If you’re responsible for sales numbers, you don’t have time to play dashboard detective. You want clear, honest data—fast. This guide is for anyone using GetSales and tired of half-baked reports, mystery metrics, and spreadsheet headaches. Whether you're a sales manager, founder, or just the person everyone asks for “that report,” I’ll show you how to wring real value from GetSales reporting features—without the hand-waving or hype.
1. Get Oriented: What GetSales Reporting Actually Does (and Doesn’t)
First things first: GetSales is solid for tracking the basics and a few advanced metrics, but it’s not a magic wand. It won’t fix messy data, make bad reps good, or tell you what your next move should be. It will help you pull together the numbers that matter and spot issues before they turn into ugly surprises.
What GetSales reporting does well: - Tracks revenue, deals, and activities in close to real-time. - Lets you slice by product, rep, team, or time period. - Offers visual dashboards, but you can export raw data (thankfully). - Decent for building custom reports, if you’re patient.
Where it struggles: - Advanced forecasting is hit-or-miss. Don’t trust the “AI predictions” at face value. - Data cleanliness is your problem, not theirs—garbage in, garbage out. - Some metrics (like CAC or true pipeline velocity) need manual setup or extra math.
So, go in with realistic expectations. GetSales is a reporting tool, not a sales strategy.
2. Step One: Decide Which Metrics Actually Matter
Don’t start by clicking around dashboards. Figure out what you need to know first. Otherwise, you’ll drown in pie charts nobody cares about.
Common must-track metrics: - Total sales/revenue (monthly, quarterly, YTD) - Number of deals closed - Average deal size - Win rate (% of deals closed vs. lost) - Sales cycle length (how long from lead to closed deal) - Activity metrics (calls, emails, demos) - Pipeline by stage
Optional, but sometimes useful: - Product breakdown (which products/services are selling) - Rep or team leaderboard (who’s actually closing) - Lost deal reasons (if reps bother to fill these out)
Skip these unless you’ve got a specific reason: - Vanity metrics (number of logins, report views, “engagement” stats) - Overly granular breakdowns (do you really need sales by zip code?)
Pro tip: Pick 3–5 metrics to start. You can always add more later, but too many numbers = nobody looks at them.
3. Step Two: Set Up Your Data Correctly
This is the boring part, but nothing else matters if your data is a mess. Before you touch any reports:
- Check your pipelines. Are stages clearly defined? If “Proposal Sent” means different things to different reps, your stage-based metrics are useless.
- Standardize fields. Make sure product names, deal values, and custom fields are consistent. (No “Pro Plan” vs. “PRO PLAN” shenanigans.)
- Train your team. If reps aren’t logging activities or updating deals, your reports will lie to you.
- Fix duplicate or junk records. GetSales can’t read your mind—clean up leads and contacts that shouldn’t be there.
Honest take: You’ll probably need to nag people or run a quick data audit. Do it now, or you’ll regret it later.
4. Step Three: Build Your Core Reports
Now, finally, the fun part. Here’s how to set up the reports that actually help you run your sales org.
a. Revenue & Deals Closed
- Go to Reports > Sales Performance.
- Select your date range (month, quarter, or custom).
- Use filters to break down by team, rep, or product.
- Export to CSV if you want to slice and dice in Excel or Google Sheets.
What to watch for: Sudden dips or spikes. If numbers look weird, check for wonky data entry or missing deals.
b. Pipeline Health
- Go to Reports > Pipeline Overview.
- Visualizes deals by stage (e.g., Discovery, Proposal, Negotiation).
- Use “Age in Stage” to spot deals that are stuck.
- Filter by owner, source, or product.
Pro tip: If you see lots of deals stuck in one stage, talk to the team—don’t just add more stages.
c. Win Rate & Sales Cycle
- Reports > Conversion Metrics.
- Shows % of deals closed and average sales cycle length.
- Can compare by rep, team, or source.
What not to obsess over: Small changes month to month. Look for big trends, not noise.
d. Activity Metrics
- Reports > Activity Tracking.
- See number of calls, emails, meetings logged.
- Useful for coaching, but don’t use as a blunt instrument. Quality over quantity.
e. Custom Reports
- Use Custom Report Builder for more advanced stuff (e.g., deals by region or lost reasons).
- Set filters, group by whatever matters.
- Save as a template if you’ll use it often.
Warning: Custom reports can get unwieldy fast. If you’re spending more time building reports than acting on them, pull back.
5. Step Four: Share and Schedule Reports (Without Annoying Everyone)
Data is useless if it just sits in your dashboard. Here’s how to actually get people to use it:
- Set up scheduled emails. Most GetSales reports can be sent daily, weekly, or monthly. Pick what your team can handle (usually weekly is enough).
- Choose your audience. Don’t blast all metrics to everyone. Execs want high-level; reps want their own numbers.
- Include context. Add a note if there’s an outlier, a big win, or something that needs attention.
- Don’t overdo it. If people start ignoring the reports, you’re sending too many.
Pro tip: Use meetings to highlight trends, not to read out numbers everyone can see for themselves.
6. Step Five: Use the Data—Don’t Worship It
The point of reporting is to act, not to admire pretty charts. Some ways to keep your metrics honest and actionable:
- Spot issues early. If pipeline is thinning or win rates drop, dig in before it’s a fire drill.
- Run experiments. Try a new pitch or process, then check if the numbers move.
- Coach, don’t punish. Use activity and win/loss data to help reps get better, not to shame anyone.
Caveats: - If a number looks too good to be true, it probably is—double-check the data. - Avoid “metric creep.” If everything is measured, nothing is meaningful.
7. What to Ignore (and What to Fix)
Not every shiny report is worth your time. Here’s what you can safely skip or prune:
- “AI Insights” that don’t make sense. If GetSales says your pipeline will “double” next quarter with no real change, don’t bank on it.
- Charts that nobody looks at. If a report is never opened, kill it.
- Busywork dashboards. If you’re tracking activities just to track them, ask yourself why.
When to fix: If reports are wrong or nobody trusts them, go back to your data setup. It’s almost always a garbage-in, garbage-out problem.
8. Quick Troubleshooting Guide
- Data looks off? Double-check pipeline stages and data entry habits.
- Metrics not updating? Make sure integrations (email, phone, CRM sync) are connected and working.
- Team not using reports? Ask what they actually need, then cut the rest.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Don’t fall into the trap of building the “perfect” dashboard. Start with a handful of useful metrics, make sure the data is clean, and use the numbers to steer your team—not to drown them. Good reporting with GetSales is about clarity, not complexity. Refine as you go, drop what isn’t working, and keep your focus on what actually moves the needle. That’s how you make these tools work for you—not the other way around.