If you’re the person who actually has to prove your team is closing deals—and not just talk about “synergies”—this one’s for you. Detailed sales reports aren’t just a box to check in your CRM. They’re how you stop guessing and start seeing what’s really working (and what’s not). If you’re using Freshworks, you might’ve noticed the built-in reports are handy but don’t always go deep enough out of the box. Let’s fix that.
Below, I’ll walk you through building sales reports in Freshworks that actually help you track performance, spot bottlenecks, and have better answers ready for your boss or your team. No fluff, no marketing-speak—just what you need to get it done.
1. Get clear on what you actually need to track
Before you open up Freshworks and start clicking, pause. The biggest mistake? Jumping into report-building without a plan. You’ll just end up with a dashboard graveyard.
Ask yourself (or your team):
- What questions are we actually trying to answer?
- Who will use these reports, and how often?
- What do we want to do differently once we see the data?
Common sales performance metrics:
- Total deals closed (by rep, team, region, etc.)
- Win/loss rates and reasons
- Sales cycle length
- Pipeline stage conversions
- Average deal size
- Activities per deal (calls, emails, meetings)
- Forecast vs. actual sales
Pick the 2–3 most crucial for your business right now. You can always add more later.
2. Get your data in order
You can’t make a good report from messy data. If your team’s notes are all over the place or fields aren’t consistently filled out, fix that first.
Checklist before you build reports: - Are deal stages clearly defined and used properly? - Are reps logging activities (calls, meetings, emails) regularly? - Are key fields (like “Closed Lost Reason” or “Deal Value”) required and filled in? - Is everyone following the same process for updating deals?
Pro tip:
Go to a few deals at random and check for missing or inconsistent info. If you spot issues, tighten up your process before moving on. Reports are only as good as the data behind them.
3. Navigate to the Freshworks Reports section
Assuming you’re using Freshsales or Freshworks CRM:
- Log in and head to the sidebar.
- Find the “Analytics” or “Reports” module. (It might be called “Analytics” depending on your version.)
- You’ll see pre-built reports (like “Sales Velocity” or “Pipeline Summary”). These are fine, but you’ll want to create your own for real insight.
Note:
If you’re on a lower-tier plan, some advanced reporting options might be locked. If you keep running into “upgrade to access,” don’t bang your head against the wall—just check your subscription level.
4. Build your first custom report
Here’s the step-by-step for setting up a meaningful sales report:
a. Click “New Report” or “Create Custom Report”
- Pick “Deals” as your data source if you want to focus on pipeline and closed deals.
- For activity tracking, choose “Activities.”
b. Select your report type
- “Summary” reports are for totals and averages.
- “Tabular” reports show raw data in a table.
- “Matrix” reports let you compare two dimensions (like rep vs. deal stage).
If you’re new to this, start with a summary or tabular report.
c. Choose the fields and filters that matter
- Add columns for fields like Deal Name, Owner, Stage, Value, Close Date, etc.
- Use filters to zero in:
- Date ranges (e.g., “Deals closed in the last 30 days”)
- Deal owner or team
- Deal stage (e.g., only “Closed Won” or “Closed Lost”)
- Custom fields (e.g., Product Line, Territory)
Don’t get greedy—more columns ≠ better. Stick to what answers your original questions.
d. Group and summarize
- Group by Owner to see rep-by-rep performance.
- Group by Stage to spot where deals get stuck.
- Sum up deal values for forecasting.
e. Add charts if you need visuals
- Pie charts are good for stage or status breakdowns.
- Bar graphs work for “deals closed by rep” or “monthly sales.”
- Line charts can show trend over time.
But don’t overdo it—if a chart doesn’t make the story clearer, skip it.
f. Save and name your report
Give it a name you’ll actually recognize later (“Q2 Pipeline by Rep,” not “Report 17”). Add a description if your team will use it too.
5. Schedule, share, and automate
You don’t want to pull reports manually every week.
- Use the “Schedule” feature to email reports to yourself or your team on a set schedule (daily, weekly, monthly).
- Share reports with other users or teams—set permissions so folks only see what they need.
- Pin your critical reports to your dashboard for quick access.
Heads up:
If you need slicker dashboards or cross-object reporting, Freshworks offers “Analytics Studio” in higher tiers. It’s more powerful, but also more complex—don’t bother unless you really need deep dives.
6. What’s worth your time (and what isn’t)
What works well: - Tracking closed deals by rep or team—solid, fast, and clear. - Identifying pipeline bottlenecks—easy to see where things stall. - Comparing forecast vs. actuals—useful for real accountability.
What’s not so great: - Granular historical changes (like “how many times was this deal stage updated?”) are clunky. - Custom visuals are limited compared to dedicated BI tools. - If you need to mash up external data (like marketing spend vs. sales), Freshworks reporting can’t really do that natively.
Ignore (for now): - Obsessing over every micro-metric. Focus on a few KPIs that actually move the needle. - Building reports nobody reads. If a report isn’t used, cut it.
7. Quick troubleshooting if your numbers look off
- Check your filters—are you accidentally excluding deals or reps?
- Make sure everyone’s updating their deals in real time. Stale data = useless reports.
- If data is missing, see if the underlying fields are required in your CRM setup.
- For big discrepancies, export raw data and poke around in Excel or Google Sheets before blaming Freshworks.
8. Iterate: Review and improve your reports
Your first report won’t be perfect. That’s normal. Set a reminder to review your reports every month or quarter:
- Are the numbers actually useful for decision-making?
- Are you missing trends because you’re not slicing the data the right way?
- Are reps or managers actually using the reports?
Ask for feedback. Cut what’s not working. Refine what is.
Keep it simple—and keep moving
The best sales reports aren’t the flashiest—they’re the ones you and your team actually use. Start with what matters most, build your reports in Freshworks, and don’t be afraid to tweak or toss what isn’t helping. The goal isn’t “perfect reporting” (that doesn’t exist), but clear answers to the questions that drive your business forward. Keep it simple, review often, and you’ll get more value from your CRM—and a lot fewer headaches come reporting time.