If you’re in sales and drowning in spreadsheets, or your team is flying blind between CRM tabs, dashboards can help—if they’re set up right. This guide is for sales managers, ops, and anyone who wants to cut through noise and make Velaris dashboards that actually help you hit numbers. No fluff, no "data-driven transformation" pitches. Just practical steps, pitfalls to dodge, and real-world advice.
Why Custom Dashboards (Usually) Beat Out-of-the-Box
Most tools come with a "Sales Overview" dashboard. These are fine for a quick glance, but usually generic and, honestly, a bit useless unless your process fits their assumptions. Custom dashboards let you:
- Focus on the metrics your team actually cares about (not what the vendor thinks matters)
- Cut out vanity stats and distractions
- Share the right info with the right people—without giving everyone admin access
But with flexibility comes the temptation to overcomplicate. The best dashboards are the ones you’ll actually look at every day—not the ones with 17 widgets you set and forget.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Need
Before you start clicking around in Velaris, take 10 minutes and write down:
- Who is this dashboard for? (e.g., SDRs, AEs, sales manager, execs)
- What questions should it answer? (“How many deals are stuck in negotiation?” “Who’s behind on calls?”)
- How often will it be used? (Daily standups? Weekly reviews? Just for the VP?)
Pro tip: Don’t try to solve everyone’s problems in one dashboard. Build for a specific group and purpose. You can always make more dashboards.
Step 2: Creating Your First Custom Dashboard in Velaris
Assuming you already have access and the right permissions:
- Navigate to the Dashboards Section
- Click on “Dashboards” from the main menu.
-
Hit “Create New Dashboard.” If you’re not seeing this, you might need admin or custom permissions.
-
Give It a Clear Name
-
“Q2 Pipeline Health” beats “My Dashboard 3.” Trust me—you’ll thank yourself later.
-
Set Visibility and Sharing
- Decide if this should be private, shared with your team, or public.
- Think twice before making dashboards public. Sales numbers floating around where they shouldn’t be is a classic data leak.
Step 3: Add Widgets (But Don’t Go Overboard)
Widgets are the building blocks—charts, tables, leaderboards, and so on.
- Click “Add Widget”
-
You’ll see options like charts, tables, KPIs, leaderboards, and sometimes more depending on your Velaris plan.
-
Pick Your Data Source
- Most sales dashboards pull from opportunities, accounts, calls, or activities.
-
Make sure your data is actually in Velaris—otherwise, you’ll get blank charts and a headache.
-
Choose the Right Visualization
- Pipeline by Stage: Funnel or bar chart
- Activity Tracking: Table or leaderboard
- Revenue Forecast: Line or area chart
-
Deal Aging: Table, sorted by oldest first
-
Configure Filters
- Filter by team, rep, time period, or custom fields.
- Avoid endless custom filters unless you really need them—you’ll forget what you did in a month.
What to skip:
Don’t add every available widget. If you’re not sure you’ll use it, leave it out for now. Clutter kills dashboards.
Step 4: Fine-Tune and Arrange
- Drag and Drop to Reorder
-
Put the most important widgets at the top-left. That’s where people’s eyes go first.
-
Resize for Clarity
-
Don’t cram five tiny charts into a single row. If you can’t read it at a glance, it’s not helping.
-
Edit Titles and Descriptions
- “Top Deals Over $50k (Active This Quarter)” is better than “Chart 2.”
-
Add short descriptions where it’s not obvious what’s being measured.
-
Test with Real Users
- If you built a dashboard for your SDR team, ask one to use it and give honest feedback.
- Watch for confusion or eye rolls. If people ignore a widget, it’s probably not needed.
Step 5: Automate Updates and Alerts (Carefully)
Velaris lets you set up alerts or scheduled dashboard emails. Used well, these keep everyone on the same page. Overdo it, and you’ll get ignored.
- Set up email digests for key dashboards (daily or weekly).
- Configure alerts for important changes—e.g., a big deal moving stages, or activities falling behind.
- Avoid alert fatigue: Only set up notifications for things that need action, not every tiny change.
Step 6: Manage and Iterate
Dashboards are not “set it and forget it.” You’ll get the most value if you:
- Review monthly: Remove unused widgets, update filters, and check if the dashboard still answers your team’s real questions.
- Version control: If you’re making big changes, duplicate the dashboard first—nothing worse than breaking the only one people use.
- Archive or delete old dashboards. Less clutter means people actually use what’s there.
What Works, What Doesn’t, What to Ignore
What works:
- Focusing on actionable metrics: Stuff your reps can actually influence.
- Keeping dashboards simple and focused.
- Getting buy-in: If your team helps build it, they’ll use it.
What doesn’t:
- Dashboards that try to track everything. You’ll end up with wallpaper.
- Vanity metrics (e.g., number of emails sent, with no context).
- Building dashboards for execs without asking what they really want to see.
What to ignore:
- Widgets or integrations you don’t use. If you don’t work with a certain tool (like a dialer or marketing system), don’t let it clutter your dashboard.
- Overly complex filters or “advanced” features—unless you have a real business need.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Useful, Keep It Simple
A dashboard should make your life easier, not busier. Start with the basics, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to kill widgets that no one uses. Velaris is flexible, but that’s a double-edged sword—simplicity wins every time. Iterate as your team and process change, and remember: A dashboard is only as good as the decisions it helps you make.
Now go build something your sales team will actually want to check.