If your team is using Sugarcrm, you know the default dashboards are... pretty generic. Maybe you’re a sales manager who wants pipeline snapshots, or a support lead who just needs open ticket stats at a glance. Whatever your role, one-size-fits-all dashboards rarely cut it. This guide walks you through customizing dashboards in Sugarcrm so your team actually sees what matters to them—without wading through noise.
This is for admins, team leads, and power users who want to make dashboards useful for real work, not just for show.
Why Custom Dashboards Matter (and Where Most Go Wrong)
Let’s be honest: a dashboard that tries to please everyone ends up helping no one. Sales doesn’t care about support ticket age. Support doesn’t need sales forecasts. Managers just want a quick pulse on the team.
Here’s what usually happens:
- Everyone gets the same dashboard. Half of it’s ignored.
- People create their own, but no one knows what’s “official.”
- Critical info gets buried under irrelevant charts.
Customizing dashboards by role fixes this, but only if you keep it simple and focused. More charts ≠ more value.
Step 1: Map Out What Each Team Actually Needs
Don’t start dragging widgets yet. Figure out what info each role really uses. Ask them directly or watch what reports they run. Typical breakdown:
Sales Reps - Today’s leads and activities - Pipeline by stage - Assigned opportunities/tasks
Support Agents - Open cases by priority - Unassigned tickets - SLA breaches
Managers - Team performance (KPIs) - Aging deals or tickets - Quick links to key reports
Pro tip: If someone can’t explain why a widget matters, leave it out. Dashboards aren’t the place for “just in case” data.
Step 2: Understand Sugarcrm’s Dashboard Basics
Before you dive in, know how dashboards work in Sugarcrm:
- Dashboards are collections of dashlets (widgets) that live on the home page or module pages.
- Dashlets can show lists, charts, saved reports, or external content.
- You can create dashboards for yourself or, if you’re an admin, for other users and teams.
- Sharing and copying dashboards is possible, but not always intuitive.
What works: The drag-and-drop builder is straightforward, and you can mix data from different modules.
What to ignore: Fancy third-party dashlets unless you really need them. They can slow things down or break with updates.
Step 3: Build a Custom Dashboard for a Specific Role
Let’s walk through creating a dashboard for a sales team. The steps are nearly the same for any role.
1. Go to Dashboards
- From the main Sugarcrm navigation, click the Home icon, then “Dashboards.”
- Click “Create” or “+” to start a new dashboard.
2. Name It Clearly
- Use a name that tells users what it’s for, e.g. “Sales Rep Daily View” or “Support Team Metrics.”
- Don’t call it “My Dashboard 2”—future you will thank you.
3. Add Role-Specific Dashlets
Click “Add Dashlet” and search for the info your team needs. For sales, you might add:
- List View Dashlet: “My Open Opportunities” (module: Opportunities, filter: Assigned to current user, status: Open)
- Pipeline Chart Dashlet: Visual of all deals by stage
- Activities Dashlet: Tasks and meetings due soon
- Leads Created This Week: Quick list for new outreach
For support:
- Cases by Priority: Bar chart of open cases sorted by urgency
- My Cases: List of all tickets assigned to the current user
- SLA Breaches: Saved report dashlet highlighting overdue tickets
Pro tip: Rearrange dashlets so the most important stuff is top-left. That’s where eyes go first.
4. Set Filters and Defaults
- Use filters so users see their data (e.g. “Assigned to: Me”).
- Save default views so users don’t have to click around every morning.
5. Save and Share
- Save the dashboard. If you’re an admin, you can assign it to specific roles, teams, or users.
- Decide if this should be the default for that role—usually yes, unless people are very attached to their old setup.
Step 4: Assign Dashboards by Role or Team
This part trips up a lot of folks. Sugarcrm doesn’t have true “role-based dashboards” out of the box, but you can get pretty close:
- Admins can create dashboards and assign them to other users or teams.
- Use the “Copy Dashboard” feature to push dashboards out to groups.
- For ongoing changes, you’ll need to update and recopy—or teach users to clone new versions.
What to watch out for: If someone customizes a copied dashboard, they won’t get future updates unless you overwrite it. There’s no native sync.
Step 5: Review, Iterate, and Listen to Feedback
No dashboard is perfect the first time. Here’s how to keep it useful:
- Check back after a week: Are teams using it? What’s being ignored?
- Trim the fat: If a dashlet is just taking up space, remove it.
- Add only what’s missing: Don’t dump a dozen new widgets at once.
- Ask for input: Short survey or Slack poll. Keep it simple.
Pro tip: Screenshots of cluttered dashboards can help people realize what’s not working.
Honest Takes: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Common Pitfalls
Works well: - Simple dashboards with 3–6 high-value dashlets - Using filters to personalize data - Assigning dashboards to new users so they start with the right view
Doesn’t work: - Overloading dashboards with charts “just in case” - One dashboard for everyone (unless your team is tiny and does the same job) - Ignoring feedback—people will revert to old habits
Ignore this: - Overcomplicating with third-party widgets unless you have a real need - Building dashboards for execs without asking what they actually check
Pro Tips for Keeping Dashboards Useful
- Set a quarterly reminder to review shared dashboards. Needs change.
- Document “official” dashboards so new hires know what to use.
- Give team leads permission to create and share dashboards for their crews.
- Resist dashboard sprawl—more isn’t better.
Keep It Simple, Keep Iterating
A good dashboard is a living thing. Don’t stress about getting it perfect the first time. Start with what matters most to each role, skip the vanity charts, and ask for feedback. If you keep things simple and listen to your users, your Sugarcrm dashboards will actually help people get their work done—not just look pretty in screenshots.