Building a custom performance dashboard can go one of two ways: it either turns into a clear, useful tool or a cluttered mess that no one actually checks. If you’re using Salesscreen to track sales performance, you probably want to land in the first camp.
This guide is for sales managers, ops folks, or anyone tasked with building out dashboards that actually make a difference. No vague strategy lessons—just practical best practices, honest warnings, and a few shortcuts that’ll save you headaches later.
1. Get Clear on What Actually Matters
Before you even open Salesscreen, ask: what do you really need to see? The biggest mistake is tracking everything just because you can.
- Pick your key numbers. Focus on 3-5 metrics that actually drive behavior or results (think: deals closed, pipeline value, calls made—not “meetings scheduled” if no one cares).
- Talk to your team. Ask what they’d find helpful, not just what’s easy to pull from the CRM.
- Skip the vanity stats. Big numbers look nice, but if no one acts on them, they’re just dashboard wallpaper.
Pro tip: If everything’s important, nothing is. Less really is more here.
2. Sketch Your Dashboard Before You Build
It’s tempting to dive in and start dragging widgets around. Resist. Spend five minutes on a whiteboard or notebook first.
- Draw boxes for each metric. Imagine you’re explaining this to a new hire; if it doesn’t make sense on paper, it won’t make sense in Salesscreen.
- Group related info. For example, pipeline and deals won should live together.
- Think about order. What do you want people to see first thing in the morning? Put that at the top.
This ten-minute sketch will save you an hour of rearranging later.
3. Build for the Lowest Common Denominator
Dashboards get used by busy, distracted people. Assume folks will only glance at it between calls.
- Big, clear numbers. Make sure the key metrics are readable from across the room, especially if you’re showing on a TV.
- Limit colors. Too many colors = confusion. Use color to highlight what’s ahead/behind target, not just to make things “pop.”
- Don’t over-explain. If a metric needs three sentences to describe, it probably doesn’t belong on the dashboard.
Pro tip: Show your draft dashboard to someone outside the sales team. Can they instantly tell who’s on track? If not, simplify.
4. Use Salesscreen Features (But Don’t Overdo It)
Salesscreen offers a ton of widgets and gamification tricks—leaderboards, progress bars, badges, and more. Some are genuinely helpful, some are just noise.
- Leaderboards: Great for friendly competition, but can demotivate low performers if overused. Use for team goals, not just individuals.
- Progress bars: Good for visualizing targets, but only if they’re set realistically.
- Celebrations and badges: Fun for big wins, but don’t turn your dashboard into a slot machine. Too many confetti cannons and people tune it out.
- Custom widgets: Useful for surfacing non-standard KPIs (like booked demos), but keep the number manageable.
What actually works: a mix of team-level progress, clear personal goals, and the occasional fun nudge. What doesn’t: dashboards that look like Times Square, or that try to gameify every minor action.
5. Set Up Data Sources Carefully
Salesscreen pulls from your CRM and other tools. Garbage in, garbage out, so make sure your data sources are solid.
- Check field mapping. If your CRM labels or custom fields don’t match, you’ll end up with broken widgets or missing data.
- Automate updates. If reps have to manually trigger updates, it won’t happen. Set up real-time sync where possible.
- Test with real data. Don't just test with demo accounts. Run the dashboard with last month’s actuals to see if numbers match expectations.
Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder to spot-check dashboard accuracy once a month. You’d be surprised how often things break quietly.
6. Keep It Simple (and Mobile-Friendly)
Flashy dashboards impress in meetings, but if your team can’t check them on their phones, they’re useless on the go.
- Use responsive layouts. Salesscreen does a decent job here, but double-check how it looks on mobile and tablets.
- Limit scrolling. If your dashboard is longer than one screen, people will never see what’s at the bottom.
- Prioritize info: Put the “must see” metrics up top. Hide or minimize the rest.
Don’t build for the quarterly review—build for the daily check-in.
7. Share and Iterate—Don’t Set It and Forget It
The first version of your dashboard won’t be perfect. That’s fine.
- Share draft dashboards with your team. Get feedback—what’s unclear, what’s missing, what’s just clutter?
- Watch how people use it. Do they actually check the dashboard, or is it ignored? Make tweaks based on real usage, not just wishful thinking.
- Schedule reviews. Revisit your dashboards every quarter. Sales priorities change, and so should your dashboards.
Ignore the urge to chase the “perfect” setup. It’s a living tool, not a trophy.
8. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s call out a few recurring problems:
- Too many metrics. If you need a legend to decode the dashboard, you’ve gone too far.
- Over-customization. Just because you can build 12 custom widgets doesn’t mean you should.
- No context. Don’t show “calls made” without showing targets or trends—it’s just noise.
- Data delays. Real-time numbers are great, but if your CRM syncs nightly, don’t pretend it’s live.
9. A Quick Checklist Before You Hit “Publish”
- [ ] Only the most important 3-5 metrics on the main dashboard
- [ ] Numbers are big, clear, and easy to read at a glance
- [ ] Data sources are accurate and update automatically
- [ ] Dashboard looks good on both desktop and mobile
- [ ] Team has reviewed and understands every widget
- [ ] You know when you’ll review and update the dashboard next
Print this out, stick it to your monitor, whatever works—just don’t skip it.
Keep It Useful, Not Flashy
A good Salesscreen dashboard isn’t about impressing the boss or winning a design award. It’s about giving your team the info they need—fast, clear, and actionable. Start simple. Get feedback. Tweak as you go. Most importantly, don’t let “best practices” get in the way of what actually works for your people.
If you’re stuck or not sure what to track, pick one metric, build a dashboard around it, and see what happens. You can always add more later—but you can’t un-confuse a team that’s overwhelmed.