Sales teams live and die by results. But knowing if your team’s actually performing — and why — isn’t as simple as glancing at a dashboard. If you’re tired of vague metrics and “feel-good” reports, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through using Prosp to get real, usable insights about your sales team’s performance, minus the fluff.
Whether you’re a sales leader looking for better numbers or a revops pro trying to wrangle data, you’ll find honest advice here: what matters, what doesn’t, and how to avoid spinning your wheels.
1. Get Clear on What You Want to Measure
Before you log into Prosp and start clicking through reports, stop for a minute. Ask: What exactly are you trying to find out? More data isn’t always better — it’s just more distracting.
The basics that matter:
- Revenue closed – Don’t overthink it: deals won, money in the bank.
- Pipeline health – Is there enough in the funnel to hit next quarter’s goals?
- Activity – Calls, emails, meetings. But only as a means to an end, not as the goal.
- Conversion rates – How many leads or opps become actual sales?
- Sales cycle length – Are deals getting stuck, or closing fast?
- Individual and team performance – Who’s pulling their weight, who needs help?
What not to obsess over:
- Vanity metrics (number of touches, time logged in, etc.)
- Charts that look impressive but don’t help you make decisions
Pro tip: Write down what you want to measure — and why. If you can’t tie it to a business decision, skip it.
2. Set Up Your Data in Prosp (and Clean Up the Mess)
If your data’s a mess, your reports will be too. Prosp is only as good as what you put in.
Start with a data check:
- Are all deals entered and up to date?
- Are fields standardized? (e.g., no “Q2 24”, “Q2-2024”, and “Spring 2024” all in the same column)
- Is activity logging consistent? If half your team logs calls and the other half doesn’t, your activity reports are garbage.
In Prosp:
- Use the import tools to pull in your data from Salesforce, HubSpot, or wherever you keep it.
- Map fields carefully. If you’re not sure what something is, ask — or leave it out.
- Set up user roles and permissions so only the right people can edit key data.
Don’t skip this step. Nothing tanks trust in reporting faster than “Wait, that’s not right…”
3. Build Your Core Reports
You don’t need 20 dashboards. You need a handful of reports that answer real questions. In Prosp, you can start with templates — but tweak them for your use.
The reports that matter:
3.1. Sales Performance by Rep
- Shows closed/won revenue by rep, against quota.
- Filters for region, product line, or team.
- Red flag: If someone’s numbers look off, double-check data entry — don’t assume it’s a performance issue.
3.2. Pipeline Coverage Report
- Open deals by stage, expected close date, and amount.
- Are you at 3x pipeline for the target? If not, time to fill the funnel.
3.3. Activity Tracking
- Calls, meetings, emails per rep.
- Only useful if correlated with results — activity for its own sake is a treadmill.
3.4. Conversion Funnel
- From lead to opp, opp to closed/won.
- Spot where leads are dropping out.
- Sometimes the “problem” is just bad lead quality, not your team.
3.5. Sales Cycle Analysis
- Average days to close.
- Break down by deal size or product to see where things slow down.
How to set these up in Prosp:
- Use the “New Report” button, pick a template, and adjust filters.
- Save your favorites to a dashboard.
- Schedule reports to go out via email — but only if people actually read them.
Pro tip: If a report doesn’t spark action or a conversation, delete it. Don’t let dashboards become wallpaper.
4. Use Dashboards (the Right Way)
A dashboard can be a lifesaver, or just more noise. Here’s what actually works:
- Keep it simple: 3-5 widgets max. More than that, and people stop looking.
- Highlight what matters: Quota attainment, pipeline coverage, conversion rates.
- Don’t clutter with “fun facts.” No one needs a pie chart of email types sent.
- Make it accessible: Set permissions so managers and reps see what’s relevant to them.
In Prosp:
- Drag and drop your core reports onto a dashboard.
- Use color coding sparingly — only to highlight outliers, not every bar.
- Share dashboards with teams, but don’t force everyone to look at everything.
Honest take: Most dashboards get ignored after the first week. Review yours monthly. Kill anything not helping.
5. Dig Deeper: Filters and Segmentation
The power of Prosp isn’t in showing you all the data — it’s in letting you slice it to find the story.
Useful ways to segment:
- By time period (month, quarter, year)
- By rep or team
- By deal size or product line
- By lead source (marketing, outbound, referral)
What to ignore:
- Endless drilldowns. If you’re six clicks deep and not finding anything actionable, you’re probably just data-mining for comfort.
Pro tip: Set up a few saved filters for your most common questions. Don’t reinvent the wheel every time.
6. Spot Trends, Not Just Snapshots
It’s easy to get obsessed with “how are we doing this month?” But single data points don’t tell you much.
Look for:
- Trends over time: Is performance improving, flat, or dipping?
- Seasonal patterns: Do deals always slow down in August?
- Leading indicators: A dip in pipeline today means trouble next quarter.
In Prosp:
- Use the trendline and comparison features to see change over time.
- Export to CSV if you want to do your own analysis — sometimes a simple spreadsheet beats any fancy tool.
Warning signs to watch for:
- Sudden spikes or drops that don’t match reality (often data entry errors)
- Reports that always look “good” but never lead to better results
7. Turn Insights into Action (or Don’t Bother)
Reports mean nothing if no one acts on them.
- Share findings in team meetings. Don’t just email a dashboard link and hope for the best.
- Set clear next steps: If conversion rates are tanking, decide who’s fixing it and how.
- Review regularly: Monthly or bi-weekly. Don’t let issues fester.
What to avoid:
- “Reporting theater.” If people nod but nothing changes, it’s just for show.
- Using reports to micromanage. The goal is to improve, not to catch people out.
8. Avoid Common Pitfalls
A few honest warnings:
- More data ≠ better decisions. Focus on what helps you act.
- Don’t chase perfection. It’s fine if your data isn’t perfect — just improve it over time.
- Ignore the shiny stuff. Prosp’s got fancy charts, but if they don’t help you, skip them.
- Beware of over-reporting. If people are spending more time in reports than selling, something’s off.
Keep It Simple, Review, and Iterate
You don’t need to be a reporting whiz to get value from Prosp — just focus on the basics, keep your data clean, and review your setup every month or two. Don’t be afraid to delete reports (or dashboards) that aren’t helping. The goal isn’t to look busy, it’s to know your team’s performance and do something about it.
Start small, stay skeptical, and keep tweaking. That’s how you actually get results that matter.