So, your customer success team is drowning in data and you need dashboards that actually help. Most “out-of-the-box” reports are either too generic or they just don’t fit the way your team works. If you’re reading this, you probably know that already and you’re looking for a clear, no-fluff guide to building custom dashboards in Planhat.
Let’s break down how to build dashboards that don’t just look good in meetings, but actually make your daily job easier.
1. Know What You Actually Need—Not What Looks Cool
Before you even log in to Planhat, ask yourself: What’s the one thing your team always scrambles to find? What metrics do you review every week? Dashboards are only as good as the problems they solve.
Skip the vanity metrics. If a widget doesn’t help you make a decision or spot a problem, don’t add it. Start simple—add complexity later if you really need it.
Common Customer Success dashboard needs: - Customer health scores (but only if your health scoring is actually meaningful) - Renewals/expirations coming up - Product usage trends - Open support tickets by account - At-risk accounts - CSM or team workload
Pro tip: Have each CSM list their top 3 “I wish I could see this at a glance” items. You’ll get more honest answers than from any alignment meeting.
2. Get Your Data in Order
Dashboards are only as good as the data behind them. If your CRM data is a mess or you’re missing product usage info, no dashboard will save you.
Check the basics: - Are your customer records up to date? - Are your health scores and segments actually set up? - Are product usage or NPS integrations connected? - Is everyone using the same definitions for “active,” “churn,” etc.?
If things are messy: Take an hour to clean up what you can. It’s not fun, but you’ll thank yourself later.
3. Getting Started: Navigating Planhat’s Dashboard Tools
Planhat gives you several ways to display data. You’ll see “Dashboards,” “Widgets,” and “Reports.” Here’s the short version:
- Dashboards: Where you assemble your widgets—a.k.a. your main workspace.
- Widgets: The building blocks—charts, lists, numbers, etc.
- Reports: More detailed or ad hoc—good for one-off deep dives, but not for everyday tracking.
Stick to Dashboards and Widgets for recurring team needs.
To create a dashboard: 1. Go to the “Dashboards” tab in Planhat. 2. Click “Add Dashboard.” 3. Give it a name that actually means something (“CSM Weekly View,” not “Dashboard 1”). 4. Choose who can see it (just you, your team, or the whole company).
4. Add and Configure Widgets: The Good, the Bad, and the Useless
Here’s where most people go wrong—they add every widget possible, and end up with a cluttered mess.
The Widgets That Actually Help
1. Health Score Trends - Shows you which accounts are improving or declining, not just a static score. - Use line or bar charts. Avoid pie charts—nobody can read them.
2. Renewals Pipeline - List or chart of accounts with renewals coming up in the next 30/60/90 days. - Filter by owner or segment for clarity.
3. Product Usage - Daily/weekly active users, or specific features used. - Focus on trends, not just totals.
4. At-Risk Accounts - List of accounts flagged by health, lack of activity, or overdue tasks. - Make this prominent—don’t bury it in a tab.
5. Open Support Tickets - List or count of open tickets by account. - Only add this if your CSMs actually handle support or need to keep tabs on it.
6. CSM Workload - Number of accounts or open tasks per CSM. - Helps spot burnout or lopsided assignments.
Widgets to Skip (Unless You Really Need Them)
- Big “Total Revenue” Numbers: It’s in your CRM or finance system already. Don’t clog your dashboard.
- Pie Charts for Everything: They look nice, but are hard to read. Stick to bar and line charts.
- Widgets for Every Metric: Focus on what you’ll act on. Less is more.
5. Layout: Don’t Try to Impress, Try to Be Useful
A good dashboard is like a tidy desk—you can see what matters right away.
Tips for layout: - Put the most important widgets top and center. - Group related info (e.g., all renewal info together). - Limit yourself to 5-7 widgets per dashboard. If you need more, make a second dashboard. - Don’t go wild with colors—stick to defaults unless you have a real reason.
Pro tip: Open your dashboard on a laptop and a phone. If it’s a pain to read, rearrange it.
6. Filters and Personalization
Not every CSM needs to see every account. Use Planhat’s filters to make dashboards actually relevant:
- Filter by CSM/owner: Each person can have a version showing just their book of business.
- Segment by account type, region, or industry: Especially if your team is split up this way.
- Save personal views: Planhat lets you save filtered versions—don’t make everyone share the same noisy dashboard.
Avoid: Overcomplicating with too many filter options. If you have to explain it every time, it’s too much.
7. Sharing and Permissions
No matter how brilliant your dashboard, it’s no good if the right people can’t see it (or if everyone can see things they shouldn’t).
- Set clear permissions when you create each dashboard.
- Share with your team if it’s a shared workflow; keep it private for personal productivity.
- Avoid sharing dashboards with execs unless they’re actually designed for them—different audiences, different needs.
8. Iterating: Don’t Expect Perfection on Day One
Your first dashboard will not be perfect. That’s normal. The key is to review and tweak:
- Ask your team for feedback after a week or two. What do they actually look at? What do they ignore?
- Remove unused widgets.
- Add new ones only if there’s a clear need.
- Revisit filters and layout as your needs change.
Pro tip: Set a monthly 10-minute “dashboard cleanup” reminder. Old dashboards pile up fast.
9. Pitfalls to Avoid
- Overbuilding: If nobody uses it, delete it.
- One dashboard for everyone: Different roles need different views. Don’t force a one-size-fits-all.
- Ignoring data quality: Dashboards don’t fix bad data—they just make it more obvious.
- Confusing “pretty” with “useful”: Fancy doesn’t mean helpful.
Quick FAQ
Can I build dashboards for execs in Planhat?
Yes, but keep it high-level. Execs want trends, not every ticket. Build them a separate, simplified dashboard.
Can I export or share dashboards outside Planhat?
Planhat lets you export data, but dashboards themselves aren’t easily shared outside the platform. Screenshots are usually the path of least resistance.
What if I need a data point that’s not in Planhat?
You’ll need to check your integrations and possibly import more data. If it’s not there, no dashboard will magically create it.
Keep It Simple and Keep Improving
Custom dashboards in Planhat can be game-changing—for the right problems. Start with what actually matters to your team. Build just enough to answer your daily questions. Skip the vanity stuff. Iterate as you go.
You’ll end up with dashboards that cut through the noise, help your team focus, and (maybe) even impress your boss. Don’t overthink it—just get started, and make changes as you learn what works.