Creating KPI Dashboards: The Most Important Metrics at a Glance 2026
Which KPIs belong on the dashboard? Practical templates for sales, marketing, finance and production - with concrete examples.
Jonas Höttler
Creating KPI Dashboards: The Most Important Metrics at a Glance 2026
A dashboard is only as good as its KPIs. Too many metrics confuse, too few hide important information. This guide shows you which KPIs matter for which area and how to visualize them effectively.
Table of Contents
- What Makes a Good KPI?
- KPIs by Business Area
- Dashboard Design: Best Practices
- Templates and Examples
- FAQ
What Makes a Good KPI?
SMART Criteria for KPIs
| Criterion | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Specific | Clearly defined | "Revenue" is too vague, "Net revenue excl. returns" is specific |
| Measurable | Quantifiable | "Customer satisfaction" → NPS score 0-10 |
| Accepted | Understood by all | Definition is documented |
| Relevant | Useful for decisions | Directly actionable |
| Time-bound | Clear time reference | Month, quarter, YTD |
The Golden Rule
5-9 KPIs per dashboard view
- Under 5: Too little context
- Over 9: Cognitive overload
- Sweet spot: 7 ± 2 (Miller's Law)
KPIs by Business Area
Executive Dashboard
Top 7 Executive KPIs:
- Revenue (vs. plan, vs. last year)
- EBITDA / Profit
- Cash Flow
- Order Intake
- Customer Satisfaction (NPS)
- Employee Satisfaction (eNPS)
- Pipeline Value
Sales Dashboard
Key KPIs: Order intake, Win Rate, Sales Cycle, Pipeline Value, Average Deal Size
Marketing Dashboard
Key KPIs: Website Traffic, Leads Generated, Cost per Lead, Conversion Rate, CAC
Finance Dashboard
Key KPIs: Revenue, Gross Margin, EBITDA, Cash Runway, DSO
Dashboard Design: Best Practices
Layout Principles
F-Pattern: Users read from top-left to right, then down. Most important KPIs top-left.
Visualization Types
| Data Type | Best Visualization |
|---|---|
| Single value | Big Number / Scorecard |
| Trend over time | Line chart |
| Comparison | Bar chart |
| Parts of whole | Donut chart |
| Progress | Gauge / Bullet chart |
Conclusion
A good KPI dashboard is not a nice-to-have, but a management tool. With the right metrics, meaningful visualization and regular use, better decisions become habit.
Rules of thumb:
- Less is more (5-9 KPIs)
- Always with comparison value
- Leading + Lagging indicators
- Actionability over completeness
At Balane Tech, we create KPI dashboards that are actually used - not just look nice. Contact us for a free consultation.
FAQ
How many KPIs should a dashboard have?
5-9 per view. If you need more, create multiple tabs or drill-down levels.
Which tool for KPI dashboards?
Power BI for Microsoft environments, Looker Studio for marketing/Google, Tableau for complex analyses.
How often should KPIs be updated?
Depends on the use case. Executive: Daily/Weekly. Operational: Daily/Hourly. Real-time only when necessary (expensive).
