Steps to Creating a Template for KPI Dashboards

KPIs are a valuable tool for business owners who want to be efficient. For instance, marketers use it in identifying key metrics important to your company. Also, it allows you to create the most effective marketing plan to hit your performance goals.

A key performance indicator is a powerful tool that can help you understand what is going on inside your company. It is also crucial to ensure your dashboard is easy to use and efficient. However, creating a sales KPI dashboard is a step-wise process.

Several folks often make mistakes by skipping the processes involved in creating a key performance indicator dashboard. They believe that the first step is selecting dashboard software. However, building a proper KPI dashboard involves more processes than merely selecting software – beyond tech solutions. So, we will discuss a few steps to create a template for your KPI dashboard in this article.

Creating a Sales KPI Dashboard Template

Before going into details about creating outstanding dashboards, we must understand what KPIs are. A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) tool offers reports and comparisons of your recent performance to your goals. Usually, the dashboard shows a visual display of data using graphs and charts. And with this, businesses can easily and quickly gain an understanding of their lapses and progress.

There are some steps you should take to start. Below are a few of them.

Define Your Business Objectives

Since KPIs provide reports for business performances with respect to objectives, listing your business goals is a must-do step. And without these, you may not be able to evaluate your business successes and setbacks. You can click on https://incafrica.com/ to read more about setting business goals.

To state your objectives: you can start by matching your internal processes with your performances. For instance, you may want to limit this to the number of sales made per month, the number of followers on social media, etc. Then, understanding what processes can help you achieve them forms a good base for your KPI.

Make a Design Sketch

This is the tricky part. Sketching a design for a dashboard can be challenging. In short, it often requires choosing a mix of visualization tools like charts, tables, and graphs.

Although it might seem ok to use a combination of most or all of the tools, the simplest designs are usually the best. This is because a simple dashboard is easier to understand. So, you should use one that even a new staff can decipher without much effort.

You can consider the following while making your design:

• Avoid using pie charts
• Avoid using too many colors
• Consider the arrangement and orientation of visualization
• Make use of comparison values

Choose Your Dashboard Software

This is another critical factor to consider in creating a KPI template. You can build your KPI on several platforms. However, consider the following.

• Client management
• Cost
• Managed service VS Self-service
• Deploy time
• Data service connections
• Multiple channel publishing

Several businesses often use Excel for building their dashboards. However, updating the details on this platform seems to be a challenge with this software. So, you can also consider using software that supports the easy distribution and creation of reports.

Gather Vital Data Points

This might probably be the most challenging step for non-tech users. In short, you might begin to feel some headaches. We can suggest some pain killers(lol), but that is just about it.

Gathering data requires using multiple services, using APIs for data retrieval automation, and working closely with an operations unit to generate SQL queries. You click here to read more about SQL queries.

Another vital aspect of gathering data points is building data sources. Each performance indicator you are tracking will have a minimum of one data source. And although this process is tasking, some software providers offer professional services that can help businesses in these areas.

Review Your Dashboard with Others

After building, it is easier to settle for the result. However, different people might have some feedback about your design that can help you improve it. So, you can gather your stakeholders, staff, and other members to review it before deploying.

Building KPIs is a step-wise process. So, do not be discouraged by poor reviews. You can always improve your designs and make them better. Also, remember that a successful one depends on your ability to make adjustments.

Conclusion

Building a key performance indicator dashboard is a process that requires taking careful steps. One may think it merely involves picking good software, but it takes more than that. You will need to set your goals, build an easy-to-use design, and feature some automation. The process is tasking, but it is also necessary.