update the tracker within a week of something happening, all the relevant details are fresh in my mind and it only takes me a few moments. That maintenance balance is worth it for me.

How about you?

Do you have a standardized system for tracking the things you care about, and/or the things your bosses or other evaluators prioritize? What’s it look like, and how often do you update it?