A useful dashboard fits on a single screen. If you have to scroll, there are too many indicators.
1. New requests
How many prospects or requests came in this week? This is the business's fuel.
2. Conversion rate
Out of ten quotes sent, how many become contracts? A drop points to a pricing, follow-up or qualification problem.
3. Overdue files or jobs
How many files have gone past the planned deadline? This is the most direct client satisfaction indicator.
4. Accounts receivable
How much money are you owed, and for how long? A profitable SMB can run short of cash if payments come in late.
5. Workload per person
Who is overloaded, and who has availability? Useful for spreading out tasks and planning hires.
How to feed it
The trap is building a dashboard that takes an hour of compiling every week. The data should come automatically from your tools: CRM, forms, invoicing.
The routine
Fifteen minutes every Monday morning, with the same indicators. Consistency matters more than sophistication.
