So you’re trying to get a real handle on your B2B pipeline, but the out-of-the-box reports just aren’t cutting it. Maybe you’re sick of spreadsheets, or maybe you’re tired of being told you’re “up 30%!” with no idea what that means. If you’re running your sales pipeline in Mylighthouse and need to set up custom reporting to track actual growth—this is for you. I’ll walk you through how to do it, what to skip, and what most people get wrong.
Let’s get into it.
Why Custom Reporting Matters (and What to Ignore)
The default dashboards in most CRMs, including Mylighthouse, are fine for surface-level stats. But if you want to dig into what’s actually moving your pipeline—or spot where deals get stuck—you need custom reports.
Here’s what matters for B2B pipeline growth:
- New deals created by month/quarter
- Pipeline value (total and by stage)
- Deals advancing (stage movement, velocity)
- Closed-won vs. closed-lost (and why)
- Lead source attribution (which sources actually turn into revenue)
What not to obsess over:
- Vanity metrics (“touches per deal” is rarely actionable)
- Overly granular segmentation (don’t slice so thin you can’t see trends)
- Data you don’t trust—garbage in means garbage out
Step 1: Get Your Data in Shape
Before you even open the reporting tab, check your pipeline fields and data hygiene. Mylighthouse can’t fix bad input.
Checklist:
- Are your deal stages clearly defined? (No “Other” or “Misc”)
- Is every deal assigned to an owner and a stage?
- Do you actually log closed-lost reasons, or just close and forget?
- Are custom fields (like “Lead Source” or “Industry”) filled out on most deals?
Pro tip: Run a pipeline audit. Pull a list of deals from the last 90 days and spot-check for missing or junk data. Fix what you can before you build reports, or you’ll just report on bad data.
Step 2: Decide What You Want to Measure
Don’t just build reports for the sake of it. Figure out what questions you actually want to answer, like:
- Are we creating enough new pipeline to hit next quarter’s goals?
- Which sales stages are slowing things down?
- What percentage of pipeline comes from each lead source?
- How fast are deals moving from stage to stage?
Write these out. It’ll keep you focused when you’re staring at a dozen filter options later.
Step 3: Navigating Mylighthouse Reporting
Let’s get practical. Here’s how to start building custom reports in Mylighthouse:
- Log in and head to the “Reports” tab.
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You’ll see some canned options, but ignore those for now.
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Click “Create Custom Report.”
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Choose “Deals” as your primary data source.
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Pick your metrics:
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Common ones for B2B pipeline growth:
- Number of new deals
- Total pipeline value (sum of deal amounts)
- Deals by stage
- Days in stage (velocity)
- Closed-won vs. closed-lost count
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Add filters:
- Date created (e.g., last quarter, last 30 days)
- Stage (to focus on deals in process)
- Owner/team (if you need rep-level views)
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Lead source (if you care about attribution)
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Group your data:
- By month/quarter (to spot trends)
- By stage (to see bottlenecks)
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By source (to see what’s working)
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Choose your visualization:
- Line charts for growth over time
- Bar charts for pipeline by stage
- Pie charts for lead source—if you must, but don’t go overboard
Honest take: Don’t bother with fancy charts unless someone actually needs them. A simple table is often more useful for day-to-day decisions.
Step 4: Build Reports for Real Questions
Let’s make this concrete. Here are a few report setups worth building:
Report 1: New Pipeline Created by Month
- Metric: Number of deals + sum of deal value
- Filter: Date created (by month)
- Group by: Month, then lead source
- Why: See if you’re generating enough new pipeline and which channels are pulling their weight
Report 2: Pipeline by Stage (Snapshot)
- Metric: Deal count + value
- Filter: Deals currently open
- Group by: Stage
- Why: Spot bottlenecks and see if deals are stuck somewhere
Report 3: Stage Movement / Velocity
- Metric: Average days in stage
- Filter: Deals moved in the last 90 days
- Group by: Stage
- Why: Identify stages that slow down deals—helps target where to improve process
Report 4: Closed-Won/Lost Analysis
- Metric: Count of closed-won vs. closed-lost
- Filter: Closed date (last quarter)
- Group by: Closed reason, lead source, owner
- Why: Understand why you’re winning or losing, and who’s beating the odds
Ignore: Reports that slice down to individual button clicks or emails sent. If it doesn’t help you make a decision, don’t clutter your dashboard with it.
Step 5: Automate and Share
Building the report is half the battle. Now, make sure people actually see and use it.
- Set up scheduled emails: Mylighthouse lets you send reports to your team weekly or monthly. Pick a frequency that matches your sales cycle.
- Share dashboards: You can create shared dashboards for execs or reps. Just don’t overdo it—focus on a handful of key metrics.
- Bookmark for yourself: If you’re the only one who cares, that’s fine. Save the view and check it regularly.
Pro tip: Don’t let reports become wallpaper. If nobody talks about a metric for a month, kill it or tweak it.
Step 6: What to Watch Out For
No tool is magic, and Mylighthouse reporting has its quirks.
- Data Lag: Sometimes there’s a short delay in updating reports after big imports or bulk edits. Don’t panic—just give it an hour.
- Custom Fields: If you add new fields (like “Persona” or “Deal Type”), they won’t show up in old reports until you refresh or rebuild them.
- Permissions: Not everyone can see every report—check sharing settings if people complain they “can’t find it.”
- Garbage In, Garbage Out: Sorry to repeat myself, but if your team doesn’t actually update deal stages or fill out key fields, no report will save you.
Step 7: Iterating as You Grow
Your pipeline and team will change. So should your reports.
- Review quarterly: Set a calendar reminder to review your reports—what’s useful, what’s ignored, what’s missing.
- Ask for feedback: Sales reps and managers will tell you quickly if a report is helpful or a waste of time.
- Don’t chase perfection: Good enough is fine. It’s better to have a simple, accurate report than a complicated one nobody trusts.
Keep it Simple, Keep it Honest
Custom reporting in Mylighthouse can give you a real window into your B2B pipeline—if you stick to what matters and don’t drown in data. Get your inputs right, start with straightforward questions, and don’t be afraid to kill reports that don’t help.
The best dashboards are the ones people actually use. Start simple, review often, and remember: it’s about making better decisions, not just prettier charts.
Good luck—and don’t let reporting become your full-time job.