Understanding QA Scores and Scorecards
5.1 How Scores Are Calculated
Parameter Types
QA parameters have three types, each producing a different evaluation output:
| Type | Evaluation output | Scoring behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Boolean | Pass / Fail / N/A | Participates in the weighted score calculation described below. |
| Categorical | A selected option from a closed set defined on the rule | Does not produce a pass/fail result. The selected category is recorded in the outcome; the parameter is excluded from the weighted score. |
| Descriptive | A free-text answer | Does not produce a pass/fail result. The answer text is recorded in the outcome; the parameter is excluded from the weighted score. |
Untyped (legacy) parameters are treated as Boolean. The rule type is set when the parameter is configured and cannot be changed after creation.
Weighted Score Formula
The QA score is computed from Boolean parameters only:
Score = (Sum of passed Boolean parameter weights / Sum of applicable Boolean parameter weights) x 100
In plain terms:
- Every Boolean parameter has a weight reflecting its importance. Higher-weight parameters have a bigger impact on the score.
- If you pass a Boolean parameter, its full weight counts toward the score.
- If you fail a Boolean parameter, it contributes 0.
- If a Boolean parameter is N/A, it is excluded entirely -- it does not help or hurt the score.
- Categorical and Descriptive parameters are always excluded from the score calculation.
- Matching between criteria names and rule tags is case-sensitive exact match.
Worked Example
| Parameter | Type | Weight | Result | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Boolean | 4 | Pass | 4 |
| Empathy | Boolean | 6 | Fail | 0 |
| Issue Resolution | Boolean | 10 | Pass | 10 |
| Hold Time | Boolean | 6 | N/A | Excluded |
| Call Disposition | Categorical | — | "Resolved" | Excluded (outcome recorded separately) |
| Issue Summary | Descriptive | — | Free-text answer | Excluded (outcome recorded separately) |
- Passed weight: 4 + 10 = 14
- Total applicable weight: 4 + 6 + 10 = 20 (Hold Time excluded because N/A; Categorical and Descriptive parameters excluded from score)
- Score: 14 / 20 x 100 = 70
Edge Cases
| Scenario | Score | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| All Boolean parameters N/A | 100 | No applicable Boolean parameters means nothing failed. The system returns a perfect score. |
| No Boolean parameters configured | 0 | No Boolean rules to evaluate against. The system returns 0. |
| Critical parameter failed | 0 | Auto-fail overrides the weighted calculation. |
5.2 Score Ranges
| Score | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 76-100 | High. Meeting or exceeding quality standards. |
| 51-75 | Medium. Room for improvement. Review which parameters failed. |
| 1-50 | Low. Open the Scorecard and read the Rationale and Verbatims for failed parameters. |
| 0 | Auto-fail. A critical parameter failed, or no applicable criteria were found. |
Your organization may set different thresholds -- check with your QA manager for your team's standards.
5.3 Critical Parameters and Auto-Fail
Parameters marked as Critical represent non-negotiable quality standards (e.g., regulatory compliance, inappropriate behavior). Only Boolean parameters can be marked Critical. If any critical parameter fails, the entire interaction scores 0, regardless of how well everything else went.
A score of 0 does NOT mean everything was wrong. It means one critical standard was not met. All other parameters may have passed.
To find which parameter caused the auto-fail:
- Open the interaction details
- Go to the Scorecard tab
- Look for the parameter marked Failed with a Critical indicator
- Read the Rationale to understand the specific issue
- Click the "Source" accordion to see the transcript evidence
5.4 Parameter Weights
Each Boolean parameter has a weight (must be > 0) that determines its relative importance in scoring. You configure weights per organization -- either generated by Auto-Learning based on your QA form, or set manually during parameter configuration. Categorical and Descriptive parameters do not have weights because they are not included in the score calculation.
Weights are relative, not absolute percentages. The score formula normalizes based on the sum of applicable Boolean weights, so the raw total does not need to equal 100.
5.5 What N/A Means
Sometimes a Boolean parameter is marked N/A (Not Applicable). This means the rule did not apply to that particular call. Common examples:
- Hold time evaluation when the agent did not put the customer on hold
- Upsell evaluation when the call type did not involve a sales opportunity
- Greeting evaluation when the recording started mid-conversation
N/A does NOT count against you. These parameters are removed from the calculation entirely.