Plain-language questions
Ask for items per order 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 · E-commerce
Items per order: formula and example.
Items per order is the total number of units sold divided by the number of orders in the same period. It shows how full the average basket is. Together with the average price per unit, items per order explains average order value, and it directly affects shipping and picking costs per order.
Items per order formula
Total units sold ÷ number of orders
Worked example
Acme Groothandel sells 3,456 units across 1,280 orders in September. Items per order is 3,456 ÷ 1,280 = 2.7.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
More items per order usually means a higher order value and lower shipping and handling costs per unit sold. Compare it by channel and category: a business customer ordering by the box shows a very different pattern from a consumer. A drop after a change to shipping terms or recommendations is a cue to review that change.
Pitfalls with items per order
- Mixing units and order lines; ten units of one product is one line but ten items.
- Counting packs such as boxes or pallets as one unit while other products are sold individually.
- Including cancelled or fully returned orders.
SQL & DAX
Calculating items per order 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', o.order_date) AS month,
COUNT(DISTINCT o.order_id) AS orders,
SUM(ol.quantity) AS units,
ROUND(SUM(ol.quantity)::numeric / NULLIF(COUNT(DISTINCT o.order_id), 0), 2) AS items_per_order
FROM orders o
JOIN order_lines ol ON ol.order_id = o.order_id
WHERE o.status <> 'cancelled'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Items per Order =
DIVIDE(SUM(OrderLines[quantity]), DISTINCTCOUNT(Orders[order_id]))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 items per order?
Divide the total number of units sold by the number of orders in the same period. With 2,400 units and 1,000 orders, that is 2.4 items per order. Decide whether you count units or order lines and stick with it.
What does UPT mean in retail?
UPT stands for units per transaction: the average number of items per till receipt or online order. In shops it is measured per transaction at the till; in ecommerce per order. The calculation is the same: units sold divided by the number of transactions.
How can you increase items per order?
Common levers are recommendations for complementary products, bundles, tiered pricing and a free-shipping threshold. Check that the extra items add margin and are not only added through discounts. Measure the effect alongside average order value and contribution margin per order.
Further reading
- KPI libraryE-commerce KPIs: formulas and examplesE-commerce KPIs cover visitors, orders, returns and margin per channel. The data comes from your web shop, marketplaces and payment provider, alongside purchasing and stock from your ERP.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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