Financial dashboard: metrics, example and how to build one
A financial dashboard is a screen where the owner and the CFO see the state of the company’s cash and profitability every day: revenue, profit, margin, bank balances, customer debt and debts to suppliers. Data is pulled from the accounting system automatically, so the picture is always current.
Financial dashboard example
This is a real dashboard on demo data — hover over the charts to see the values:
Which metrics belong on a financial dashboard
| Metric | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Revenue and its growth rate | Is the business growing and is the sales plan on track? |
| Gross profit and margin | How much we earn on every unit of sales after cost of goods |
| EBITDA and net profit | Is the company profitable after all expenses? |
| Cash in the bank and operating cash flow | Will there be enough cash for salaries, taxes and suppliers? |
| Accounts receivable and DSO | How much customers owe and how fast they pay |
| Accounts payable and DPO | How much and when we have to pay suppliers |
| Cash conversion cycle | How many days cash is tied up in stock and receivables |
| Expenses by category | Where costs grow and whether we stay within budget |
6–8 metrics are enough to start: revenue, gross profit and margin, net profit, cash, receivables and expenses. Add the rest when specific questions arise.
How to read a financial dashboard
- Compare with the plan and the previous period. The deviation, not the absolute number, tells you what to do.
- Look at cash together with profit. A profitable company can run out of cash if receivables or inventory grow.
- Break down margin changes into price, volume, mix and cost — that shows the real cause.
- Watch the trend. One bad weekly number is noise, three in a row is a signal.
How to build a financial dashboard
- Choose the data source. Usually it is the accounting system (through its web service), a Google Sheet or an Excel file exported by accounting.
- Prepare the metrics in the books. The dashboard shows ready figures, so revenue, margin and profit formulas should be set up where the accounting is kept.
- Connect the source in Dashboard and choose a view for each metric: a number, a chart, a gauge or a table.
- Set up period filters and auto-refresh so the dashboard always shows fresh data.
- Share it with the owner and the finance team — by link, with a password or on an office screen.
You can try it on demo data and then connect your own.
Questions and answers
What is a financial dashboard?
A screen with a company’s key financial metrics — revenue, profit, margin, cash and debts — that update automatically from the accounting system or a spreadsheet.
Which metrics should a financial dashboard include?
A minimal set: revenue, gross profit and margin, net profit, cash in the bank, accounts receivable and expenses by category. Then EBITDA, DSO, DPO and the cash conversion cycle.
How is a financial dashboard different from a financial report?
A report records the result for a period, while a dashboard shows the current state and deviations from the plan every day, so you can react before the month closes.
Can I make a financial dashboard from Excel?
Yes: in Dashboard you can upload an Excel or CSV file or connect a Google Sheet, and for an accounting system use its web service.