How to Use HubSpot Reporting Dashboard

Key Takeaways

• HubSpot dashboards combine multiple reports into one view

• You can build a custom dashboard in under 10 minutes

• Dashboards help you track KPIs and spot trends

• Different team members can have different dashboards

• Regular dashboard reviews drive better decision-making

Why Dashboards Matter for Your Business

A dashboard is your command center. Instead of checking 5 different reports, you see all your key metrics in one place. This saves time and helps you notice trends faster.

Good dashboards answer critical questions: How many leads did we generate this month? What's our conversion rate? Which campaigns perform best? A sales leader might care about pipeline and deal velocity. A marketer might care about leads by source and cost per lead.

Step-by-Step: Create Your First Dashboard

Step 1: Access Dashboards

1. Log into HubSpot

2. Click "Reports" in the top menu

3. Select "Dashboards"

4. Click "Create dashboard"

5. Name it something meaningful: "Marketing Team Monthly Metrics"

6. Choose your object (Contacts, Deals, Tickets, etc.)

7. Click "Create"

Step 2: Add Your First Report

1. Click "Add report" or the "+" icon

2. You'll see pre-built report options. Choose one like:

- "Contacts created this month"

- "Leads by source"

- "Deals created this month"

- "Email open rate by campaign"

Click on a report to add it to your dashboard 

Step 3: Customize the Report

After adding a report:

1. Click the report on your dashboard to see editing options

2. Set your date range (last 30 days, this month, custom range, etc.)

3. Add filters if desired (only specific lead sources, certain team members, etc.)

4. Choose your report type (table, pie chart, bar chart, etc.)

5. Drag the report to resize it on your dashboard

6. Click "Save"

- Add report: "Deals by pipeline stage"

Step 5: Create Custom Reports

For metrics not in pre-built reports:

1. Click "Add custom report"

2. Choose your data source (Contacts, Deals, Companies, etc.)

3. Select your metric (count, sum, average, etc.)

4. Add filters as needed

5. Click "Create report"

6. This custom report is added to your dashboard

Step 6: Organize Your Dashboard

Arrange your reports logically:

1. Drag reports to reposition them

2. Group related metrics together (all email metrics in one area, all sales metrics in another)

3. Put your most important metric at the top

4. Make sure the dashboard is readable and not cluttered (aim for 4-8 reports max)

Step 7: Set Up Dashboard Sharing

Make your dashboard available to your team:

1. Click the share icon

2. Choose who can view: specific people, teams, or everyone

3. Choose permissions: can they view only, or can they edit?

4. Click "Save"

Essential Dashboard Examples

Marketing Manager Dashboard:

• Leads created this month

• Leads by source

• Cost per lead by source

• Marketing qualified leads (MQL) created

• Email open rate

• Contacts in nurture workflows

Sales Leader Dashboard:

• Deals created this month

• Pipeline by stage

• Average deal size

• Sales cycle length

• Win rate by sales rep

• Opportunities closing this week

Executive Dashboard:

• Monthly revenue pipeline

• New customers acquired

• Customer acquisition cost

• Average lifetime value

• Marketing-sourced pipeline %

• Win rate trending

Dashboard Best Practices

Focus on Actionable Metrics: Choose metrics that drive decisions. "Page views" might be less important than "leads from website."

Update Regularly: Review your dashboard weekly or daily, depending on the business need. Use it to spot issues early.

Share Across Teams: Marketing and sales should share dashboards. Transparency improves collaboration.

Align with Goals: Build dashboards around your business goals. If you're focusing on customer retention, track retention metrics.

Use the Right Chart Type:

• Use bar charts to compare values

• Use line charts to show trends over time

• Use pie charts to show percentages of a whole

• Use tables to display detailed data

Troubleshooting Dashboard Issues

Problem: A report shows wrong numbers

Solution: Check your filters. The date range filter is the most common culprit.

Problem: A metric I need isn't available

Solution: Use "Custom report" to build exactly what you need.

Problem: Dashboard is too cluttered

Solution: Remove reports you don't review regularly. More isn't better.

Conclusion

HubSpot dashboards turn scattered data into a clearer view of performance. When built around the right KPIs, they help teams track progress, spot issues early, and make faster decisions.

Start with the metrics that matter most, keep the dashboard focused, and refine it as your goals evolve.