Sales pipeline dashboards are everywhere, but most end up as cluttered charts that nobody trusts or uses. If you’re in sales ops, run a team, or just want to make sense of your pipeline without getting lost in the weeds, you need dashboards that show real problems, not just pretty graphs.
This guide is for folks who want to use Scoreboardbuzz to build dashboards that actually tell you if your sales pipeline is healthy—or if you’re about to get blindsided at the end of the quarter. We’ll cut through the noise, focus on what matters, and give you a practical, step-by-step way to get real value from your dashboards.
Step 1: Get Clear on What "Pipeline Health" Actually Means
Before you even touch Scoreboardbuzz, nail down what a healthy pipeline looks like for your team. Ignore generic templates and think: what would actually make you worry (or sleep better) about this quarter’s sales?
Key questions to ask: - Are enough deals coming in to hit our number? - Are deals moving, or getting stuck in certain stages? - Are we depending on a few big whales, or do we have a balanced mix? - Are reps sandbagging or overstuffing the pipeline? - How accurate are our close dates and probabilities?
Pro tip: Don’t measure everything. Identify the 3-5 metrics that really move the needle—more isn’t better.
Step 2: Map Out the Metrics That Matter
Resist the urge to track everything under the sun. Focus on the handful of metrics that actually tell you something useful about pipeline health.
Core Metrics to Consider
- Total pipeline value: The sum of all open deals. Useful, but only if your close dates and probabilities are somewhat accurate.
- Coverage ratio: Pipeline value divided by quota. If you need 3x coverage to feel safe, track how close you are.
- Stage-by-stage deal counts: Where do deals pile up? A logjam in “Proposal Sent” can mean trouble.
- Deal aging: How long have deals sat in each stage? Old deals rarely close.
- Win rate: Of deals that reach a certain stage, what percent do you win?
- Slippage: Deals that push out quarter after quarter—classic sign of pipeline bloat.
Optional, but sometimes helpful: - Average deal size - Top 10 deals by value - Deal velocity (how fast deals move from stage to stage)
Ignore vanity metrics like “emails sent” or “calls logged.” They rarely tell you if revenue is coming.
Step 3: Connect Your Data to Scoreboardbuzz
Now, let’s get the right data into Scoreboardbuzz so your dashboards aren’t just wishful thinking.
Data Sources
- CRM Integration: Use Scoreboardbuzz’s native connectors (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or Pipedrive) to pull in your deals, stages, values, and close dates. Manual CSV uploads work in a pinch, but they get old fast.
- Data Hygiene: Garbage in, garbage out. Clean up your CRM first. Remove zombie deals, fix close dates, and enforce stage definitions. Otherwise, your dashboard will lie to you.
Reality check: Don’t spend weeks cleaning everything. Fix the biggest messes, then keep improving as you go.
Step 4: Build Custom Dashboards in Scoreboardbuzz (That People Will Actually Use)
Time to build. Skip the default dashboards—they’re generic, and you’ll end up ignoring them.
How to Set Up a Useful Dashboard
- Create a New Dashboard
- In Scoreboardbuzz, hit “Create Dashboard.” Name it something that makes sense (e.g., “Pipeline Health - Q2”).
- Add Widgets for Each Key Metric
- Use chart types that match the question you’re answering:
- Coverage ratio: simple number or gauge
- Stage breakdown: stacked bar or funnel chart
- Deal aging: scatter plot or heat map
- Win rate: line or bar chart over time
- Keep each widget focused. Don’t cram 12 metrics into one chart.
- Set Up Filters
- Filter by team, region, or time period. Let managers drill down, but keep the default view simple.
- Highlight Red Flags
- Use color coding or alerts for trouble spots (e.g., deals stuck >45 days, below 2x coverage).
- Share with the Right People
- Don’t blast dashboards to everyone. Share with managers and reps who’ll actually use them.
Pro tip: Use Scoreboardbuzz’s annotation or comment features so people can flag issues directly on the dashboard. This keeps feedback—and fixes—in one place.
Step 5: Actually Use the Dashboard (and Ignore the Rest)
The best dashboard is the one you look at every week. Fancy charts don’t matter if nobody acts on them.
Turn Insights Into Action
- Weekly Pipeline Review: Pull up your Scoreboardbuzz dashboard in meetings. Ask: what’s stuck, what’s at risk, and what’s changed since last week?
- Spot Trends, Not Just Numbers: If your coverage ratio drops or deal aging creeps up, dig in. Don’t just nod and move on.
- Challenge the Data: If something looks off, poke holes. Is a rep sandbagging? Is a deal’s close date pure fiction? Use the dashboard as a starting point for real conversations.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over day-to-day blips. Pipelines are noisy. Look for real patterns, not outliers.
Step 6: Keep It Simple—Then Iterate
Dashboards are never perfect on the first try. That’s fine. What matters is that your team trusts the data and actually uses it to make decisions.
Tips to stay sane:
- Start with a few metrics. Add more only if they help.
- Don’t build dashboards for every possible question. If someone keeps asking for a new metric, ask why.
- Review your dashboard every quarter. Remove what’s not useful. Refine what is.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch Out For
What works: - Clear, focused dashboards built around real pipeline questions. - Regular use in team meetings—not just for show. - Custom alerts for the things you genuinely worry about.
What doesn’t: - Overcomplicated dashboards nobody understands. - Tracking activity metrics that don’t tie to revenue. - Building dashboards and never updating them.
Watch out for: - Dirty data (out-of-date deals, fake close dates) - Over-optimism (“all deals close this month!”) - Dashboard fatigue—too many charts, not enough insight
Wrapping Up: Don’t Overthink It
You don’t need a dashboard for everything. With a few clear metrics, a little setup in Scoreboardbuzz, and the discipline to actually use what you build, you’ll see pipeline problems early—before they nuke your quarter.
Keep it simple. Review what’s working. Update as you learn. The best sales dashboards aren’t the flashiest—they’re the ones people trust when the pipeline gets bumpy.