The One-Page Dashboard: Numbers Directors Actually Use
A good dashboard is not the most complete one. It is the one that lets someone decide in five minutes.
Start from questions, not data
Ask the directors: which decisions do you make every month, and what numbers do you need for them? The answer is usually no more than eight numbers. Every other chart is decoration.
Eight numbers that usually suffice
- Revenue this month against target.
- Pipeline expected to close this month.
- New leads by source.
- Win rate.
- Cash position.
- Overdue receivables.
- Delayed orders or projects.
- One customer service number, such as response time.
Agree definitions in writing
Arguments about numbers almost always come from definitions, not data. Write what is included and excluded for each number, and store it where everyone can open it.
Show comparisons, not single figures
A number without a comparison means nothing. Place it against target, last month, or the same period last year.
One data source
When sales comes from the CRM and cash from accounting, bring them together in Zoho Analytics so everyone sees the same figures. See also sales dashboards.
Review every six months
Remove charts that never trigger a decision. A shrinking dashboard usually becomes a more useful one.