If you work in sales or sales ops, you already know the drill: everyone wants dashboards, but nobody wants to wade through clunky tools or spend hours making them. This guide is for sales managers, team leads, and anyone who needs to track performance (and actually use the data). We’ll walk through how to build and share sales dashboards in Empler—without drowning in features you don’t need.
1. Figure Out What You Really Need to Track
Before you log in and start clicking around, stop and ask: what do you actually need to see? Sales dashboards only help if they cut through the noise and show you the numbers that matter.
Here’s what most teams care about: - Total sales/revenue (by week, month, quarter) - Pipeline coverage (leads, opps, deals by stage) - Win rates and conversion rates - Top performers (individuals/teams) - Average deal size and sales cycle length
Pro tip: Don’t add every possible metric “just in case.” More isn’t better—it’s distracting.
2. Get Your Data into Empler
Empler can’t show you anything unless your sales data’s there. You’ll usually connect your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot), but you can also upload spreadsheets if you’re old-school or testing.
To connect your CRM: 1. Go to Settings > Integrations in Empler. 2. Choose your CRM from the list. 3. Follow the prompts to connect (OAuth or API key—depends on your tool). 4. Pick which data you want to sync (deals, contacts, activities, etc.).
For spreadsheets: - Click “Import Data,” select your file, and map the columns to Empler’s fields. - Keep it clean: headers should match what you’ll want to track later.
What to watch out for: - Garbage in, garbage out. If your CRM is full of duplicates or missing fields, your dashboard will be a mess. - Syncing can take a while the first time. Don’t panic if things take a few minutes to show up.
3. Build a Sales Dashboard from Scratch
Now for the fun part. Here’s the step-by-step:
Step 1: Start a New Dashboard
- In Empler, go to Dashboards.
- Click “Create New Dashboard.”
- Give it a clear name (e.g., “Q2 Sales Overview”). Don’t call it “Dashboard 1.”
Step 2: Add Widgets for Key Metrics
Widgets are those little boxes that show charts, numbers, or lists. Only add what you need.
Common widgets to consider: - Total Sales: Bar or line chart by month. - Pipeline by Stage: Funnel or stacked bar chart. - Win Rate: Simple percentage or trend over time. - Top Reps: Leaderboard table. - Average Deal Size: Single number or trend.
How to add: - Click “Add Widget.” - Pick a metric from your data. - Choose the chart type. (Don’t get fancy unless you need to.) - Name it clearly (“Deals Closed This Month” is better than “Widget 5.”)
Reality check: Pie charts look nice but are almost always useless for sales data. Stick to bar, line, and table formats unless you have a really good reason.
Step 3: Filter and Segment the Data
- Use filters for teams, regions, product lines, or time frames.
- Save views if you want to switch between, say, “East Coast Team” and “Full Company.”
Pro tip: Don’t overdo it with filters. If you need a new filter for every question, your dashboard is probably too crowded.
Step 4: Arrange and Resize Widgets
- Drag widgets around to put the most important stuff up top.
- Resize so key metrics are easy to read—don’t bury the numbers at the bottom.
Step 5: Preview and Test
- Look at your dashboard as if you’re a new user—does it make sense at a glance?
- Check for weird spikes or blank spots. That usually means a data mapping issue or missing info in your CRM.
What doesn’t work: Don’t bother with “vanity” widgets just to fill space. If you’re not using a chart to make a decision, ditch it.
4. Share Your Dashboard (Without Annoying Everyone)
Dashboards are only helpful if people can actually see them. Here’s how sharing works in Empler:
Internal Sharing
- Click “Share” at the top of your dashboard.
- Choose who can see it: individuals, groups, or “everyone in the company.”
- Set permissions: Viewer (can see), Editor (can change), Owner (full control).
Avoid: Giving editing rights to everyone. You’ll end up with charts you don’t recognize.
Pro tip: Add a short description or “dashboard guide” up top to explain what people are looking at—especially if you’re sharing with execs or non-sales folks.
External Sharing
- Generate a shareable link (read-only) for partners, clients, or investors.
- You can set password protection or expiration dates if you want.
What doesn’t work: Don’t email screenshots. Links are better—they stay up to date, and you won’t have to resend every time the numbers change.
5. Keep It Up to Date—But Don’t Obsess
Dashboards aren’t set-and-forget. Data changes, teams change, priorities change.
- Schedule regular reviews (monthly or quarterly) to clean up widgets, add new metrics, or kill the ones nobody uses.
- If you see weird data, check your source systems. Most dashboard “bugs” are really CRM problems.
- Don’t add a ton of “live” widgets if your team only looks at numbers once a month. You’ll waste energy (and probably confuse people).
Pro tip: If people aren’t using the dashboard, ask why. The answer is usually “it doesn’t show what we need” or “it’s too complicated.” Don’t be afraid to start over.
6. Common Pitfalls (And How to Dodge Them)
- Too many metrics: More data = more confusion. Stick to your must-haves.
- Messy data: Clean up your CRM before you sync, or your dashboard will become a dumpster fire.
- Overcomplicated visuals: Fancy charts don’t impress anyone if they’re hard to read.
- Ignoring feedback: If your team isn’t looking at the dashboard, it’s not their fault. Iterate until it works for them.
7. Quick Checklist: Your Dashboard “Must-Haves”
- [ ] Shows at-a-glance sales performance
- [ ] Highlights pipeline and bottlenecks
- [ ] Easy to share and understand
- [ ] Updated automatically (or on a predictable schedule)
- [ ] No filler—every widget answers a real question
If you can’t check these boxes, go back and simplify.
Building and sharing a sales dashboard in Empler doesn’t have to be a slog. Figure out what you need, keep the design clean, and share only what’s useful. Don’t be afraid to start simple and tweak as you go—nobody gets it perfect on the first shot. The point isn’t to impress; it’s to help you (and your team) actually sell more. Keep it real, keep it readable, and don’t let dashboard envy slow you down.