# How the engagement score is calculated

> The engagement score is the average of every rating answer in a survey, turned into a number from 0 to 100.

- Product: Pulse › Read results

- Plan: Pulse
- Where: Admin dashboard
- Last checked: 15 Oct 2026
- Web page: https://www.vantagecircle.com/en/help/pulse/read-results/how-the-engagement-score-is-calculated/

The engagement score is the average of every rating answer in a survey, turned into a number from 0 to 100. Written answers and multiple-choice answers don't count towards it.

## How one answer becomes a number

Each rating is converted to a percentage of its scale. On a 1–5 question, a 4 counts as 80 and a 2 counts as 40. On a 1–10 question, a 7 counts as 70. The score is the average of all those numbers, rounded.

Say three people at Acme Corp answer one question on a 1–5 scale and give 1, 4 and 5. That's 20, 80 and 100, so the score is 67.

Every answer counts the same. Someone who answers ten questions affects the score more than someone who answers two.

## What the score means

![Pulse Overview with an engagement score of 74 out of 100 and a participation rate of 62%](https://cdn.vantagecircle.com/image/upload/q_auto,f_auto/v1792133372/vantagecircle/help-centre/en/pulse/pulse-overview-073632d51835e99c.png)

Overview shows the number on a dial. **Analytics** shows the range name next to each category's score.

| Score | Shown as |
|---|---|
| 80 or more | Great |
| 60 to 79 | Neutral |
| 40 to 59 | Concerning |
| Below 40 | Critical |

If fewer than 30 people have answered, Overview adds a line such as "Based on 16 responses. Read with care." A score from a handful of people moves a lot with each new answer.

## eNPS is a separate number

eNPS uses the same rating answers but counts them differently. On a 1–5 question, a 4 or 5 is a promoter, a 3 is passive, and a 1 or 2 is a detractor. On a 1–10 question, 8 to 10 is a promoter, 6 or 7 is passive, and 1 to 5 is a detractor.

eNPS is the share of promoters minus the share of detractors, so it runs from −100 to +100. 50 or more is Favorable, 0 to 49 is Neutral, and below 0 is Unfavorable.

Some accounts use a stricter industry scale, where only a 5 on a 1–5 question is a promoter. If your eNPS looks lower than you'd expect, ask your account manager which scale you're on.

## Participation

Participation is the share of invited employees who answered at least one rating question. Aim for 70% or more. On the timeline it can dip when new people are invited, because they join the total before they've had a chance to answer.