What metrics should be tracked across tools for consistency?

Core metrics for cross-tool tracking: delivery rate (percentage reaching servers), **bounce rate** by type (hard vs soft), **complaint rate** (**feedback loop** reports), **click rate** (more reliable than opens), and **conversion rate** (business outcome).

Consistency challenges: tools may calculate rates differently (delivered vs sent as denominator), timestamp granularity varies, and definition inconsistencies (what counts as a bounce?). Establish standard definitions for your organization.

Reconciliation approach: identify which tool is authoritative for each metric, understand calculation differences, document your definitions, and focus on trends rather than absolute numbers when comparing across tools. Consistency of tracking matters more than absolute precision.