Need to stop chasing down messy spreadsheets or waiting for Finance to send over last month’s numbers? If you’re on a revenue team and want to see real-time performance and commission data—without the usual headaches—this guide’s for you.
We’ll walk through how to set up dashboard reports in Spiff that your team can actually use. I’ll call out shortcuts, common pitfalls, and where you should (and shouldn’t) spend your time. Let’s get you from “What’s happening?” to “Here’s exactly where we stand.”
Why Real-Time Dashboards Matter (And Where They Can Go Wrong)
Let’s be honest: Most revenue dashboards look slick but aren’t that useful day-to-day. They lag behind, require a PhD to figure out, or spit out numbers nobody trusts.
Spiff’s dashboards are meant to solve that, but only if you set them up right. When done well, you’ll get:
- Up-to-the-minute commission info (no more “Is this right?” emails)
- Clear accountability for reps, managers, and ops
- Less back-and-forth with Finance
- A single source of truth—no more “my version vs. your version” fights
But if you just connect the basics and call it a day, you’ll end up with half-baked charts your team ignores. The trick is to be ruthless about what matters, and keep it simple enough that people actually use it.
Step 1: Get Your Data House in Order
Before you even log into Spiff, do a sanity check on your data sources. This is where most headaches start.
What You Need
- Your CRM data (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
Spiff pulls deal, account, and user info from here. - Any extra data (custom fields, spreadsheets, etc.)
If you pay bonuses on something outside your CRM, get it ready.
What to Watch For
- Dirty data = garbage dashboards. If your CRM’s full of duplicate deals or missing close dates, clean it up now. Spiff can’t fix bad inputs.
- Field mapping. Know which CRM fields actually drive your commissions. If your “Owner” field is sometimes blank, fix that before you sync.
Pro tip: Don’t try to automate every edge case. Cover the 80% that matters, and handle weird one-offs manually at first.
Step 2: Connect Spiff to Your Data
Now, log into Spiff and start hooking up your data sources.
How To Do It
- Go to Integrations.
In Spiff, find the Integrations section (usually under Admin or Settings). - Choose your CRM.
Follow the prompts to connect Salesforce, HubSpot, or whatever you use. - Map fields.
Spiff will ask you to match CRM fields to its own fields (like “Deal Close Date” or “Rep Email”). Double-check these—messing this up means broken reports later. - Test the sync.
Pull in a week’s worth of data and see what shows up. If deals are missing or look off, fix the mapping before you go any further.
Honest Take
Most integration issues come from field mismatches or permission problems. If you hit a wall, check that your CRM user has the right access. And don’t expect “set it and forget it”—you’ll probably need to tweak things as your process changes.
Step 3: Define What Your Revenue Team Actually Needs
Here’s where most people overcomplicate things. Dashboards should answer a handful of questions—not everything under the sun.
Ask Yourself
- Who’s going to use this? (Reps, managers, execs?)
- What do they actually care about? (Individual commissions, team attainment, pipeline health?)
- How often do they need updates? (Real-time, daily, weekly?)
Typical Metrics That Matter
- Commission earned (per rep and total)
- Quota attainment (individual and team)
- Deal status (won, pending, lost)
- Leaderboard (top performers—if you want to show it)
- Pipeline by stage (if your team cares)
Skip vanity metrics or anything that doesn’t drive action. If a report doesn’t change how someone works, don’t bother.
Step 4: Build Your Dashboard in Spiff
Now for the main event. Spiff lets you create dashboards by adding and arranging widgets (charts, tables, leaderboards, etc.).
Building Blocks
- Widgets: The basic units—tables, bar charts, pie charts, etc.
- Filters: Let users drill down (by date, team, region, etc.)
- Layouts: Organize widgets to avoid clutter.
How To Set Up
- Go to Dashboards.
Click “Create Dashboard” (or similar). - Add key widgets first.
- Commission summary: Show each rep’s earned commissions.
- Quota attainment: Track progress to goal.
- Leaderboard: Optional, but good for competitive teams.
- Deal pipeline: If you want context beyond commissions.
- Set filters.
Allow users to filter by time period, team, or other key fields. - Arrange and resize.
Make sure the most important info is front and center. If you need to scroll, you’ve probably added too much. - Preview as a user.
Switch to a rep or manager view to see what they’ll actually see. Fix anything that’s confusing or cluttered.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
- Works: Simple, focused dashboards tailored for each audience.
- Doesn’t: All-in-one dashboards with a dozen widgets. Nobody uses them.
- Ignore: “Fun” widgets like random pie charts unless someone asks for them.
Pro tip: Start with the minimum set of widgets. Add more only if people ask.
Step 5: Share and Automate Delivery
Don’t rely on people to log in and check the dashboard. Set up sharing and reminders.
Options
- Share links:
Send direct dashboard links to reps or managers. - Automated emails:
Spiff can send snapshots or summaries on a schedule (daily, weekly, etc.). - Embed in your team’s tools:
If your team lives in Slack, Teams, or another tool, see if you can embed or link dashboards there.
Honest Take
Don’t overthink delivery. Automated weekly emails cover most use cases. If people want real-time, they’ll bookmark the dashboard.
Step 6: Get Feedback and Tweak
No dashboard is perfect out of the gate. Ask a few users what’s actually helpful and what’s noise.
What to Look For
- Are people using it? If not, it’s probably too complex or irrelevant.
- Is the data trusted? If reps are still tracking commissions on their own, something’s off.
- Any missing metrics? Only add if multiple people ask.
Pro tip: Resist the urge to add everything people suggest. Too much info is just as bad as not enough.
Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
- Dirty data: Fix at the source, not in Spiff. No shortcut here.
- Too many dashboards: One for each main audience (reps, managers, execs) is plenty.
- “Design by committee”: You’ll end up with Frankenstein dashboards nobody likes. Keep ownership tight.
- Ignoring mobile: If your team checks on their phones, make sure the layout works there.
Keeping It Simple (and Useful)
You don’t need a dashboard that predicts the future—just one that keeps everyone on the same page. Start with the basics, get feedback, and improve as you go. If you’re not sure what to include, less is usually more.
The real win? When your reps and managers actually trust the numbers—and stop bugging you for status updates. That’s when you know your real-time dashboard’s doing its job.