If you run a sales team, you know the drill: everyone wants more data, but nobody wants to drown in it. Performance dashboards should help, but between endless configuration screens and vague “gamification” promises, it’s easy to overcomplicate things. If you’re using Hoopla, you’re probably here to make your numbers (and your reps) more visible—without burning hours setting up fluff.
Here’s how to build a sales dashboard in Hoopla that actually helps your team sell. No nonsense, no buzzwords, just the steps that matter.
1. Know What You (Actually) Need From a Dashboard
Before you click a single setting, take five minutes and jot down:
- What do you want your team to see every day?
- Which numbers actually drive behavior? (Think: calls made, deals closed, pipeline created—not vanity metrics.)
- Who’s the dashboard for? Managers? Reps? The whole company?
Pro tip: If everything is “critical,” nothing is. Limit yourself to 3–5 key metrics per dashboard. If you must, make different dashboards for different roles.
2. Connect Your Data Sources
Hoopla isn’t a CRM—it just pulls data from tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, or spreadsheets. This step is where most headaches happen.
To connect your data:
- Go to Admin > Integrations inside Hoopla.
- Pick your source: Most sales teams use Salesforce or HubSpot. Click to connect and follow the prompts. You’ll probably need admin access.
- Map your fields: Don’t just grab everything. Pick only the fields you’ll actually use in your dashboards (e.g., “Closed Won,” “Calls Made,” etc.).
- Test the connection: Pull in a small set of dummy data or a test account. Make sure it looks right—no weird field mismatches or broken numbers.
Things to ignore:
Don’t bother connecting every available field “just in case.” More data means more confusion. Pull in only what you’ll actually display.
3. Create a New Dashboard
Time to build. Hoopla calls dashboards “Channels.” Each Channel can show a mix of metrics, leaderboards, and announcements.
Building your first Channel:
- Go to Channels > Create Channel.
- Name your Channel something obvious, like “Sales Team Dashboard.”
- Choose a layout—start simple. The grid or basic leaderboard views work for most teams.
- Add a metric widget: Click “Add Widget” and pick your key metric (e.g., “Closed Deals This Month”).
Pro tip:
Don’t get distracted by flashy templates. Start with a bare-bones dashboard, then add bells and whistles later if you need them.
4. Add and Configure Metrics
Here’s where most dashboards get bloated. Focus on high-impact, actionable metrics.
Common sales metrics to include:
- Calls Made (daily, weekly, or monthly)
- Meetings Booked
- Deals Closed / Closed Won
- Pipeline Created
- Revenue Booked
To add a metric:
- Click “Add Widget” and select “Metric.”
- Choose your data source and field (mapped in Step 2).
- Set the time frame (e.g., “This Month” or “Today”).
- Pick whether you want to show team totals, individual rankings, or both.
What to skip:
Metrics nobody acts on. “Emails Sent” might look busy but rarely drives real sales behavior. Same goes for stats like “Opportunities Viewed” or “Notes Added.”
5. Set Up Leaderboards and Recognition
Salespeople are competitive. Use that. Hoopla’s leaderboards can show top performers for any metric.
To add a leaderboard:
- Add a “Leaderboard” widget.
- Select your metric (e.g., “Deals Closed”).
- Set your time range (day, week, month).
- Choose which users or teams to include.
Recognition tools:
- Celebrations: Hoopla can play a song, show a GIF, or flash a message when someone hits a goal. It’s cheesy, but it works for some teams.
- Automated announcements: Set triggers (e.g., “First Closed Deal of the Day”) to broadcast small wins.
Honest take:
If your team rolls their eyes at confetti, keep it minimal. Recognition should motivate, not annoy.
6. Customize Views for Different Audiences
Not everyone needs to see everything. Managers might want pipeline health; reps just want to know where they stand.
Ways to segment dashboards:
- By role: Create separate Channels for managers vs. reps.
- By team: If you’ve got multiple teams or regions, show only what’s relevant to each.
- Personal dashboards: Let reps build their own (if they actually care—don’t force it).
Don’t overdo permissions:
Too many Channels can get confusing. Keep navigation simple: one main dashboard per group.
7. Set Up Dashboard Displays
Dashboards are only useful if people actually look at them.
How to get dashboards seen:
- TVs on the sales floor: Hoopla is built for this. Use the “Display” feature to cast your Channel to any screen.
- Desktop tabs: Encourage reps to pin the dashboard in their browser.
- Slack/Microsoft Teams integration: Push big wins or leaderboard changes straight to chat.
A word of caution:
Don’t go overboard with notifications. Too many pings and people start tuning them out.
8. Review and Iterate
No dashboard is perfect on the first try. The best ones evolve.
Every month (or quarter):
- Ask your team: “Is anything on this dashboard pointless or missing?”
- Look for metrics that haven’t changed in weeks—cut them.
- Add only what solves a real problem (e.g., new product line, changing quotas).
Pro tip:
If nobody mentions the dashboard in meetings or 1:1s, it’s a sign it’s not helping. Simplify and refocus.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works:
- Focusing on a handful of metrics that drive behavior
- Making performance visible and public (but not shaming)
- Recognizing wins instantly
What doesn’t:
- Overcomplicating with dozens of widgets or data sources
- Forcing “fun” features if your culture isn’t into it
- Treating dashboards as a set-it-and-forget-it tool
Ignore:
- Vanity metrics that don’t tie to actual sales
- Endless customization—pick a simple view and stick with it
- Trendy features that sound cool but distract from the basics
Keep It Simple and Iterate
A dashboard is just a tool. The best ones are simple, clear, and used every day. Start lean, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to strip things down if they get cluttered. If your team can glance up and know how they’re doing (and what to do next), you’ve nailed it.
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of done. Build it, test it, and keep tweaking. That’s how dashboards actually help sales teams hit their numbers.