If you’re tired of dashboards that look fancy but collect dust, you’re in the right spot. This guide is for B2B sales teams and ops folks who want dashboards in Mote that actually make a difference. No vague “data-driven decisions” talk—just practical ways to show the right info, to the right people, at the right time.
Let’s dig in.
1. Figure Out What Actually Matters
Before you touch a single widget or chart, get brutally honest about what your team needs. Most dashboards try to do too much and end up ignored.
Ask yourself: - Who is this dashboard for? (Managers? Reps? Executives?) - What decisions should this dashboard help with? - Which metrics do people really care about?
Skip: - Vanity metrics (e.g., “calls made” without context) - Anything you can’t act on
Pro tip: Sit with reps or managers and ask what they wish they could see in one place. You’ll get more useful answers than any survey.
2. Map Out Your Ideal Dashboard on Paper First
Don’t dive into Mote just yet. Sketch your dashboard on paper or a whiteboard.
Why? - It’s faster to erase a box than rebuild a dashboard section. - You’ll see what’s missing or redundant before you waste time.
What to sketch: - The main KPIs (e.g., pipeline value, win rate, forecast accuracy) - Any filters (like time period, territory, rep) - The flow: what should someone see at a glance? What needs a drill-down?
What to avoid:
Don’t try to cram everything onto a single page. If you’re squeezing font sizes or stacking charts, you’re doing too much.
3. Set Up Clean, Reliable Data Sources
Mote connects easily to CRMs, spreadsheets, and other tools. But if your data is messy, your dashboard will be, too.
Checklist: - Make sure field names are consistent (e.g., “Amount” vs “Deal Value”) - Clean up duplicate records and missing values - Decide on a “single source of truth” for each metric
Watch out for: - Outdated or manual exports (they break easily) - Overcomplicated formulas—if you can’t explain them in a sentence, rethink them
Pro tip: If you’re not sure about a data source, run a test import into Mote and see what breaks. It’s better to find issues now than after launch.
4. Build With Your End User in Mind
Now you’re ready to open Mote and start building. Resist the urge to use every chart type or widget just because you can.
Keep it simple: - Prioritize clarity over impressiveness - Limit to 5–7 key metrics per dashboard - Use filters for deep dives instead of cluttering the main view
Good layout practice: - Most important info at the top left (that’s where eyes go first) - Group related metrics (e.g., pipeline stats together, activity stats together) - Add short labels and descriptions—don’t assume everyone knows what “Pipeline Velocity” means
Don’t bother with: - Pie charts for anything with more than 4 categories (they’re just confusing) - Colorful backgrounds and gradients—save the design experiments for your slide decks
5. Use Mote’s Features That Actually Help
A lot of dashboard tools have bells and whistles that look neat in demos but add zero real value. Here’s what’s worth your time in Mote:
Worth using: - Drilldowns: Let users click into a metric to see the underlying data. Great for “why did this drop?” moments. - Alerts: Set up email or Slack alerts for big swings (e.g., pipeline drops 20% week-over-week). Just don’t overdo it—alert fatigue is real. - Permissions: Make sure reps can’t see everyone’s pipeline if they shouldn’t. Respect privacy (and competitive nerves).
Skip or use sparingly: - Animated charts—they distract more than they help. - “Gamification” widgets—most sales teams roll their eyes at leaderboard banners unless tied to real incentives. - Auto-refresh every minute. For most B2B sales teams, hourly or daily is enough (and it won’t slow things down).
6. Test With Real Users—Not Just Yourself
You’re too close to your own dashboard to spot all the issues.
What to do: - Have reps and managers use the dashboard for a week. - Ask them to find answers to real questions (“What’s my forecast for Q3?” “Which deals are stuck?”) - Watch where they get stuck or confused—don’t just rely on feedback forms.
What usually breaks: - Filters that don’t work as expected (“I can’t see just my deals”) - Data that looks off (e.g., totals that don’t add up) - Overly clever chart types (if you have to explain how to read it, it’s probably too fancy)
Iterate fast: Make changes as you go. Don’t wait for “perfect”—you’ll never launch.
7. Document and Share How to Use the Dashboard
If you want the dashboard to actually get used, it needs to be easy to understand.
Quick wins: - Add a short “How to use this dashboard” section right in Mote (a text box works) - Link to a quick Loom video or internal doc - Explain weird terms or filters—never assume
What to skip: - Long, formal training sessions. Nobody remembers them.
Pro tip: If you’re getting the same Slack question twice, add the answer to the dashboard or doc.
8. Keep It Fresh—Review & Tweak Regularly
Dashboards aren’t set-and-forget. Your sales process will change, so your dashboard should too.
How to keep things sharp: - Set a calendar reminder (monthly or quarterly) to review dashboard usage and metrics - Remove any widgets or charts nobody looks at - Add new metrics only if they help answer new questions
Ignore: - Requests to add every possible metric “just in case.” That’s how dashboards turn into junk drawers.
Final thoughts: Keep It Simple, Launch Early, Iterate Often
Most dashboards fail because people try to do too much. Focus on what your team actually needs right now. Build that. Get feedback. Tweak. Repeat. The best dashboards are the ones your team checks daily without being told.
If it’s not simple, it won’t get used. And that’s the real test.
Now go build something your sales team will actually thank you for.