If you’re responsible for tracking B2B pipeline performance and you’re tired of wrestling with clunky dashboards or sifting through data that doesn’t tell you much, you’re in the right place. This guide is for folks who want to use Saasydb to actually see what’s happening in their sales pipeline—without getting lost in the weeds or stuck in “analysis paralysis.”
I’ll walk you through setting up custom reports that cut through the noise. No fluff, no pointless charts, just real steps to see what’s working (or not) in your B2B pipeline.
Step 1: Know What You Want to Track (and Why)
Before you even log into Saasydb, take a beat. Most reporting headaches start with unclear goals. Don’t just throw every metric into a report because you “might need it later.” Decide:
- What are the key pipeline questions you want answered?
- Example: “Where are deals stalling?” or “Which reps move deals fastest?”
- Who will use this report?
- Is it for execs, sales managers, or reps? Each group cares about different stuff.
- How often will you check it?
- Weekly? Monthly? Realistically, don’t build a daily dashboard if you’ll only glance at it on Fridays.
Pro tip: If you can’t explain why a metric matters in one sentence, skip it for now. You can always add it later.
Step 2: Map Your Pipeline Stages in Saasydb
Saasydb has its own ideas about what a “pipeline” looks like, but don’t assume the defaults fit your sales process. Before building reports:
- Check your pipeline configuration.
Under Settings > Pipelines, review the stages. Do they match your actual sales steps? If not, adjust them. - Don’t use generic stages like “Stage 1/2/3.” Name them after real actions (e.g., “Discovery Call,” “Proposal Sent”).
- Clean up old or unused stages.
Old stages clutter reports and confuse everyone. Archive or delete what you don’t use.
Honest take: Many teams just accept whatever pipeline comes out of the box. That’s lazy and leads to garbage reports. Spend the 15 minutes to make it match reality.
Step 3: Pick the Right Data Fields
Saasydb pipes in a ton of fields—deal amount, owner, close date, product, industry, and on and on. More isn’t better here.
- Must-haves for most B2B pipelines:
- Deal Name / ID
- Stage
- Owner/Rep
- Amount
- Expected Close Date
- Created Date
- Lead Source (if you actually use it)
- Optional (if you actually use them):
- Product/Service
- Industry
- Region
Things to ignore: - Fields nobody updates (e.g., “Competitor” if reps never fill it in) - “Probability” if it’s just set to 50% for everything
Pro tip: Less is more. You can always add fields later, but removing clutter from a report is a pain.
Step 4: Build a Simple Report First
Time to get your hands dirty. Here’s the simplest way to make a custom report in Saasydb that’s actually useful.
- Go to Reports > Custom Reports.
- Click “Create Report.”
Choose “Deals” or “Opportunities” as your data source. - Add filters.
Start with: - Pipeline = [Your B2B Pipeline]
- Deal Status = Open (or whatever’s relevant)
- Date Range = This Quarter (or whatever period you care about)
- Choose your columns.
Drop in only the key fields (from Step 3). - Group by Stage or Owner.
Skip fancy charts for now. Just group by what matters—usually Stage or Rep. - Save and name the report.
Use a name you’ll recognize, like “Q2 Pipeline by Stage.”
Don’t:
- Build 10 variations “just in case.”
- Add eye-candy like donut charts unless you’ll actually use them.
Step 5: Visualize Trends (But Don’t Overdo It)
Saasydb lets you add charts—bar, line, funnel, you name it. The trick? Only add visualizations that answer a real question.
Good uses: - Funnel chart: See conversion rates between stages. - Bar chart: Compare pipeline by owner or region. - Line chart: Track pipeline value over time.
Waste of time: - Pie charts with 12 segments (no one can read them) - Anything that looks pretty but gives you no clue what to do next
Honest take:
If the chart doesn’t help you spot a bottleneck or trend, skip it. Most teams add charts for “wow” factor, not substance.
Step 6: Schedule and Share the Report
Don’t keep the report to yourself. Saasydb lets you share and schedule reports so people see them without hunting through menus.
- Share with a group:
Click “Share,” pick teams or users. Set permissions (view only, or let them edit). - Schedule email delivery:
Set it to arrive in inboxes weekly or monthly. - Pro tip: Don’t bother with daily emails. No one reads them.
- Export to CSV or PDF:
For old-school types who want to print or play in Excel.
Heads up:
If you schedule reports, check them every so often. Nothing’s more embarrassing than a “critical” report that’s been broken for three months.
Step 7: Iterate Based on Feedback (Not Hunches)
Once your report is live, don’t assume you nailed it. Ask the people who use it what’s actually helpful and what’s clutter.
- Do reps actually use the report, or do they ignore it?
- Are there columns or filters that confuse people?
- Is there a bottleneck you’re not seeing?
Make small tweaks. Remove what’s not used. Add fields only if there’s a clear need.
Don’t:
- Chase every request (“Can you add 7 more columns?”). Ask why before adding.
- Build a Frankenstein report nobody wants.
Step 8: Avoid Common Reporting Traps
A few pitfalls trip up even experienced teams:
- Too many reports:
If you have to explain which report does what, you’ve got too many. - Vanity metrics:
“Pipeline value” is meaningless if deals never close. Focus on movement and conversion, not just totals. - Stale data:
Reports are only as good as the data. If reps aren’t updating stages, your numbers are fiction. - Overcomplication:
A report nobody understands is a report nobody uses.
Step 9: Keep It Simple, Review Regularly
You don’t need a perfect report—just a useful one. Start basic, see what’s missing, and adjust. Don’t get sucked into endless tweaks or data rabbit holes.
- Review your key report once a month. Is it still telling you what you need to know?
- Cut anything you don’t use. Don’t be sentimental about old metrics.
- Stay focused on actions, not just numbers.
Bottom line: Custom reporting in Saasydb isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to overthink. Start with the basics: clear goals, clean pipeline stages, and simple reports. Share, get feedback, and adjust as you go. If a report isn’t helping you make a decision or spot a problem, kill it. Less is more.