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Having a clear, dynamic view of your sales performance at your fingertips through sales dashboard software can be crucial for sales success. Visualizing and analyzing the key sales metrics in a centralized location through a user-friendly platform will not only transform the way sales process takes place, but turn the raw data into actionable insights, and give the reps a clear view of sales performance.
Take Ford Motors as an example. Ford1 had different departments with separate customer data which made it difficult to understand customer needs. So, in 2022, Ford reorganized the company and established separate business units to manage different areas. However, they created a dedicated unit, Ford Pro, to cater to commercial and government clients. But to ensure that this restructuring was successful, Ford had to improve the internal unity.
This lack of a centralized, shared customer database hindered Ford's ability to build strong, long-term customer relationships. Ford spent four months implementing a new system, Salesforce Platform, that comes with integrated sales analytic dashboard software to centralize all their customer data.
They built a dashboard using CRM Analytics to track how well the transformation is working, looking at areas like customer interaction, reducing unnecessary calls, and managing marketing campaigns. In no time, Ford noticed that email click-through rates jumped by 48% and that it’s taking four fewer days to maintain campaigns. Such a result can be achieved with the help of Compass. It is a sales incentive management software, that enables companies to motivate their sales teams using an automated dashboard that gives real-time visibility into performance and commission information.
This underscores the significance of sales dashboard software and how an organization at any scale requires one to silo the sales pipeline effectively. This blog will explore the reasons why sales analytics dashboards are essential and how they can help you lead your business to success.
What is a sales dashboard software?
To understand sales dashboard software, we must understand what sales dashboard stands for. It refers to having a visual representation of sales metrics so that the sales force can access the data related to the progress toward sales goals.
The visual representation can be in the form of a graph or a chart that can easily reveal where sales teams are performing well and where they need to improve. According to Salesforce, an optimized CRM with an integrated sales analytic dashboard can bring you 44% more leads, and a 37% increase in sales revenue.
Sales dashboard software, however, is a tool that visually organizes and presents sales data. You can integrate the tool into your CRM, to improve efficiency. It allows users to quickly understand and analyze important sales metrics. If integrated and used in the right way, this software can:
- Improve the visibility. You can access a clear and concise view of key sales metrics.
- Help you make data-driven decisions. A sales dashboard software can empower managers to make data-driven decisions to improve sales strategies.
- Streamline the sales performance. Sales analytic dashboards simplify the process of tracking individual and team performance and enable better coaching and goal setting.
- Increase the efficiency of reps who use it. Dashboards automate data collection and reporting. It saves time and reduces the risk of errors.
- Lastly, increase the sales performance. Data insights from dashboards can be used to identify areas for improvement and optimize sales activities for better results.
According to HubSpot’s 2024 Sales Trends Report, sales management tools and sales productivity tools have the highest ROI, with 27%, and 25% respectively.
The numbers stand for the value of integrating sales dashboard software even further. Such software has the potential to significantly accelerate the sales process for individual sales representatives. Let's delve deeper into why the sales team require this software to a more detailed level.
What makes a great sales dashboard?
A good sales dashboard should be easy to use and provide valuable insights. To build an effective dashboard, focus on your audience and choose the right sales KPIs. Ask yourself these questions before getting started:
1. Who is your audience?
Identify who will use the dashboard. Is it for a sales executive, manager, or salesperson? Understanding your audience helps you decide which sales KPIs to include.
2. Which sales KPIs should you focus on?
A great sales compensation dashboard should highlight key metrics. Focus on important data like quarterly forecasts, quota attainment, and revenue growth. Avoid overcrowding the dashboard with too many metrics, as this can make it confusing.
3. Is your dashboard connected to real-time data?
Ensure the dashboard pulls data from a reliable source managed by your sales analytics team. Also, decide how often it should update to provide accurate insights.
4. How will you share the dashboard?
Decide how people will access the dashboard. Can they subscribe for regular updates? Will it be available in a CRM or an internal portal?
Using the best dashboard software helps you create effective sales reports. A tool like Tableau makes it easy to build a sales 360 dashboard that serves all teams. Users can set automated alerts for key events, such as reaching sales quotas or achieving revenue targets. A well-designed sales dashboard software keeps sales leaders informed while allowing them to focus on big-picture goals.
4 Sales dashboard examples you need to implement
1. Sales performance dashboard
A sales performance dashboard gives you a complete view of user engagement, earnings, and overall sales metrics. It helps sales teams track their progress, compare forecasts, and make data-driven decisions. Compass, an ICM software with leaderboard and scorecard capabilities, provides these insights to help businesses optimize their sales strategies.
Key widgets:
- User access: Shows how many users have visited the Compass web or mobile app within a specific time. This helps in analyzing engagement and reach.

- Quick actions: Allows quick access to essential features like approval payouts, user management, and group creation within Compass.

- Users and quota: Displays users who have achieved milestones (Eligible) and those who haven't (Not Eligible). Also, it shows quota achievement details.

- Earnings: Provides a summary of total earnings, pending approvals, and rejected payments, ensuring transparency in commissions.

Best for: Sales analysts and managers who need a structured view of user activity and earnings.
When to use: Ideal for tracking daily or weekly sales performance and making informed decisions using Compass.
2. Sales compensation dashboard
A sales compensation dashboard helps businesses track how commissions and incentives are distributed. It ensures fair and transparent payouts. Compass simplifies this process by providing clear insights into compensation trends.
Key Widgets:
- Plan payout trends: Helps understand how users are paid—monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Highlights any unusual trends in payouts.

- Investment vs revenue generation: Compares incentive investments with revenue earned. This helps assess ROI.

- ASC 606 compilation: Ensures all commission and incentive plans comply with regulations like ASC 606 and IFRS 15, a key feature of Compass.

Best for: Sales leaders and finance teams managing commission structures.
When to use: Useful for analyzing compensation trends and making adjustments to commission plans with Compass.
3. Sales 360 dashboard
A sales 360 dashboard gives a full view of sales trends, leaderboard rankings, and ROI calculations. Compass provides these insights to help businesses understand product sales patterns and user performance.
Key widgets:
- Product sales trends: Tracks changes in product sales over time. It helps businesses identify which products are popular and which need more focus.

- Leaderboard: Ranks sales reps based on performance metrics like revenue and sales volume. Compass leverages leaderboards to foster a competitive and motivated sales environment.
- Metric vs plans: Provides insights into how different sales plans perform against each other. Admins can customize it to track key performance indicators (KPIs) using Compass.

Best for: Sales managers and executives looking for a complete view of sales activities.
When to use: Useful for comparing sales strategies, monitoring sales rep performance, and setting future goals with Compass.
4. Sales commission dashboard
A sales commission dashboard tracks earnings, user performance, and quota achievements. It helps admins manage payouts and ensure fair compensation through Compass’s automated tracking features.
Key Widgets:
- Earnings overview: Displays total earnings, pending approvals, and rejected payments.
- Performance report: Shows a snapshot of user performance across different sales plans. Can be customized to filter specific users or plans.

- Users and quota: Highlights users who have met their quotas and those who are still working toward them.
Best for: Sales leaders and finance teams responsible for commission payouts.
When to use: Essential for tracking and adjusting commission structures based on sales performance with Compass.
Why do we need sales dashboard software?
According to HubSpot, up to 78% of salespeople consider that their CRM is effective in enhancing sales alignment. However, to maximize the effect, implement sales dashboard software. Not only will it centralize and visually organize critical sales data but will eliminate the need to compile information from various sources. Imagine the amount of time and effort you can save that can be used after administrative tasks. The dashboard allows you to:
- Track key metrics and KPIs: Sales dashboard software allows businesses to monitor all the essential performance indicators (KPIs) and key metrics (e.g., conversion rates, lead generation, sales pipeline health) in one place. This comprehensive view enables informed decision-making and helps identify areas that require improvement.
- Team performance tracking: You can customize the sales analytic dashboard according to your need to track the performance of individual teams and sales representatives. This allows managers to identify top performers, recognize areas where additional coaching is needed, and ensure everyone is aligned with overall sales goals.
- Monitoring commissions and incentives: Sales dashboard software can be configured to display commission structures, incentive campaign progress, and individual sales rep earnings. This transparency motivates teams and fosters a results-oriented sales culture.
By providing real-time data visualization and insights, sales dashboard software empowers businesses to optimize their sales efforts and achieve sustainable growth.
How to use sales dashboard software to get the best result?
A Salesforce study indicates that data-driven strategies are a key factor for success, with 79% of high-performing sales teams utilizing this approach. Given the compelling nature of this data, it is evident that salespeople require a strategic framework to achieve optimal results.
- Identify key performance indicators (KPIs): Determine the critical metrics that reflect your sales team's success. Examples include revenue generated, conversion rates, and sales cycle length.
- Select sales dashboard software: Choose software that integrates with your existing data sources, such as your CRM system, and offers visualizations that align with your needs.
- Build your dashboard: Design a clear and concise dashboard that displays your chosen KPIs. Prioritize the most important metrics for easy visibility.
- Monitor performance regularly: Schedule regular reviews of your sales analytic dashboard to track progress towards goals and identify areas for improvement.
- Take actionable steps: Based on insights from the dashboard, make data-driven adjustments to your sales strategies and tactics.
Things to consider while choosing the best dashboard software
A study by McKinsey & Company in 2022 found that using data extensively in B2B sales strategies can lead to sales growth of up to 25%. However, selecting the most suitable sales dashboard software can be a challenging task, as there is a wide variety of tools available, each caters to the specific needs of different business models. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the most suitable dashboard software for your needs:
1. Data source compatibility: Ensure the software can connect to your existing data sources, such as databases or marketing platforms.
2. Customization: The ability to tailor dashboards to your specific needs and display the most relevant metrics is crucial.
3. Data visualization: Look for software that offers a variety of clear and easy-to-understand visualization options, like charts and graphs.
4. Scalability: Consider if the software can accommodate your growing data volume and future needs.
5. Security: The software should prioritize data security to protect sensitive information.
Case studies: Mahindra Finance sees 40% faster incentive management with Compass dashboard
Mahindra Finance is a prominent non-banking financial company within the Mahindra Group, a leading Indian enterprise. They specialize in offering financial services such as vehicle loans, home loans, personal loans, and insurance.
Mahindra Finance employs more than 20,000 sales representatives nationwide, and these sales representatives, constituting the Direct Sales Teams, play an essential role in the company's achievements. However, managing their commission and incentive structures presented significant difficulties. This resulted in widespread discontent and operational inefficiencies.
What did Mahindra Finance need help with?
Mahindra Finance was dissatisfied and noticed inefficiencies among employees. They had a fragmented data system. The sales data was scattered across numerous platforms. It caused problems with retrieval, inefficiency, and frequent data loss.
Combining data from various sources proved to be intricate and prone to errors. As a result, it delayed incentive calculations. They had numerous incentive plans tailored to different regions that required frequent updates and manual adjustments. This process increased the risk of errors.
On top of that, time-consuming recalculations due to cheque clearances and audit requirements were error-prone and lacked transparency for employees which delayed the incentive payout. To overcome the challenges, they sought Compass's help, a sales incentive management software, to streamline the complexities.
What measures did Compass take to help Mahinda Finance?
Compass carefully planned and executed multiple implementation processes. Compass integrated its responsive dashboard to consolidate all data sources into a single, central platform. This helped them eliminate the need to manage data from multiple locations. They automated the data processing to increase both speed and accuracy.
In addition to this, they enabled Mahinda Finance with real-time calculations to ensure that calculations are done based on predetermined rules and programs and that the sales representatives are paid promptly and accurately.
Compass offered Mahindra Finance enough flexibility to easily update and manage various incentive programs across different regions and product lines. What proved to be beneficial was the addition of the dashboard as it allowed sales representatives to track their performance and incentive calculations in real-time. This fostered trust and improved communication.
What changes did Mahindra Finance notice?
Compass automated the sales commission process. As a result, Mahindra Finance noticed,
- The number of representatives who qualified for incentives rose by over 25%.
- Calculation errors were minimized by over 98%.
- Incentive processing speed improved by over 99%.
- 30% rise in sales performance.
- 40% reduction in the time dedicated to incentive management.
Conclusão
Gain a clear and centralized view of crucial sales data using sales dashboard software. Monitor performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions to achieve our sales objectives. While there are many options, we recommend Compass. With Compass, you can:
- Track real-time sales performance and payouts.
- Access advanced analytics and insights by adding filters and identifying trends by region, teams, and programs on the fly.
- Generate error-free statements at a granular level.
- Get visibility aspects of commissions including deals in the pipeline, commission accrued, predictions, and more.
Make it easier to analyze and optimize sales strategies with Compass. Schedule a demo call now to learn from our experts how it can provide a centralized view of critical sales metrics and set forth the practice of data-driven decision-making for you.
FAQ's
How do I create a sales performance dashboard in Excel?
To create a sales performance dashboard in Excel:
- Gather data: Collect sales data from your sources.
- Organize data: Structure the data in a clear and logical format.
- Insert charts and graphs: Use Excel's chart tools to create visualizations.
- Use pivot tables: Summarize and analyze data with pivot tables.
- Design the layout: Arrange charts and tables for easy viewing.
- Add interactivity: Use slicers and filters to make the dashboard interactive.
- Review and update: Regularly update the data and refine the dashboard.
What is included in a dashboard?
A dashboard typically includes:
- Key metrics and KPIs: The most important data points to track.
- Visualizations: Charts, graphs, and tables to represent data.
- Filters and controls: Options to customize the view and drill down into data.
- Data sources: Information on where the data is coming from.
- Contextual information: Annotations or explanations to provide context.
What is a KPI dashboard?
A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) dashboard is a tool that visualizes the most important metrics and KPIs for a business. It helps in monitoring performance against targets and making data-driven decisions.
What are the three types of dashboards?
The three types of dashboards are:
- Operational dashboards: Monitor real-time processes and operations.
- Analytical dashboards: Analyze large volumes of data to identify trends and insights.
- Strategic dashboards: Track long-term company strategies and goals.
How to build a sales dashboard?
To build a sales dashboard, follow these steps:
- Define your objectives: Determine what you want to achieve with the dashboard.
- Identify key metrics: Choose the most important sales metrics to track.
- Collect data: Gather data from your sales tools and databases.
- Choose a dashboard tool: Select a tool like Excel, Tableau, or Power BI.
- Design the layout: Organize the dashboard for easy readability.
- Visualize data: Use charts, graphs, and tables to represent data.
- Review and refine: Continuously update and improve the dashboard.