If you’re tired of staring at generic dashboards that don’t answer your actual go-to-market (GTM) questions, you’re not alone. Most built-in analytics are a mile wide and an inch deep. This guide is for anyone who needs to track GTM performance—sales ops, founders, revenue leaders—and wants their dashboards to actually work for them. We’ll walk through building custom dashboards in Quantified that cut through the noise, so you get answers—not just more charts.
Why Custom Dashboards? (And What to Skip)
Let’s be honest: most out-of-the-box dashboards are a mess of vanity metrics and charts that look impressive but don’t help you run the business. You end up with:
- “Leads generated” with no context
- Pie charts that never change
- Data that’s always a week out of date
Custom dashboards let you focus on the numbers that matter for your GTM motion—pipeline velocity, win rates, sales cycle length, or whatever’s actually on the line for your team.
What to track?
Don’t try to track everything. Good dashboards are focused. Pick 3–6 metrics that truly move the needle. Ignore “because we can” reporting.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your GTM Metrics
Before you open Quantified, get your priorities straight. What are you actually trying to measure? Some classic GTM metrics that most teams care about:
- Pipeline coverage (pipeline $ vs. quota)
- Conversion rates (lead → opp, opp → closed-won)
- Sales velocity (how fast deals move)
- Average deal size
- Win/loss rates
- Churn and expansion (for SaaS)
Pro tip:
If you can’t explain why a metric matters to your team in one sentence, don’t put it on your dashboard.
Step 2: Connect Your Data Sources
Quantified doesn’t magically know your sales numbers. You’ll need to hook up the tools you already use—like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Google Sheets.
How it works:
- Head to the ‘Integrations’ or ‘Data Sources’ section in Quantified.
- Authenticate with your CRM, marketing tool, or wherever your GTM data lives.
- Map fields when prompted—don’t just accept defaults, or you’ll end up with garbage-in/garbage-out.
What works:
- Native integrations are usually pretty painless.
- CSV imports are a fallback if your tool isn’t supported, but you’ll need to keep them updated.
What to watch out for:
- Field mismatches: Make sure “Close Date” in Salesforce actually maps to the right field in Quantified.
- Data freshness: If your source updates daily, so will your dashboard—don’t expect real-time magic unless your stack supports it.
Step 3: Build Your Dashboard (Without Overthinking It)
Now for the fun part. Quantified’s dashboard builder is drag-and-drop, but you’ll want to be intentional here.
1. Start with a Blank Canvas
Resist the urge to load a pre-baked template. Templates are fine for inspiration, but custom means custom.
2. Add Your Core Metrics
For each metric, pick the right visualization: - Number cards: For simple KPIs (e.g., Pipeline Coverage %) - Line/bar charts: For trends over time (e.g., Monthly New Pipeline) - Funnels: For conversion rates - Tables: For lists (e.g., top reps, biggest deals)
Pro tip:
Don’t add more than one chart for the same metric with slightly different filters. If you’re unsure, leave it out for now.
3. Set Up Filters and Segments
You’ll want to slice your data by things like: - Time period (month, quarter, year) - Team or region - Deal stage
Don’t go filter-crazy. Too many options and people get lost. Pick filters that answer the most common questions.
4. Name Everything Clearly
Skip the jargon. “Closed-Won $ (Q2, NA Team)” beats “CW2_NA_Metric_Chart1”.
Step 4: Polish with Context (But Skip the Fluff)
A dashboard isn’t just numbers—it’s context. Add: - Targets or goals: Show how you’re tracking vs. plan - Short notes: Explain what an unusual metric actually means - Alerts: If Quantified supports them, set up notifications for when things go off the rails
What to skip: - Long explanations nobody reads - Motivational quotes (save it for your Slack status) - Anything that makes the dashboard slow to load
Step 5: Share, Iterate, and Ignore Most “Best Practices”
Once your dashboard’s live, share it with the team—but don’t expect it to be perfect right away. What looks good in theory might be ignored in practice.
Tips: - Get feedback from actual users. If a chart never gets looked at, kill it. - Update metrics as your GTM model changes. The dashboard should evolve, not calcify. - Be skeptical of “dashboard best practices” you find online. Most are either too generic or designed for giant orgs.
What doesn’t work:
- Overcomplicating with too many charts or tabs
- Trying to answer every possible question in one place
- Building for “executive visibility” instead of real decisions
Real-World Gotchas (and How to Dodge Them)
Dirty data:
If your CRM is a mess, your dashboard will be too. No tool can fix bad data. Clean up source fields before you start.
Slow performance:
Big dashboards with tons of real-time charts can get sluggish. Keep it lean.
User confusion:
If people keep asking, “What does this chart mean?”—rewrite your labels or rethink the chart.
Dashboard drift:
Metrics get outdated as your GTM changes. Schedule a quick quarterly review to make sure your dashboards still make sense.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Custom dashboards in Quantified can actually help you run your GTM—if you keep them focused and honest. Start with just a handful of metrics that matter. Make sure your data is clean, your charts are clear, and don’t be afraid to kill stuff that isn’t helping. The best dashboards aren’t built once—they’re tweaked as you go. Keep it simple, review regularly, and you’ll spend less time hunting for answers and more time getting real work done.