Dashboards allow you to read and analyze your CRM data quickly and visually. Dashboards can be created and customized to display a wide range of components, including graphs, sales pipelines, and iFrames.
You can create a system dashboard in the same manner that you would create a system view. Additionally, like a system view, a system dashboard is readable to all users in the CRM system. Once you’ve created a system dashboard, you can open it by clicking the dashboard drop-down and selecting it from the list of options.
Outlook 2003/2007/2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Settings, Customize, and then Customize the System.
On the left, select the Dashboards option.
On the Actions toolbar, click the New button.
Configure your dashboard.
Click the Save and Close button when you are done.
In addition to creating a system dashboard, you can also create a personal dashboard. A personal dashboard belongs to the user who created it. Other CRM users can’t use your personal dashboards, but you have the option to create a personal dashboard and then share it with a user or team. Sharing dashboards is covered in Task D.
Outlook 2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards tab in the Dashboard Management group of the ribbon, click the New button.
Configure your dashboard.
Click the Save and Close button when you are done.
Outlook 2003/2007:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards menu, click the New button.
Configure your dashboard.
Click the Save and Close button when you are done.
You can also edit the items that appear in a dashboard after it has been created. Items like charts and lists can be moved, replaced, and removed from the dashboard. Additionally, you can change the layout of the dashboard by resizing the dashboard sections.
Outlook 2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards tab in the Dashboard Management group of the ribbon, click the New button.
Select a dashboard layout and click the Edit button.
Reconfigure the layout of your dashboard.
On the ribbon in the Save group, click the Save & Close button.
Outlook 2003/2007:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards menu, click the New button.
Select a dashboard layout and click the Edit button.
Reconfigure the layout of your dashboard.
On the ribbon in the Save group, click the Save & Close button.
At some point, another CRM user might want to use one of your personal dashboards. You can share your personal dashboards with other users or teams, much in the same manner that you can share a personal view.
Outlook 2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards tab in the Action group of the ribbon, click the Share this Dashboard button.
On the left, click the Add User/Team button to add a user or team.
When you are finished sharing, click the OK button.
Outlook 2003/2007:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
On the Dashboards menu, click the Share this Dashboard button.
On the left, click the Add User/Team button to add a user or team.
When you are finished sharing, click the OK button.
At some point, you might want to add a custom chart to one of your dashboards. You might, for instance, want a chart to display your accounts by category. Charts are created for specific entities, so if you want to create two similar charts for contacts and accounts, then you would need to create a chart for each entity.
Outlook 2003/2007/2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Customization, and then Customize the System.
On the left, click the Entities option and then select an entity, such as Account.
On the left, click the Charts option.
On the Actions toolbar, click the New button.
Configure your chart and click the Save & Close button when you are done.
Dashboards are really useful because they allow you to visually see summaries of your data without having to go through the traditional process of creating extensive reports.
Users aren’t limited to a single dashboard. Rather, they can move between different dashboards in the same way that they can move between views. To switch to a different dashboard, follow the directions below.
Outlook 2003/2007/2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
The default dashboard should appear.
Above the dashboard, click the Dashboard drop-down.
Select a dashboard from the drop-down.
By drilling down data, you can further analyze the data within a particular data item. You might, for example, want to drill down into the estimated revenue data in a sales pipeline. Drilling down data is as simple as clicking on a data unit in a chart and specifying a new chart.
Outlook 2003/2007/2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
The default dashboard should appear.
On a chart, click on a data item.
Configure the chart for your drilled down data.
Click the OK button.
Dashboard charts are visual representations of your CRM data. If you would rather view this data in list form, then you can view the source records on a chart. The records will then appear as they do elsewhere in CRM.
Outlook 2010/Internet Explorer:
In the Navigation Pane, click Workplace, My Work, then Dashboards.
The default dashboard should appear.
In the top-right corner of a chart, click the View Source Records icon.
A list will appear showing all of the source data that make up the chart.
