If you're leading a sales team, you know how fast things can get messy. Everyone wants numbers, but not just any numbers—they want the right numbers in a format that actually helps make decisions. That's where detailed sales performance reports come in. This guide is for anyone who's tired of half-baked dashboards and wants to get real, actionable insights from Sailes.
Let’s cut through the noise and get into how you can use Sailes to generate reports that actually help your leadership team steer the ship. No fluff, just real steps, honest advice, and a few warnings about what to actually pay attention to.
1. Know What Leadership Actually Cares About
Before you start clicking around, get clear on what your leadership team wants. It's usually not “pages of numbers.” Ask them, or look back at what they've actually acted on in past meetings.
Most leadership teams care about: - Revenue trends (not just this month’s win, but over time) - Pipeline health (are enough deals coming in, and are they quality?) - Rep performance (who’s consistently delivering, who’s struggling?) - Forecast vs. actuals (how close are you to hitting targets?) - Stalled deals or bottlenecks
Pro tip: Avoid the temptation to include every metric just because it’s there. “Because we can” is a terrible reason to add another chart.
2. Set Up Your Data in Sailes
If your data’s a mess, your reports will be too. Before building reports, double-check your Sailes setup:
- Pipeline stages: Make sure stages reflect your actual sales process. Rename or remove any “default” stages you don’t use.
- Fields: Audit your custom fields. Are you tracking what you need (e.g., deal size, source, close date)?
- User roles: Assign reps to the right teams or territories, so you can break down performance the way leadership wants.
Don’t skip this step. Dirty data is the #1 reason sales reports go sideways.
3. Choose the Right Sales Performance Report Type
Sailes offers a bunch of reporting options—some useful, some just noise. Here’s what actually matters for leadership:
Standard Reports
- Sales Performance by Rep: Good for seeing who’s carrying the team (and who might need help).
- Pipeline Overview: Shows where deals are in your funnel.
- Revenue by Source/Segment: Helps spot which markets or products are driving growth.
Custom Reports
- Forecast Accuracy: Compare predicted vs. actual sales to see how well you’re calling your shots.
- Deal Velocity: How fast are deals moving? Slow points = places to dig in.
- Lost Deal Analysis: What’s slipping away, and why?
Ignore “vanity” reports—things like “number of meetings booked” are fine for reps, but not what execs care about.
4. Build the Report Step-by-Step
Let’s dig into actually building a report in Sailes. The details may vary depending on your version and setup, but here’s the general flow:
Step 1: Start with a Template (if it fits)
- Sailes comes with templates for common report types. If one fits your need (like “Monthly Performance Overview”), start there and tweak.
Step 2: Pick Your Metrics
- Don’t just add everything. Select only what answers the questions leadership actually has.
- Typical metrics: Total sales, win rate, average deal size, pipeline value, sales by rep, sales cycle length.
Step 3: Choose Your Time Frame
- Most leadership teams want to see monthly or quarterly views.
- Compare periods (e.g., this quarter vs. last quarter) for context.
Step 4: Add Filters
- Slice by team, segment, or product line.
- Don’t get carried away—too many filters and you’ll confuse everyone.
Step 5: Set Up Visuals
- Bar charts and line graphs usually work best—don’t overcomplicate with 3D pies or “fun” colors.
- Use tables for detailed breakdowns, but keep them readable.
Step 6: Preview and Polish
- Double-check for weird outliers or obvious data gaps.
- Make sure the report tells a story (not just “here’s a pile of numbers”).
Step 7: Save and Automate Delivery
- Most Sailes accounts let you schedule reports to send out automatically (weekly, monthly, etc.).
- Set permissions so only the right people see sensitive info.
5. Tips for Making Reports Leadership Will Actually Use
Here’s what separates “meh” reports from ones that actually drive decisions:
- Keep it short and actionable: One page or a few slides. If it’s longer, you’re probably trying to do too much at once.
- Highlight trends, not just snapshots: Point out what’s changing—not just where you are today.
- Flag issues, don’t hide them: If a number looks bad, call it out and (if you can) suggest a next step. Leaders hate surprises.
- Tell a story: A good report answers “So what?” and “Now what?” Don’t make execs dig for the meaning.
- Leave out what nobody acts on: If a metric hasn’t changed a decision in 6 months, drop it from the report.
- Add context: Benchmarks, targets, or previous period comparisons make the numbers meaningful.
6. What to Watch Out For (and What to Ignore)
There’s a lot of reporting noise out there. Here’s what to keep an eye on—and what to skip:
Common pitfalls: - Data that doesn’t match reality: If reps aren’t updating deals, your numbers are worthless. - Overcomplicated dashboards: More widgets ≠ more insight. - Chasing “perfect” data: You’ll never have 100% clean data. Get it good enough, then improve as you go.
Ignore: - Fluffy metrics (“engagement score,” “sentiment index”) unless you can tie them directly to sales results. - Reports that look impressive but don’t drive action. - Anything that takes more time to build than to act on.
7. Sharing and Presenting the Report
Even the best report is useless if it just sits in your inbox. Here’s how to make sure leadership actually sees and uses it:
- Automate delivery: Set up scheduled emails in Sailes so reports go out before meetings.
- Export to PDF or Excel: Some execs still love a spreadsheet. Make it easy for them.
- Include a one-paragraph summary: At the top, state the headline: “Sales are up 10%, but pipeline is thinning—look at Q4.”
- Be ready to answer questions: Know your numbers and be honest about any data holes.
8. Iterating and Improving Over Time
The first report you make probably won’t be perfect. That’s fine. The key is to listen to feedback and adjust:
- Ask leadership what’s missing or what they never use.
- Trim the fat every quarter—keep the report focused.
- Fix data issues as you spot them, but don’t get paralyzed.
Remember: a simple, consistently-used report beats a complex one nobody trusts.
Wrapping Up
Detailed sales performance reports don’t have to be a giant headache. Focus on what leadership actually cares about, clean up your data, and build something simple and direct in Sailes. Skip the vanity metrics, don’t chase perfect, and keep asking, “Is this helping us make better decisions?”
Start small, improve as you go, and keep your eyes on what matters. The best reports get read—and acted on. That’s the standard to shoot for.