Let’s be real: if you’re running a B2B go-to-market motion, you need to see what’s working and what’s not—fast. The problem? Off-the-shelf dashboards rarely show you what you actually care about. Enter Nlpearl, a platform that claims to let you build custom dashboards tailored to your sales, marketing, and customer success data.
This guide is for anyone tired of clicking through spreadsheets or waiting for some BI team to finally get you that “quick report.” I’ll walk through building dashboards in Nlpearl that actually help you run your B2B business—and I’ll call out what’s useful, what’s fluff, and what to skip.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Need to Track
Before you even log in to Nlpearl, take five minutes to list what you actually want to see. It’s tempting to track everything, but more charts usually means more confusion.
Start by asking: - What decisions do you need to make every week or month? - Which metrics would change your behavior if they moved up or down? - Which teams or roles will use this dashboard? (Don’t build a “Frankenstein” dashboard everyone hates.)
Common B2B go-to-market metrics worth tracking: - Sales pipeline by stage - Marketing-sourced lead volume and quality - Conversion rates (lead → opportunity → closed deal) - Average deal size and sales cycle length - Churn rate and expansion revenue (if you’re tracking post-sale)
Pro tip: Less is more. Focus on the 5-7 metrics that drive your business decisions. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Connect Your Data Sources
Nlpearl isn’t magic—it needs your data. The good news: it can pull from most CRM, marketing automation, and support tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, Zendesk, etc.). The bad news: messy data in means messy dashboards out.
How to hook up your data:
- Log in to Nlpearl and head to the “Integrations” section.
- Choose your sources. You’ll see a bunch of connectors for major platforms. Click to authorize access—usually OAuth or API key.
- Map your fields. This step matters. Make sure “deal stage” in Salesforce matches “opportunity stage” in Nlpearl, for example. If the mapping’s off, your charts will be nonsense.
- Test your connection. Pull in a small sample and double-check: do the numbers look right? Are dates and names matching up?
Don’t skip: If your CRM data’s a mess (duplicate contacts, inconsistent fields), clean it up before integrating. Nlpearl can’t fix junk data.
Step 3: Plan Your Dashboard Layout
Don’t just start dragging charts around. Think about how you’ll actually use this thing.
Questions to ask yourself: - Who’s the main user? (CRO, VP of Marketing, RevOps, etc.) - What do they need to see first—at a glance? - Where will people view this—on a laptop, big screen, phone?
A basic, no-nonsense B2B GTM dashboard might look like: 1. Top row: Pipeline value by stage, total leads this month 2. Middle: Conversion rates (lead → demo, demo → closed), win rate, average deal size 3. Bottom: Churn rate (if applicable), expansion/upsell revenue, recent big wins/losses
Don’t bother with: Pie charts for everything, vanity metrics (like page views), or “sentiment” scores unless you can act on them.
Step 4: Build Your Dashboard in Nlpearl
Here’s where you get your hands dirty. Nlpearl’s dashboard builder is drag-and-drop, but there are a few things to watch out for.
1. Create a New Dashboard
- In Nlpearl, hit “Dashboards” → “New Dashboard.”
- Give it a name you’ll recognize (not “Main Dashboard 3”).
2. Add Your First Widget
- Click “Add Widget” or “Add Chart.”
- Choose your metric (say, “Pipeline by Stage”).
- Select the visualization (bar, line, table, etc.). If you’re not sure, stick to bar charts or tables—they’re easiest to read.
3. Configure Data and Filters
- Pick the right data source.
- Set up filters (e.g., “Current quarter only,” or “Region: North America”).
- Double-check your groupings. Grouping by the wrong field leads to gibberish.
4. Arrange and Resize Widgets
- Drag widgets to organize: most important metrics go top-left.
- Resize so the key numbers are visible without scrolling.
- Don’t cram in too many charts. White space is your friend.
5. Save and Preview
- Preview on desktop and mobile if you care about mobile access.
- Save often—Nlpearl’s builder is stable, but no software is perfect.
What works: Quick to set up, especially if your data’s clean. What doesn’t: If you try to get too fancy (custom formulas, complex joins), things can break or slow down.
Step 5: Add Alerts and Automation (If You Need Them)
Nlpearl lets you set up alerts if metrics cross certain thresholds (like pipeline drops, or conversion rate tanks). This is useful—if you don’t overdo it.
To set up an alert: - Open your dashboard widget, click “Add Alert.” - Set a rule (e.g., “If demo-to-close conversion drops below 10%”). - Choose how you want to be notified (email, Slack, Teams, etc.).
Honest advice: - Only set alerts for things you’d actually act on. - Ignore “daily summary” emails unless you’re already addicted to noise.
Step 6: Share and Iterate
No dashboard is perfect the first time. Show it to the people who matter, get feedback, and don’t be precious about tweaking.
To share: - Use Nlpearl’s “Share” button. You can give view-only or edit access. - For exec reviews, export as PDF or set up a scheduled email.
Iterate by: - Removing charts nobody uses. - Adding explanations (“What counts as a ‘qualified lead’?”) in text boxes. - Reviewing the dashboard monthly to see if it’s still helping you make decisions.
What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)
- Ignore: Widget libraries full of “inspirational” charts. If you don’t know what a metric means, don’t add it.
- Watch out: For laggy dashboards—usually means you’re pulling in too much data, or your integrations are flaky.
- Resist the urge: To track “everything you might need someday.” Complexity kills usage.
Summary: Build, Use, Refine—Keep It Simple
Custom dashboards in Nlpearl are powerful if you keep things focused. Start with the few metrics that actually drive your B2B go-to-market motion. Don’t get distracted by shiny chart types or endless customization. Build it, use it, get feedback, and iterate. Simple, useful dashboards beat bloated ones every time.
And remember: dashboards don’t solve bad data or bad processes. But they do make it a lot easier to spot what’s broken—if you set them up right.