Getting executive teams to pay attention to dashboards is tough. Most of the time, they get a pile of pretty charts with no real insight. If you’re using Vitally and want to build dashboards and reports that executives actually use (and trust), you’ll need to keep things simple, actionable, and free of fluff. This guide is for people who want to get real value out of Vitally, not just check a box.
Let’s get into how to do it right—and what to avoid.
Step 1: Figure Out What Execs Actually Want
Don’t start by clicking around Vitally. Start by asking—what are the real questions your exec team cares about? (Hint: It’s not “number of tasks completed.”)
Common exec-level questions: - Are we growing revenue from existing customers? - Which accounts are at risk? - How’s our team actually performing? - What’s our true retention rate? - Where are we stuck in onboarding or expansion?
Pro Tip: Execs want trends and anomalies, not data dumps. Focus on metrics that drive action or spark a conversation.
What to skip: Detailed activity logs, endless customer notes, or anything that requires context only you have. If it needs a five-minute explanation, it’s not exec-level.
Step 2: Map Out the Must-Have Metrics
Before jumping into Vitally, sketch out your “must-haves.” Resist the urge to add everything just because you can.
For most executive dashboards, you’ll want: - Health Scores: At-a-glance customer health, but only if you trust how it’s calculated. - Churn & Retention: Monthly/quarterly churn, expansion, and contraction. - Revenue by Segment: How different customer groups are performing. - At-Risk Accounts: A filtered, prioritized list—not the whole book of business. - NPS/CSAT Trends: Only if you actually collect it and execs care about it.
What works: Focusing on 5–7 metrics per dashboard. Any more, and people tune out.
What doesn’t: Health scores you can’t explain, vanity metrics (e.g., “emails sent”), or “future pipeline” unless it’s rock-solid.
Step 3: Set Up Your Vitally Data Foundations
The best dashboards are only as good as the data behind them. Garbage in, garbage out.
3.1: Connect Your Data Sources
Vitally pulls in data from your CRM, product, support tools, and billing platform. Make sure these are actually connected and pulling the right fields.
- Double-check integrations: Are you syncing all the fields you need (ARR, renewal dates, account owner, etc.)?
- Audit your health score logic: If it’s a black box, execs will spot it in seconds.
- Clean up your segments: Use tags or custom fields to make slicing possible (e.g., by plan, region, CSM).
What to ignore: Don’t bother connecting every possible tool “just in case.” More sources = more noise and troubleshooting.
3.2: Set Data Hygiene Rules
- Make sure ARR and renewal dates are up to date.
- Set up rules for flagging stale accounts or missing fields.
- Create clear definitions: What counts as “active”? Who owns each account?
Execs notice missing or obviously wrong data right away. Better to have a few accurate numbers than a lot of questionable ones.
Step 4: Build the Dashboard (Finally)
Now the fun part. Head into Vitally’s dashboard builder.
4.1: Start With a Blank Dashboard
- Give it a no-nonsense name. “Executive Dashboard” is fine. “Customer Success Performance Q2” is better.
4.2: Add Only the Key Widgets
Focus on: - Revenue and churn trends: Bar or line charts over time. - Health score breakdowns: Pie or stacked bar, but only if health scores are reliable. - At-risk accounts: Table view, filtered to show only the ones execs should worry about. - Expansion/contraction: Show net growth, not just gross numbers. - NPS/CSAT trends: Only if you have enough data to show a real trend.
How to keep it clean: - Order widgets by importance, not by what looks prettiest. - Limit tables to the top 5–10 accounts (biggest risk, churned, or expanded). - Use notes or descriptions on widgets to clarify what they show.
4.3: Use Filters and Segmentation
- Segment by CSM, region, or customer tier. Don’t overdo it—pick what matters most to your execs.
- Set time frames: Show quarter-over-quarter, not just “all time.”
What to skip: Don’t show every team member’s performance side-by-side unless execs ask for it. It usually confuses more than it helps.
Step 5: Build Simple, Actionable Reports
Dashboards are great for trends—reports are for specifics.
5.1: Create Account Lists
- Churned accounts this quarter: Who, when, and why (if you track it).
- Accounts at risk: Filtered by health score or missing engagement.
- Accounts ready for expansion: Based on product usage or NPS.
Keep lists short and actionable—no one’s going to scroll through 200 accounts.
5.2: Schedule Reports (But Don’t Overdo It)
Vitally lets you email reports to execs on a schedule. Use this sparingly.
- Monthly summary: Churn, growth, top risks.
- Quarterly deep dive: Trends, breakdowns by segment.
What works: Sending reports just before exec meetings, so the data’s fresh.
What doesn’t: Spamming inboxes with weekly updates—people will tune it out.
Step 6: Share, Present, and Tweak
A dashboard no one looks at is just a waste of time. Make sure your dashboards and reports are actually seen and used.
- Share links directly in meeting invites or docs.
- Walk through the dashboard in exec meetings—don’t just email it.
- Ask for feedback: What’s helpful? What’s noise?
- Update dashboards based on questions you get.
Pro Tip: Execs may ask for “just one more thing.” Don’t automatically add it—ask if it’s a one-off or something they’ll use every month.
Honest Takes: What Works, What Doesn’t
Works: - Keeping dashboards uncluttered and focused. - Explaining every metric in plain English. - Automating data hygiene as much as possible.
Doesn’t: - Overloading with metrics “just in case.” - Relying on health scores you can’t explain or defend. - Pushing dashboards without showing how to use them.
Ignore: - “Share of voice” and other fluffy metrics unless your execs are obsessed with them. - Feature usage charts unless you can tie them to real outcomes.
Keep It Simple. Iterate Often.
You’re not going to nail the perfect executive dashboard in one go. Start with the basics, get feedback, and refine. If a widget or report doesn’t spark action or conversation, cut it. Focus on what actually helps your execs steer the business.
Dashboards aren’t about looking smart—they’re about making decisions faster. Build for clarity, not flash, and you’ll actually get value out of Vitally.