# Active users: Formula and dbt YAML | Silicon

URL: https://meetsilicon.com/metrics/active-users/

> Active users is the number of distinct people who performed a meaningful action in your product during a period.

## Formula
Active users = count of distinct users with at least one qualifying event
## Why it matters
Active users is the base of most engagement metrics. Daily, weekly and monthly versions come from the same definition at different time grains.
## Common pitfalls
- Define "active" as a meaningful action, not just a login or page view.
- Exclude internal and test accounts.
## Define it in dbt for Silicon
Add this to your model's YAML. Aggregate metrics sit under a column's meta.metrics; ratios are type: number metrics that reference other metrics. Rename models and columns to match your project.
schema.yml Copy
models:
- name: fct_events
columns:
- name: user_id
meta:
metrics:
active_users:
type: count_distinct
filters:
- is_qualifying_event: true
description: Distinct users with a qualifying event
Once it's defined, anyone can ask about active users in plain English and get an answer built on this definition. See the metrics reference for every option.
## Related
- Signup conversion rate ->
- Activation rate ->
- Semantic layer ->
## Tell us where your data lives today.
Book 30 minutes with the founder. Tell us where your data is today, and see Silicon running on sample data.
Talk to Sujay
30-minute call with the founder