Reports
Retention Cohorts
See whether first-observed clients return in the next three calendar months.
Last updated 27 July 2026
The Retention Cohorts report shows whether first-observed clients return in each of the next three calendar months. It is a deterministic, venue-wide trend report rather than an individual-client queue.
Where to find it: Open Reports → Retention Cohorts on web or mobile. The report requires PRO access.
What the headline means
The headline Month 1 return pools the displayed mature cohorts:
clients who returned in Month 1 ÷ eligible new clients in mature cohorts
This is weighted by the number of eligible clients. A one-client cohort therefore does not influence the headline as much as a larger cohort. The report always shows the numerator and denominator alongside the percentage.
The latest mature cohort is compared with the previous mature cohort in percentage points. This is an observed comparison, not a forecast or an industry benchmark.
How cohorts are defined
A cohort contains clients whose earliest eligible visit occurred in one of the six prior venue-calendar months.
An eligible visit:
- has status completed or arrived;
- occurred by the report refresh time; and
- can be linked unambiguously to a current or archived venue client using canonical email or phone identity.
All eligible historical visits are considered when deciding whether the visit is the client's first. Archiving a client does not rewrite historical cohort membership.
Pending, confirmed, future, cancelled, and no-show appointments are excluded.
What each column means
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cohort | Venue-calendar month of the client's earliest eligible visit |
| New | Eligible first-observed clients in that month |
| Month 1 | Share with an eligible return in the next calendar month |
| Month 2 | Share with an eligible return in the second calendar month |
| Month 3 | Share with an eligible return in the third calendar month |
These are exact calendar-month windows, not cumulative “returned within” rates.
Why rates can be blank
A dash means the rate is not measurable:
- the relevant return month is still current or incomplete; or
- there were no eligible new clients in that cohort.
The report never converts an unavailable rate or a zero-client denominator into 0%.
Data readiness
At least ten completed or arrived visits must link unambiguously to client records before cohorts are calculated. Ten raw appointments are not enough when their identity is missing or ambiguous.
Shared contact details can make identity ambiguous. When email and phone point to different client records, the visit is excluded instead of being assigned arbitrarily.
Mobile behaviour
On mobile, each row keeps Cohort and Month 1 return visible. Expand a row to see the eligible new-client count and Month 2 and Month 3 rates. The report does not require horizontal page scrolling.
Pull to refresh requests the latest cached snapshot. Server data refreshes on a near-real-time 15-minute cadence.
What this report does not show
- individual clients in a cohort;
- a staff or service breakdown;
- cumulative “returned at any point within three months” retention;
- churn predictions or AI-generated advice;
- industry benchmark grades; or
- payment revenue.
Use the separate client retention tools when you need an individual follow-up queue. The aggregate cohort report does not claim that an overdue client caused a cohort movement.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| No cohorts appear | At least ten completed or arrived visits must link unambiguously to client records |
| A month shows no new clients | Existing clients and clients with older eligible visit history are not treated as new |
| A rate shows a dash | The return month is incomplete or the cohort has no eligible new clients |
| A known visit is missing | Check whether the client has a canonical email or phone and whether that contact is shared or conflicting |
| Web and mobile look different | Refresh both surfaces; they consume the same report endpoint and pooled summary |
Related articles
Common questions
- Where is the Retention Cohorts report?
- Open Reports, then Retention Cohorts. It is a native PRO report on web and mobile.
- What does each row mean?
- Each row starts with clients whose earliest eligible completed or arrived visit occurred in that venue-calendar month. Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3 show the share who returned in each exact later calendar month.
- Why does a return rate show a dash?
- The return month is still incomplete, or that cohort had no eligible new clients. A dash is not treated as 0%.
- Why might some visits be excluded?
- The report excludes visits that cannot be linked unambiguously to a client record, including missing, shared, or conflicting contact identities.