Plain-language questions
Ask for tickets per agent per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Customer service
Tickets per agent: formula and example.
Tickets per agent is the number of tickets resolved in a period divided by the number of agents or FTE in customer service. It gives an indication of the team's workload and productivity and helps with staffing plans. Always read it together with quality measures such as CSAT and reopen rate.
Tickets per agent formula
Number of resolved tickets in the period ÷ number of FTE in customer service
Worked example
In March Acme Groothandel's customer service team had 8 FTE and resolved 1,150 tickets. That is 1,150 ÷ 8 = 143.75, or around 144 tickets per FTE per month.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A rising number of tickets per FTE can mean the team is working more efficiently, but also that the workload is getting too high. So look at resolution time, CSAT and reopen rate at the same time. Only compare agents who handle similar tickets: whoever gets the difficult requests closes fewer per day.
Pitfalls with tickets per agent
- Comparing agents without allowing for how difficult their tickets are.
- Using headcount instead of FTE, or ignoring leave and sickness.
- Managing for a high ticket count, which leads to tickets being closed too quickly and reopened more often.
SQL & DAX
Calculating tickets per agent in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', resolved_at)::date AS month,
COUNT(*) AS resolved_tickets,
COUNT(DISTINCT agent_id) AS active_agents,
ROUND(COUNT(*)::numeric / NULLIF(COUNT(DISTINCT agent_id), 0), 1) AS tickets_per_agent
FROM tickets
WHERE resolved_at IS NOT NULL
AND resolved_at >= current_date - interval '12 months'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Resolved Tickets = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Tickets), NOT ISBLANK(Tickets[ResolvedAt]))
Tickets per Agent =
DIVIDE([Resolved Tickets], CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Tickets[AgentId]), NOT ISBLANK(Tickets[ResolvedAt])))In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate tickets per agent?
Divide the number of tickets resolved in a period by the number of FTE in customer service. With 1,150 resolved tickets and 8 FTE, that is around 144 tickets per FTE per month. Use FTE and allow for absence.
What is the difference between tickets per agent and handle time?
Tickets per agent measures how many tickets someone resolves in a period, handle time how much active time each contact takes. A lower handle time allows more tickets per agent, but only if there is enough incoming work.
How many support agents do you need?
Work it out from expected inflow, average handle time and your service standards. Divide the expected number of tickets by the number one FTE can resolve at the quality you want, and keep a margin for peaks and absence.
Further reading
- KPI libraryCustomer service KPIs: formulas and examplesCustomer service KPIs measure how quickly and how well customers are helped. The data comes from your help desk and telephony, and becomes more useful next to customer and order data.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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