If you’re in sales, marketing, or ops and you’re tired of “reporting theater,” this guide is for you. We’ll get into how to build dashboards in Laserfocus that show what actually matters for go to market (GTM) performance—no more staring at a sea of generic charts and wondering what you’re supposed to do next.
You don’t need to be a data geek, but you do need to know what you want to measure and why. This article will walk you through setting up dashboards that cut through the noise, help you spot problems early, and (maybe) prove to your boss that your team’s work is moving the needle.
1. Figure Out What Actually Matters (Before You Click Anything)
Before you even open up Laserfocus, stop and think: What’s the point of your dashboard? It’s easy to get lost adding every widget under the sun, but most dashboards end up ignored because nobody knows what to do with them.
Start by answering these: - What decisions will this dashboard help you make? - Who’s going to use it? (Sales reps? Execs? Both?) - What’s the one result you care about moving?
If you’re measuring GTM performance, you probably care about things like: - Pipeline created (Are we generating real opportunities?) - Conversion rates at each funnel stage (Where are we losing people?) - Sales velocity (How fast do deals move?) - Win/loss analysis (Are we closing the right deals—or just spinning our wheels?) - Lead source performance (What’s actually working?)
Pro tip: Don’t track everything. Pick 3–5 metrics that actually matter to your team right now. You can always add more later.
2. Get Your Data in Order
Laserfocus pulls data straight from your CRM (usually Salesforce, sometimes HubSpot). If your CRM is a mess, your dashboards will be a mess, too.
Do this before building: - Audit your fields: Make sure your “opportunity stage,” “close date,” and “owner” fields are actually filled out and up to date. - Standardize values: If reps are typing in random stuff (e.g., “Q2” vs. “Quarter 2” vs. “Spring”), your charts will look weird. - Fix duplicates: Two records for the same deal? Your numbers will be off.
If you skip this step, expect headaches and trust issues with your dashboards later.
3. Connect Laserfocus to Your CRM
Assuming your data’s in decent shape, it’s time to hook up Laserfocus:
- Log in to your Laserfocus account.
- Go to “Settings” and find “Data Sources.”
- Click “Connect” next to your CRM (Salesforce/HubSpot/etc.).
- Authorize access. You might need admin privileges.
- Pick the objects/tables you want to sync (usually Opportunities, Leads, Accounts).
Heads up: The initial sync can take a while if you have a big CRM. Don’t freak out if things seem slow the first time.
4. Start a New Dashboard (Don’t Use the Default One)
Laserfocus comes with some “out-of-the-box” dashboards. Honestly? They’re fine for a quick look, but they’re usually too generic for serious GTM tracking. If you want something useful, start from scratch:
- Hit “Create Dashboard” or “New Dashboard.”
- Name it something specific—“GTM Metrics – Q3” or “Pipeline Health,” not just “Dashboard 1.”
- Set permissions so only the right people can see or edit it.
Why not just tweak the default? - You’ll spend more time deleting junk than building what you need. - Starting clean keeps you focused on your goals, not some vendor’s idea of “best practice.”
5. Add Only the Metrics That Matter
Now for the fun part—building out your dashboard. Here’s how to keep it useful:
a) Add Core Widgets
For GTM performance, these are the usual suspects:
- Pipeline Value: Total value of open deals, maybe broken out by rep or region.
- Deal Stage Funnel: A simple funnel chart showing how many deals are at each stage.
- Conversion Rates: % of leads that become opportunities, and % of opportunities that close.
- Sales Velocity: How long deals sit at each stage, and how quickly they move.
- Lead Source Performance: Which sources generate the most (and best) pipeline?
b) Set Filters and Date Ranges
Show only the data that matters: - Current quarter? This month? Last 90 days? - Only show deals owned by your team, not the whole company. - Filter out dead deals, test records, or junk data.
c) Use Visuals—But Don’t Get Fancy
Pie charts look cool, but often tell you nothing. Stick with bar charts, tables, and trend lines. If it doesn’t help you take action, skip it.
d) Name Things Clearly
Call it “Qualified Pipeline ($)” not “QPL.” No one wants to decode dashboard widgets on the fly.
6. Make It Actionable (Not Just Pretty)
A dashboard should answer, “What do we need to do next?” If it doesn’t, it’s just decoration.
Ask yourself: - If a number is red, who’s responsible for fixing it? - Can someone look at this and know where to focus this week? - Are there obvious “next steps,” or is it just a bunch of charts?
If you can, set up alerts or triggers in Laserfocus for key thresholds (e.g., pipeline drops below $X, conversion rate dips). But don’t go overboard—too many notifications and people will ignore them.
7. Share and Get Feedback
Once your dashboard’s built, show it to the people who’ll actually use it.
Tips: - Walk them through it—don’t just email a link and hope for the best. - Ask what’s confusing or missing. - Watch where people get lost or misinterpret the data. - Be ready to kill charts that nobody uses.
Iterate based on what people actually need, not what you think they want. Don’t get precious about your dashboard design.
8. Review and Update Regularly
Your GTM strategy will change, so should your dashboards.
- Set a calendar reminder (monthly or quarterly) to review the dashboard.
- Drop metrics that are no longer useful. Add new ones if your team’s focus has shifted.
- Clean up old filters and make sure the data still matches reality.
Don’t let dashboards become “reporting wallpaper”—something everyone ignores because it’s out of date.
What to Ignore (and What to Watch Out For)
Skip these: - Vanity metrics (e.g., total leads without quality filters) - Charts that only exist because “the CMO likes pie charts” - Widgets with no clear owner or next action
Watch out for: - Data lag (Laserfocus syncs frequently, but it’s not always “real-time”) - Overcomplicating things—more charts isn’t better - Relying on dashboards to replace real conversations (“Let’s just check the dashboard instead of talking to sales” never ends well)
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Dashboards are supposed to help you see the truth—not bury you in charts. Start small, focus on the numbers you can actually move, and tweak things as you go. You’ll spend less time guessing, and more time fixing what matters.
Remember: The best dashboard is the one your team actually uses. Don’t overthink it.