{
  "version": "1.3.0",
  "releasedAt": "2026-05-20",
  "kpi": {
    "rogueId": "hr.total_headcount",
    "slug": "total_headcount",
    "domain": "hr",
    "defaultLabel": "Total Headcount",
    "description": "Total number of employees (W-2 / direct-employment equivalents) across all departments at period end. The base denominator for nearly every other HR ratio — turnover rate, revenue per FTE, payroll as % of burn — so getting the snapshot date and the FTE-vs-headcount convention right matters. Common pitfall: mixing headcount (people) with FTE (capacity) — they diverge whenever part-time, contractor, or shared-services arrangements exist. Document the convention (typically \"FTE-equivalent, employees only, end-of-period\") at the board level once and apply consistently.",
    "fieldType": "number",
    "unit": null,
    "maturity": "general",
    "suggestedForStages": [
      "preSeed",
      "seed",
      "seriesA",
      "seriesB",
      "seriesC",
      "public"
    ],
    "defaultOwningFunctions": [
      "HR"
    ],
    "stageRelevance": {
      "preSeed": "core",
      "seed": "core",
      "seriesA": "core",
      "seriesB": "core",
      "seriesC": "core",
      "public": "core"
    },
    "definitionSource": {
      "tier": "editorial",
      "sourceName": "imboard Editorial",
      "sourceUrl": null,
      "sectionRef": null,
      "publicationDate": "2026-04-01",
      "attributionNotice": null
    },
    "formula": "Count of active employees at period end. Convention: FTE-equivalent (a 0.5 FTE counts as 0.5), employees only (contractors tracked separately in `hr.total_contractors`). Snapshot is end-of-period unless the board has explicitly adopted an average-headcount convention for ratio math.",
    "whyItMatters": "The denominator for every HR ratio the board reads — turnover %, revenue/FTE, payroll as % of burn. Drift in this number without a corresponding hiring-plan update is a leading signal of unmanaged growth or quiet attrition.",
    "interpretationGuidance": "Compare quarter-over-quarter against the approved headcount budget (`hr.approved_headcount_budget`). A delta above ±5% without a board note typically warrants explanation. Stage norm for SaaS (industry folk-wisdom, not citation-grade): seed 5–15, Series A 20–50, Series B 50–150, Series C 150–400.",
    "relatedKpiIds": [
      "hr.headcount_change",
      "hr.approved_headcount_budget",
      "hr.new_hires",
      "hr.voluntary_exits",
      "hr.terminations",
      "hr.total_contractors",
      "hr.arr_per_fte"
    ],
    "metricBasis": {
      "timeBasis": "point_in_time",
      "production": "primary"
    }
  }
}