KPI Dashboard Software

Blog & KPI Guidance

Why You Should Avoid Line Charts! (Tuesday, May 08, 2012)
When plotting KPIs the standard chart most managers tend to use is a line chart. Often their KPI reports stay with this chart simply because it was the default option. Yes a line chart works fine and plots the values that you ask, but if you consider it in the context of a busy day when managers are scanning large amounts of information quickly then smaller trends become very easy to miss. ... [More]
How to Pivot your Data (Friday, December 09, 2011)
Pivoting your data allows you to spot trends over time.... [More]
How to show a second Y-axis (Friday, October 21, 2011)
Sometimes when you create a chart with 2 KPI columns you find that the size of the values of the columns is very different the consequence of which is that the chart is hard to interpret. If this happens, you might find it useful to add a second Y axis to your chart.... [More]
How to add a Target to any of your data in 3 steps. (Monday, October 17, 2011)
Using a target on your tables will help you monitor the progress towards your organisation’s goals. On Target Dashboard, target columns result in colour changes in your scorecards, bar indicators and on gauges.... [More]
Create Slide Shows in 2 minutes (Thursday, September 22, 2011)
We have just launched our brand new slideshow /presentation module. This module allows you to take your performance charts and graphs and create an annotated slide show. This slide show can be automatic and self running or can be manually advanced. ... [More]
Charting Key Performance Indicators (Tuesday, September 20, 2011)
Sometimes what you think you want to chart isn’t actually what you should chart.... [More]
KPI reporting for smaller organisations (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)
At what point is an organisation large enough to warrant the purchase of a reporting tool or small enough not to need one?... [More]
Measures v Targets (Friday, July 08, 2011)
Is a measure the same thing as a target?... [More]
Performance Statistics - Identify trends, take action! (Tuesday, April 19, 2011)
You’ve decided what KPIs you want to measure, you’ve got buy in from around the organisation. What’s next? A presentation method AKA, a performance analysis tool.... [More]
Measuring corporate performance (Thursday, March 31, 2011)
Successful companies make good decisions by measuring and then analysing key statistics about their organisation.... [More]
HR KPIs - what is this? (Tuesday, February 22, 2011)
Do you keep hearing the term HR KPI or even just KPI? Here’s my 3 minute explanation.... [More]
Where do I start with HR KPI reporting? (Monday, February 21, 2011)
So many measures, so many ways to do it, where do you begin?... [More]
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Management Reports & Dashboard Best Practice

12 Part Guide
This is the ultimate guide to the production and presentation of your Key Performance Indicators so that you can get more information and make better decisions form your data.

1. Well-chosen KPIs = Better Business Decisions
How to choose the right KPIs to put into Management Reports and Dashboards.
2. Dashboard Design
What is the best way to present and layout a Dashboard?
3. Dashboard Visual Indicators
Choosing the best Charts, Gauges, Tables, Scorecards to communicate the message.
4. Choosing the Right Chart
How to pick the correct chart to fit your KPI or performance figure.
5. Time and Category Charts
Time and Category Charts are fundamentally different and therefore should be used differently.
6. Measurement Charts
The best charts and approaches when you want to see exact values.
7. Trend Charts
The best charts and approaches when you want to communicate trends.
8. How to Reveal Trends
How to show a trend from fluctuating data.
9. Comparison Charts
Building charts that compare one year to another.
10. Distribution Category Charts
How to make a chart (such as a pie chart) communicate the distribution of categorised data.
11. Don't Forget The Data
Why it's important to display data with your visuals and how to do it.
12. Paper and Electronic Reports
Paper is just as important as electronic dashboards, but there are some key differences in how to present information.