Need to get your Salesforce data onto a live dashboard without spending all day fighting with integrations? This guide is for you. I'll walk you through what actually works (and what doesn't), so you can see your KPIs in Geckoboard and skip the nonsense.
If you're a sales manager, ops person, or just the one who drew the short straw for “make the dashboard work,” keep reading. No marketing talk, just the real steps.
What to Know Before You Start
First, the bad news: Salesforce and Geckoboard don’t have a direct, plug-and-play integration out of the box. You can’t just log in to both and magically see your data. But you can get your Salesforce numbers into Geckoboard with some setup. How tricky this is depends on how much live data you need, how often it changes, and whether you’re willing to use third-party tools.
You’ll need: - Admin access to Salesforce (or at least, rights to run and export reports) - A Geckoboard account - Willingness to use connectors or set up scheduled exports
Step 1: Decide What Data You Actually Need
Before you touch anything, get clear on what you want to show. Don’t try to export your whole CRM—pick a handful of metrics that matter.
Examples: - Total open opportunities by stage - Closed deals this month - Average deal size - Rep leaderboard
Pro tip: Start simple. It’s easy to add more later, but a messy dashboard helps no one.
Step 2: Build or Find the Right Salesforce Report
Geckoboard can’t read your Salesforce objects directly. You need to set up Reports in Salesforce that summarize the data you want.
How to do it: 1. In Salesforce, go to “Reports.” 2. Click “New Report.” 3. Pick the right report type (e.g., Opportunities, Leads, etc.). 4. Add filters (e.g., “Close Date THIS MONTH”). 5. Summarize/group data as needed. 6. Save & Run the report.
Tips: - Use Summary or Tabular reports. Matrix reports are usually overkill for dashboards. - Keep columns to a minimum—only the data you need. - Give the report a clear name (e.g., “Open Opportunities by Stage - For Geckoboard”).
Step 3: Get Your Data Out of Salesforce
Now you have a report, but Geckoboard can’t “see” it yet. You’ve got a few options here, depending on how automated you want this.
Option 1: Manual CSV Export (Quick and Dirty)
- Open your Salesforce report.
- Click “Export.”
- Choose “.csv” format.
- Save the file somewhere you can find it.
Pros: Fast, no extra setup. Cons: You have to do this every time you want updated data. Not scalable.
Option 2: Scheduled Email Reports → Google Sheets
If you want some automation (without a dev), this is a solid workaround. Salesforce can email reports to you on a schedule.
- In your report, click the dropdown and select “Subscribe.”
- Set the frequency (daily, weekly, etc.) and the recipients (your email).
- Use an email parser tool (like Zapier, Mailparser, or even a Google Apps Script) to auto-copy the attached CSV to a Google Sheet.
Pros: Updates automatically. No manual exporting. Cons: Setup is fiddly. Attachments can break if Salesforce changes format. Not real-time.
Option 3: Use a Third-Party Connector (Zapier, Integromat, etc.)
If you want to skip the email dance, use a connector platform to sync Salesforce data into Google Sheets.
- Set up a workflow (Zap) that pulls Salesforce report data and updates a Google Sheet.
- Make sure your connector can access the fields and objects you need.
Pros: More reliable, can be near real-time. Cons: Can get expensive. Some data types or custom reports may not be supported.
What to skip: Don’t waste time with tools that promise “one-click Salesforce dashboards” unless you’ve confirmed they can access the exact data/fields you need. Most can’t.
Step 4: Get Data Into Geckoboard
Now that your data’s in a Google Sheet, you’re in Geckoboard territory. Geckoboard’s Google Sheets integration is solid and easy to use.
Connect Google Sheets to Geckoboard: 1. In Geckoboard, click “Add Widget.” 2. Choose “Google Sheets.” 3. Connect your Google account (if you haven’t already). 4. Find the Sheet you’re using for Salesforce data. 5. Select the relevant worksheet and data range. 6. Pick the visualization type (e.g., Number, Line Chart, Leaderboard).
Tips: - Keep the Sheet clean—don’t change the order of columns or add extra rows above your data. - If your Sheet updates automatically (via Zapier or an email parser), Geckoboard will pull in updates every few minutes.
Step 5: Build and Customize Your Dashboard
Now for the fun part—making the dashboard look good and actually useful.
- Add widgets for each metric you want to show.
- Tweak colors, labels, and widget sizes. Don’t go overboard; clarity beats flash.
- Drag widgets around until the most important numbers are front and center.
- Add filters or breakdowns if you want (e.g., by sales rep, by region).
Pro tip: Show your draft dashboard to a couple of real users before declaring victory. What makes sense to you may be confusing to others.
What About Live Data? (And Why It’s Hard)
Let’s be real: Most of these setups aren’t truly “live.” Google Sheets updates every few minutes, and connectors like Zapier aren’t instant (unless you pay more). If you need second-by-second updates, you’ll need a custom integration using the Salesforce API—and probably a developer.
If you need real-time: - Look into building a middleware app that pulls Salesforce API data and writes it to Google Sheets or directly to a Geckoboard-compatible source. - For most teams, this is overkill. Start with scheduled updates and see if that’s “live enough.”
Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them
- Data mismatch: If your Salesforce report changes (extra columns, filters, etc.), your Google Sheet and dashboard might break. Lock down the report format once it works.
- Connector limits: Zapier and similar tools have usage caps. Watch out for hitting your monthly task limit.
- User permissions: Make sure your Salesforce user has access to everything the report needs, or your exports will be incomplete.
- Data privacy: Don’t pipe sensitive or personal info into dashboards unless you know who’ll see them.
FAQs
Q: Can I connect Salesforce directly to Geckoboard?
A: Not natively. You’ll always need an in-between step—usually Google Sheets.
Q: How often does my Geckoboard dashboard update?
A: If you use Google Sheets, updates are every few minutes. With manual exports, it’s whenever you upload new data.
Q: Is there a way to automate everything, end-to-end?
A: Sort of. With a connector like Zapier or a custom script, you can automate exports from Salesforce to Google Sheets. It’s never truly “set and forget,” but you can get close.
Wrapping Up
Getting your Salesforce data into Geckoboard isn’t always smooth, but it’s doable if you keep it simple. Start with a Google Sheet, automate what you can, and don’t stress about perfection. Iterate as you go—most teams need less data, updated less often, than they think. Focus on what actually helps your team make better decisions, and ignore the rest.