Executive dashboards and KPI design: the whole company on one page
A dashboard for the management meeting that shows on one page where sales, profit, cash and operations stand against target, which number is off track, and which unit is behind it.
Best for: CEOs, board members and business owners who want to know where the company stands without drowning in detail.
How is an executive dashboard different from a report?
A report shows every number; an executive dashboard shows only the numbers that drive decisions, next to their target and trend. In seconds a manager sees what is on track and what needs attention.
- Every KPI has a target, a trend and an alert colour.
- Variances are traced to the responsible unit, product or customer.
- The management meeting is spent on decisions, not on reconciling numbers.
How are the KPIs chosen?
Good KPIs come from the company’s goals, not from whatever data is at hand. We review what you want to achieve this year and, for each goal, define one or two measurable KPIs with an exact definition, a data source and an owner.
What is usually on an executive dashboard?
It varies by industry, but most executive dashboards cover:
- Sales and margin against target and last year
- Cash flow, receivables and inventory
- Operational KPIs such as production capacity or service level
- A short list of alerts and items awaiting a decision
What you receive
- A KPI list with definitions, formulas and owners
- A one-page executive dashboard with targets and alerts
- Detail pages to trace the cause of each variance
- Automatic refresh for monthly or weekly meetings
- A short guide to reading the dashboard for managers
Related samples
CEO dashboardCFO dashboardFrequently asked questions
How many KPIs should an executive dashboard have?
Usually eight to twelve on the first page. More than that loses focus; the detail belongs on the following pages.
What if we have not defined our KPIs yet?
KPI design is part of this service. We start from your goals and define the KPIs together.
Can the dashboard be viewed on a phone?
Yes. Power BI has a mobile app, and I design the summary page for phone screens too.
Can it follow our fiscal year and calendar?
Yes. Your fiscal periods, including non-calendar years or the Persian calendar, are built into the data model so every report follows them.
Topics
- Executive dashboard
- KPI design
- Key performance indicators
- Management reporting
- CEO dashboard
- Board reporting