If you’re in B2B sales ops or revops, chances are you’ve already had it up to here with dashboards that look great but don’t actually tell you anything useful. You want real answers, not just more charts. This guide is for sales, ops, and analytics folks who need to build useful dashboards in Glyphic—whether you’re evaluating the tool or knee-deep in a trial.
What follows isn’t a quick tour or a fluffy “just drag and drop” story. You’ll get the nuts and bolts, some honest warnings, and a step-by-step path for building dashboards that your team will actually use (and not just ignore after week one).
Why bother with custom dashboards in the first place?
Before you start dragging widgets around, it’s worth asking: do you really need a custom dashboard? Glyphic comes with some stock templates, but most B2B sales teams outgrow those fast. You’ll need custom dashboards if:
- You want to combine data from more than one source (think: CRM and your deal desk tool).
- Leadership keeps asking for “that one view” that doesn’t exist anywhere.
- You’re tired of exporting to Excel for the hundredth time just to get a simple win/loss trend.
If that sounds like your day, let’s get into it.
Step 1: Get your data into Glyphic
This is the part where most dashboard projects die. If your data’s a mess, no dashboard will save you. Glyphic connects to a bunch of common B2B sales tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, spreadsheets, etc.), but “connects” doesn’t mean “magically cleans up your data.” Be prepared.
How to get started:
- Pick your sources. Glyphic lets you link up to your CRM, spreadsheets, and a few other tools. Start with just one if you’re testing—more sources = more headaches.
- Connect and authenticate. Click “Add Data Source,” pick your tool, and follow the prompts. You’ll need admin access for most integrations.
- Check your fields. Glyphic tries to map standard fields (like “Deal Value” or “Close Date”), but anything custom will need your attention.
- Preview your data. Glyphic’s preview window is basic but good enough to spot obvious issues—missing values, weird date formats, duplicate records.
Pro tip: Don’t connect everything at once. Get one source working well before you add more. It’s easier to debug and less overwhelming.
What to ignore: Fancy data transformation options in setup. Unless you know exactly what you’re doing, keep it simple for now.
Step 2: Define what you want to see (and why)
This is the part everyone skips, then regrets. If you don’t know what you want to measure—or more importantly, what action you’ll take based on it—your dashboards will turn into wall art.
Ask yourself (and your team):
- What are the 2–3 real questions we need to answer? (e.g., “Where are deals stalling?” or “Which reps are sandbagging?”)
- Who’s going to look at this dashboard—just you, or the whole sales org?
- How often will it actually get used? (If the answer is “never,” stop now and save yourself some time.)
Write these down. If you can’t summarize what you want in a few bullet points, you’re not ready to build.
Step 3: Create a new dashboard
Now for the part everyone thinks is “the real work” (it’s not, but it’s important). In Glyphic, dashboards are containers for your charts, tables, and metrics. Here’s how to start:
- Click “Dashboards” > “New Dashboard.”
- Name it something clear. “Q2 Pipeline Health” beats “Sales Stuff.”
- Set sharing permissions. Decide who needs to see this. Glyphic lets you share with individuals, teams, or keep it private.
- Choose a layout. Start with the grid—flexible enough for most needs.
Honest take: Glyphic’s dashboards look clean, but the UI can feel a bit “clicky”—expect to do a lot of dragging and resizing, especially at first.
Step 4: Add your first chart or widget
Here’s where you actually see something for your effort.
To add a widget:
- Click “Add Widget” or the + icon.
- Choose your visualization:
- Bar/Column chart: Good for comparing reps or regions.
- Line chart: Useful for trends over time.
- Table: Sometimes, the boring option is best—especially for detailed lists.
- KPI/Metric: For one-number summaries (e.g., “Open Pipeline $”).
- Pick your data source and fields.
Glyphic will show you available tables and columns. Pick carefully—bad field choices lead to nonsense charts. - Set filters.
Want to show only active deals? Add a simple filter. Don’t go wild here; too many filters confuse everyone. - Configure grouping and sorting.
Group by rep, stage, or product—whatever matches your earlier “what do we need?” notes.
Pro tip: Less is more. One chart that answers a real question is better than five that just look pretty.
Step 5: Polish your dashboard (but don’t overdo it)
It’s tempting to tweak colors, rearrange widgets, and chase “perfect” alignment. Resist the urge. Focus on clarity:
- Label everything. Don’t make people guess what “Chart 2” means.
- Add notes or tooltips. Glyphic lets you add short descriptions—use them for context (“Includes deals over $10k only”).
- Check mobile/responsive view. If your team checks dashboards on phones (say, in the field), make sure nothing breaks.
What to ignore:
Big background images, “fun” color schemes, or trying to squeeze every KPI onto one screen. None of that actually helps anyone make better decisions.
Step 6: Share and get feedback
Don’t just email a link and call it a day. Roll it out like you mean it:
- Share with your team or leaders. Use Glyphic’s built-in permissions, or export a PDF for less technical folks.
- Ask for real feedback. Not “Does this look nice?” but “Can you find what you need? What’s missing?”
- Watch how people use it. Are they lost? Are they ignoring certain charts? That’s your cue to tweak or trim.
Pro tip: Be ready to kill your darlings. If a chart isn’t useful, drop it. Dashboards should be living documents, not monuments.
Step 7: Iterate and maintain
No dashboard is ever “done.” Business questions change, data sources break, and someone always wants to see last quarter’s numbers just a little differently.
- Schedule a quick review every month or quarter. Is everything still relevant? Are you tracking what matters?
- Stay on top of data integration issues. Glyphic’s support is decent, but don’t expect miracles—sometimes you’ll have to nudge your CRM admin.
- Keep permissions up to date. People change roles, leave, or join.
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over real-time data unless you actually need it. For most B2B sales teams, daily or weekly refreshes are plenty.
Common pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Too much data, not enough insight: If your dashboard looks like Times Square, start cutting. Each widget should earn its spot.
- Custom fields chaos: If your CRM is full of one-off fields, mapping them in Glyphic can get ugly. Stick to standardized fields when possible.
- Ignoring user feedback: If people stop using your dashboard, don’t blame them. Ask why—and fix it.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, keep it useful
The best dashboards do one thing: help your team make better decisions, faster. Don’t get lost in the weeds or try to impress people with fancy visuals. Start small, focus on the real questions, and don’t be afraid to scrap what isn’t working.
Remember, the goal isn’t dashboard perfection—it’s sales clarity. Build, test, tweak, and don’t be precious. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.