avainluku

Avainluku is a Finnish term meaning "key figure" or "key number." It refers to the most important numerical value used to describe a situation, trend, or performance in a given context. The term is commonly used in business, statistics, journalism, and public administration to indicate the central metric that summarizes the situation rather than ancillary data. Avainluvut are not standardized mathematical constants; their exact identity depends on context and audience.

Usage of avainluvut occurs in various settings. In annual reports and corporate communications, avainluvut often include revenue, operating profit, net income, earnings per share, or growth rate. In statistical releases, they might be population, unemployment rate, or median income. Journalists may present avainluvut to support a narrative while other data provide background. Dashboards and executive summaries typically foreground avainluvut to convey performance at a glance.

Etymology and form: the word is a compound of avain ("key") and luku ("number"). The plural form is avainluvut, and the phrase is commonly paraphrased as keskeiset luvut or pääluvut in some contexts. The concept aligns with the English terms "key figures" or "key numbers" and is used across industries to highlight essential quantitative indicators.

See also: KPI, keskeiset luvut, tilinpäätös.