If you’re running marketing campaigns and need to prove they’re working, you need clear ROI numbers—not vague “impressions” or gut feelings. This guide is for folks who want to use Freckle’s built-in analytics to get real data on what’s paying off and what’s just burning budget. If you’re tired of spreadsheet gymnastics and want a straight answer on campaign performance, keep reading.
Step 1: Get Your Campaign Data Into Freckle
First things first: if you haven’t set up your campaigns inside Freckle, do that now. Freckle tracks time and project data, not ad clicks, so you’ll need to treat each campaign as a project or tag. Here’s how to organize your stuff:
- Create a project for each campaign: Name it clearly (“Spring 2024 Facebook Ads” is better than “FB1”).
- Use tags for extra details: If you’re running lots of small campaigns, tags like
email,social, orwebinarhelp break things down. - Log time and expenses: Freckle isn’t an ad tracker, but it’s great for tracking hours spent and costs incurred. Enter the time your team spends, plus any campaign costs.
Pro tip: Don’t obsess over perfect tagging. Simple is better—you want to see time and money, not drown in micro-categories.
Step 2: Track Costs Accurately
ROI only means something if your cost data is solid. In Freckle, you can record both labor time and out-of-pocket costs. Here’s what to focus on:
- Log hours honestly—Don’t fudge the numbers to make the campaign look better. If you spent 20 hours, say so.
- Add expenses manually—Enter ad spend, contractor fees, software costs, and anything else tied to the campaign.
- Keep receipts and notes—Freckle lets you attach notes; use them to explain big expenses. Your future self will thank you.
What to skip: Don’t bother tracking “soft costs” like brainstorming over lunch—ROI gets fuzzy fast if you overthink it.
Step 3: Connect Revenue to Campaigns
Here’s where most people mess up ROI: they forget to link actual revenue to each campaign. Freckle isn’t a CRM, but you can still make it work:
- Tag revenue entries: If you win a deal or make a sale from a campaign, log that revenue and tag it to the campaign.
- Use consistent naming: If your campaign is tagged “Spring 2024 Facebook Ads,” put that on every related revenue entry.
- Don’t stretch the truth: Only count revenue that really came from the campaign. If it’s unclear, leave it out.
If you have a sales team or use other tools (like Stripe or Salesforce), get them to add revenue data in Freckle or at least keep a running list you can cross-reference.
Step 4: Use Freckle’s Built-in Reports
Once your data’s in, Freckle’s built-in analytics do the heavy lifting. Here’s what’s actually worth your time:
A. Project Reports
- Go to the Projects tab and select your campaign.
- Review the “Time” and “Expenses” sections for total cost.
- Check “Revenue” for what came in.
B. Tag Reports
- Use tag filters to see performance across different channels or types.
- See which tags (campaigns) are bringing in the most revenue for the least effort.
C. Exporting Data
- Export to CSV if you want to play with the numbers in Excel or Google Sheets.
- This is useful if you need to build custom ROI formulas or share reports outside Freckle.
What not to waste time on: Freckle’s dashboards are functional, not flashy. Don’t expect fancy graphs or marketing lingo—stick to the basics.
Step 5: Calculate ROI the Simple Way
Now for the main event. You’ve got your campaign costs and your revenue. Here’s the down-to-earth formula:
ROI (%) = [(Revenue - Cost) / Cost] x 100
- If Revenue = $10,000 and Cost = $2,500, ROI = [(10,000 - 2,500) / 2,500] x 100 = 300%
- If Revenue = $4,000 and Cost = $5,000, ROI = [(4,000 - 5,000) / 5,000] x 100 = -20% (ouch)
You don’t need a fancy tool for this. Freckle gives you the raw numbers; just plug them in.
Don’t fudge: If ROI is negative, don’t spin it—learn from it. If it’s great, figure out why.
Step 6: Build a Simple (and Honest) Report
Nobody wants to read a 10-page PowerPoint. A good ROI report is short, honest, and lets you compare campaigns easily. Here’s how to structure it:
- Campaign Name & Dates
- Total Cost (time + expenses)
- Total Revenue
- ROI %
- Quick notes (What worked? What didn’t? Anything weird happen?)
Sample Table:
| Campaign | Cost | Revenue | ROI | Notes | |---------------------------|--------|---------|--------|------------------------------| | Spring 2024 Facebook Ads | $2,500 | $10,000 | 300% | Targeted audience worked well | | March Webinar | $1,200 | $800 | -33% | Low turnout—test new topic |
Share this with your team or boss. Skip the fluff. If someone wants more detail, you’ve got the raw data in Freckle.
Step 7: What to Ignore (and What to Watch For)
Ignore: - Vanity metrics—impressions, likes, and “brand awareness” aren’t ROI. - Overly complex attribution—Freckle isn’t built for multi-touch attribution models. Keep it simple. - Perfection—You’ll never get 100% accuracy, and that’s fine.
Watch for: - Consistent patterns: Campaigns that always perform well (or badly). - Hidden costs: Time spent fixing mistakes or chasing leads that go nowhere. - Revenue lag: Some campaigns take time to pay off. Note this in your report.
Step 8: Learn, Adjust, Repeat
The point of tracking ROI isn’t to fill out reports—it’s to make smarter decisions. Use your findings to:
- Double down on what works.
- Kill or fix what doesn’t.
- Set clearer goals for next time.
Don’t overcomplicate it. Freckle gives you the basics you need. If you find yourself spending hours making charts, you’re probably missing the point.
Final Thoughts
Tracking and reporting on campaign ROI doesn’t have to be a painful math exercise. With Freckle, you get just enough structure to see what’s working and what isn’t—without turning your life into an endless loop of data entry. Stick to clear costs, real revenue, and honest reporting. Review, tweak, and move on.
Keep it simple, and don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. If your ROI numbers help you make better calls next quarter, that’s a win.