KRA and KPI Examples by Role for Indian Companies

KRA and KPI examples are among the most searched HR resources in India, usually by managers who have been asked to set goals for their team before the appraisal cycle and are staring at a blank form. Key Result Areas (KRAs) describe the main areas a role is responsible for. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the measures that show how well the person is performing in each area. Good KRAs and KPIs make appraisals fairer and conversations easier; vague ones like "work hard" and "be a team player" make them a guessing game. This guide explains how to write KRAs and KPIs and gives ready-to-adapt examples for common roles in Indian companies, with weightages and sample targets.

KRA vs KPI: The Difference in One Minute

Aspect	KRA	KPI
What it is	An area of responsibility	A measure of performance in that area
Example	Customer retention	Renewal rate of accounts above a set value
Changes how often	Rarely, unless the role changes	Targets reviewed every cycle
Number per role	4 to 6	1 to 3 per KRA

Think of the KRA as the "what" and the KPI as the "how much" or "how well". Each KRA should carry a weightage so the total adds up to 100 percent.

How to Write Good KRAs and KPIs

1. Start from the role's purpose. Why does this role exist? What would go wrong if it were empty?
2. List 4 to 6 outcome areas. More than six dilutes focus.
3. Pick measurable indicators. Prefer numbers, percentages, deadlines or quality ratings with clear definitions.
4. Set targets with the employee. A target that the employee had no say in is a target they will not own.
5. Weight by importance. The KRA that matters most to the business gets the highest weight.
6. Define the data source. Where will the number come from? CRM, HRMS, ticketing tool, finance reports.
7. Include one behaviour or capability KRA for roles where how work is done matters, such as people management.

A useful test: if two different managers looked at the same evidence, would they arrive at the same rating? If not, the KPI is too vague.

KRA and KPI Examples: Sales Executive

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
Revenue achievement	Sales booked against quarterly target	100 percent of target	40%
Pipeline building	Qualified opportunities added per month	15 per month	20%
Collections	Receivables collected within credit terms	90 percent within terms	15%
Customer relationships	Repeat orders from existing accounts	Repeat orders from 60 percent of active accounts	15%
CRM discipline	Opportunities updated weekly with next steps	95 percent compliance in audits	10%

Note the collections KRA. In Indian B2B sales, revenue booked but not collected is a frequent problem, and making collections part of the salesperson's goals changes behaviour.

KRA and KPI Examples: HR Executive

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
HR operations accuracy	Attendance and leave data closed before payroll cut-off	On time every month, zero rework	30%
Onboarding	Joiners with complete documentation and day-one setup	100 percent; joiner feedback 4 of 5 or higher	20%
Employee query resolution	Queries resolved within agreed time	90 percent within 2 working days	20%
Compliance support	Registers, notices and filings support delivered on schedule	No missed internal deadlines	15%
Engagement activities	Planned activities delivered, participation rate	Quarterly plan delivered, 70 percent participation	15%

KRA and KPI Examples: Accounts Executive

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
Month-end close	Books closed by agreed working day	By working day 5	30%
Payables accuracy	Vendor payments processed on time without errors	98 percent on time, zero duplicate payments	25%
Reconciliations	Bank and vendor reconciliations completed	Monthly, with no unexplained items older than 30 days	20%
Statutory deadlines	Inputs for tax filings delivered on time	All deadlines met	15%
Process improvement	Manual steps automated or documented	2 improvements per half year	10%

KRA and KPI Examples: Customer Support Agent

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
Resolution	First contact resolution rate	70 percent	30%
Customer satisfaction	CSAT on resolved tickets	4.3 of 5 average	30%
Responsiveness	Tickets answered within SLA	95 percent	20%
Quality	Quality audit score	85 percent or above	10%
Knowledge sharing	Knowledge base articles written or updated	2 per month	10%

Avoid making average handling time a major KPI on its own. It encourages agents to rush customers off the phone. Balance speed with resolution and satisfaction.

KRA and KPI Examples: Operations or Warehouse Supervisor

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
Dispatch performance	Orders dispatched within promised time	98 percent	30%
Inventory accuracy	Cycle count variance	Below 0.5 percent of value	20%
Safety	Lost time incidents, safety audits	Zero lost time incidents; monthly audit done	20%
Productivity	Units handled per labour hour	Improve 5 percent over baseline	15%
Team management	Shift attendance, training completed	Absenteeism below agreed level; all staff trained	15%

KRA and KPI Examples: Software Engineer

KRA	KPI	Sample target	Weight
Delivery	Committed sprint work completed	85 percent or more of committed items	30%
Quality	Defects found in production attributable to own work	Downward trend; no critical defects	25%
Code review and collaboration	Reviews completed within agreed time	Within 1 working day	15%
Reliability	On-call incidents handled within response time	All within SLA	15%
Learning and mentoring	Skills developed, juniors mentored	One new skill applied; one mentee	15%

Engineering output is hard to measure with simple numbers. Lines of code or ticket counts reward the wrong things. Combine delivery and quality measures with peer feedback.

KRA and KPI Examples: People Manager (Any Function)

Add a people management KRA for anyone who leads a team, usually weighted 20 to 30 percent:

• Team goal achievement: percentage of team members meeting their goals.
• Retention: regretted attrition in the team over the year.
• Development: team members with documented development plans and completed training.
• Engagement: team engagement survey score or eNPS trend.
• Timely reviews: probation and appraisal reviews completed on time.

For how these KPIs flow into the annual cycle, see our guide to the annual performance appraisal process.

How to Score KRAs at Review Time

Weighted KRAs only help if the scoring method is agreed in advance. A simple and common approach in Indian companies works like this:

1. For each KPI, calculate achievement as a percentage of target, capped at an agreed maximum such as 120 percent so one exceptional number does not hide weak areas.
2. Convert achievement to a rating using a published band, for example: below 70 percent is 1, 70 to 89 percent is 2, 90 to 104 percent is 3, 105 to 114 percent is 4, 115 percent and above is 5.
3. Multiply each KRA rating by its weight and add them up to get the goal score.
4. Combine the goal score with the competency score if your form has one.

A worked example for the sales executive above, with hypothetical results:

KRA	Weight	Achievement	Rating	Weighted score
Revenue achievement	40%	108%	4	1.60
Pipeline building	20%	95%	3	0.60
Collections	15%	82%	2	0.30
Customer relationships	15%	100%	3	0.45
CRM discipline	10%	98%	3	0.30
Total	100%			3.25

The score of 3.25 points to "meets expectations, leaning higher", but the manager should still look at context. Did a large customer delay payment for reasons outside the salesperson's control? Calibration exists to apply that judgement consistently. The formula is the starting point, not the final word.

Cascading KRAs from Company Goals

KRAs work best when they connect to what the business is trying to achieve this year. A simple cascade:

• Leadership sets four or five company priorities, such as growing repeat revenue or reducing order delays.
• Each department head translates them into department KRAs.
• Managers set individual KRAs that contribute to the department ones, while still covering the core responsibilities of the role.

When an employee can see how their collections KRA connects to the company's cash flow priority, the goal stops feeling arbitrary.

Common Mistakes When Setting KRAs and KPIs

• Activities instead of outcomes. "Make 50 calls a day" is an activity; "qualified opportunities added" is closer to an outcome.
• Too many KRAs. Ten KRAs at 10 percent each means nothing stands out.
• No data source. If nobody can produce the number at review time, the KPI becomes opinion.
• Targets copied from last year without considering market or role changes.
• Same KRAs for different levels. A senior executive and a team lead in the same function should not have identical goals.
• Never revisited. Review mid-year and adjust if business priorities shift.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many KRAs should an employee have?

Four to six is ideal. Fewer may miss important areas; more dilutes focus and makes weighting meaningless.

What is the difference between a KPI and a target?

A KPI is the measure, such as first contact resolution rate. The target is the level you aim for, such as 70 percent.

Should behaviours be part of KRAs?

For many roles, yes, especially managers. Keep behavioural KRAs specific, with examples of what good looks like, and use a separate competency rating if your appraisal form has one.

Can KRAs change during the year?

Yes, if the role or business priorities change. Document the change and the date, and assess each period against the goals that applied then.

Are KRAs the same as OKRs?

No. KRAs describe ongoing responsibilities; OKRs set ambitious objectives for a period. Our comparison of OKR vs KRA explains when to use each.

Set and Track Goals in Fininvo HRMS

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