Healthcare organizations and nonprofits need data to drive decisions, but standard Salesforce dashboards often miss the mark. They can clutter your view with irrelevant metrics, making it tough to focus on what matters most. This guide breaks down seven vital features of custom Salesforce dashboards to help you gain clarity and make a real difference in your mission-driven work.

Why Standard Dashboards Don’t Work for Healthcare and Nonprofits

Standard Salesforce dashboards are built for general business needs, not the specific demands of healthcare and nonprofits. These sectors face unique workflow challenges that generic dashboards can’t handle, leaving teams struggling to pull meaningful insights from their data.

Here are the main issues with off-the-shelf dashboards:

• Overloaded with data that doesn’t match how healthcare providers or nonprofit staff operate.
• Missing critical compliance features for regulations like HIPAA, which healthcare must adhere to.
• Focusing on business metrics like sales, ignoring key indicators such as patient outcomes or donor retention.
• Wasting staff time on manual data work due to poor design and lack of customization.
• Failing to connect fragmented data, leaving patient or donor information scattered across systems.

These shortcomings turn Salesforce into a frustration rather than a tool for progress. Teams struggle to show value, report to stakeholders, or optimize programs with data.

Partner with Equals 11 for Tailored Salesforce Solutions

Equals 11 helps healthcare and nonprofit organizations make the most of Salesforce with custom dashboards and focused consulting. We dive into your mission and operations to build tools that fit your exact needs, delivering real results.

What sets us apart:

• Over 600 Salesforce-certified engineers for projects of any scale.
• A focus on outcomes, solving real problems rather than just adding features.
• Expertise in Salesforce AI tools like Einstein Prediction Builder for smarter insights.
• Specialized knowledge in healthcare compliance and nonprofit reporting needs.
• Strong project management to keep initiatives on track and within budget.

Schedule a consultation to see how Equals 11 can refine your Salesforce dashboards for better impact.

7 Must-Have Features of Custom Salesforce Dashboards

1. Focus on Mission-Driven Metrics

Custom dashboards should track metrics tied directly to your goals, like patient recovery or donor engagement, instead of generic business figures. This ensures every piece of data supports your core purpose.

When leaders see real-time updates on critical areas, such as program results or care improvements, they can make decisions that push their mission forward. To set this up, we collaborate with your team across departments to pinpoint the metrics that define success. For healthcare, this might mean tracking readmission rates or care plan adherence. For nonprofits, it could include donor retention or program costs per person served.

Defining clear goals and metrics turns raw data into useful insights. Shared definitions across teams ensure everyone understands terms like “donor engagement” in the same way.

Equals 11 works closely with you to identify what success looks like, crafting Salesforce metrics that reflect your true objectives and drive progress, not just display numbers.

2. Clear Visuals and Interactive Tools

Dashboards need to show data in a way that’s easy to grasp at a glance, while letting users dig deeper when needed. Good design helps tell a story with your data, guiding quick and informed choices.

With clear visuals, busy staff can spot trends without feeling overwhelmed. For instance, trend lines can reveal patient readmission patterns over time, while bar charts show fundraising progress against targets. Interactive filters let users tailor views to their role, whether it’s a clinician checking care plans or a fundraiser reviewing donor history.

Purpose-built dashboards enable fast trend-spotting and decision-making. Color coding can flag urgent issues, like at-risk patients or declining donor activity, for immediate attention.

Imagine a nonprofit leader seeing a dip in event revenue tied to new staff. Filters reveal low follow-up rates, prompting targeted training. Equals 11 ensures your dashboards deliver actionable visuals tailored to your team’s daily needs.

3. Complete View of Patients and Donors

Unify data from multiple sources, like CRM, EHR, or donor systems, into one clear picture within Salesforce. This breaks down silos, giving a full understanding of your relationships and needs.

A single view supports personalized care or outreach, better coordination, and accurate reporting. It starts with cleaning data and mapping connections across systems, ensuring consistency. Integrating interaction history and activities creates a comprehensive profile.

Adding predictive tools can forecast needs based on past patterns, like a donor’s likelihood to give or a patient’s risk of readmission. Equals 11 tackles data mess with expertise in integration and quality, ensuring your dashboards draw from accurate, connected information for better relationships and compliance.

4. Targeted Segments and Predictive Insights

Use Salesforce tools like Einstein Prediction Builder to group patients or donors by behavior and predict future actions. This turns dashboards into forward-thinking resources, not just reports of the past.

With predictive data, you can act before issues arise, identifying at-risk patients for follow-up or donors likely to lapse for retention efforts. Segmentation sorts groups by factors like risk or giving history, while predictive scores trigger timely actions.

Detailed segmentation and automation are vital for focused efforts. Equals 11 leverages AI expertise to embed predictive tools in your dashboards, helping you reach key individuals early and protect your impact or revenue.

5. Automated Actions for Faster Response

Link dashboard insights to automated workflows and “Next Best Action” prompts to act quickly on data. This ensures insights lead to real steps, not just sit in a report.

Automation cuts down on manual tasks and guides staff to the right moves at the right time. For example, a flagged lapsed donor could trigger an email and a task for follow-up. In healthcare, a missed appointment might prompt a care coordinator outreach automatically.

Combining immediate alerts, scheduled follow-ups, and escalation plans ensures nothing slips through. Equals 11 builds these workflows into your dashboards, turning data into action without extra effort from your team.

6. Mobile Access for On-the-Go Teams

Dashboards should work seamlessly on mobile devices, helping field staff use Salesforce wherever they are. This goes beyond basic design to role-tailored views and offline options.

Mobile access boosts data accuracy and adoption, letting nurses update patient notes or fundraisers log donor details in real time. Layouts are customized per role, showing only relevant data and actions. User-friendly designs improve usage across teams.

Equals 11 focuses on mobile enablement, creating dashboards that fit each role’s needs, even offline, ensuring field updates sync smoothly and keep data fresh.

7. Ongoing Updates with Expert Support

Custom dashboards aren’t a one-time fix. They need regular tweaks to match changing needs, regulations, and feedback, keeping them useful over time.

Continuous updates ensure value as your organization grows or goals shift, protecting your Salesforce investment. Set up quarterly reviews with stakeholders to assess and improve dashboards. Monitor performance for speed and relevance, adjusting for new programs or rules.

Expert input aligns dashboards with compliance and specific workflows. Equals 11 provides ongoing support, blending technical skill and strategy to keep your dashboards effective through any change.

Equals 11 Custom Dashboards vs. Standard Options

Custom dashboards from Equals 11 stand out against standard Salesforce setups. Here’s how they compare across key areas:

Feature	Standard Salesforce Dashboards	Equals 11 Custom Dashboards
Metric Focus	Generic business figures	Mission-driven metrics for specific goals
Data Connection	Basic Salesforce data only	Full view across CRM, EHR, and other systems
Future Insights	Past data reports	AI-powered predictions for proactive steps
Action Triggers	Manual follow-up needed	Automated next steps and workflows
Team Usage	Low due to mismatched design	High with mobile and role-specific setups
Compliance Tools	Basic security features	Advanced encryption and audit tracking
Decision Support	Raw data display	Clear insights with strategic context

Organizations using Equals 11 dashboards see gains in efficiency, compliance, and mission delivery. Well-designed dashboards cut manual tasks and improve targeting for measurable returns. Schedule a consultation to explore the impact custom dashboards can have on your Salesforce value.

Common Questions About Custom Dashboards

How Long Does It Take to Build Custom Dashboards?

Timelines depend on project scope and data readiness. Basic customizations might take 2 to 4 weeks, while complex setups with integrations or mobile features can span 8 to 16 weeks. Equals 11 focuses on clear scoping and streamlined methods for healthcare and nonprofit needs, ensuring timely delivery. Factors like data quality or integration needs can adjust timelines, but we aim for efficiency without cutting corners.

Do Custom Dashboards Support Compliance Needs Like HIPAA?

Yes, custom dashboards offer strong support for compliance. For healthcare, features like encryption, audit trails, and role-based access ensure HIPAA alignment. Nonprofits get tools for donor data protection and reporting. Equals 11 builds these into your dashboard design, reviewing obligations upfront to prevent issues and ease ongoing compliance tasks.

Why Partner with Equals 11 If We Have an In-House Salesforce Team?

Your internal team likely handles routine tasks well, but custom dashboards often need deeper expertise. Equals 11 brings over 600 certified engineers with skills in AI, integrations, and sector-specific rules. We focus on outcomes, prioritizing features for real impact, and offer training to boost your team’s skills for ongoing support, balancing internal and external strengths.

How Do Custom Dashboards Show Salesforce Value?

Custom dashboards make Salesforce a decision-making tool, not just a database. They track key metrics to cut manual reporting time and highlight where resources deliver the best results. For nonprofits, they aid in grant and donor reporting. In healthcare, they support quality and cost goals for contracts. Within six months, most see gains in productivity, accuracy, and strategic focus.

What Makes Equals 11 Unique Among Salesforce Consultants?

Equals 11 combines large-scale expertise with a personalized approach, focusing on your mission before solutions. Our 600+ engineers handle complex needs while staying responsive. We prioritize outcomes over hours billed, often finding better paths than initial requests. Specialized AI and sector knowledge, like compliance or donor rules, give you an edge for advanced Salesforce use.

Turn Data Into Action With Custom Dashboards

Standard Salesforce dashboards hold back healthcare and nonprofit teams from their full potential. The seven features covered here, from mission-focused metrics to ongoing updates, create a path to turn data into a strategic tool. Custom setups improve efficiency, compliance, and most importantly, your ability to serve your community.

Equals 11 brings the know-how to make this happen, tailoring dashboards to your unique challenges. Investing in custom design pays off with clearer insights, stronger funding cases, better outcomes, and enhanced mission work. Organizations that address dashboard gaps now set themselves up for lasting growth.

Ready to make your Salesforce data work harder for your mission? Schedule a consultation with Equals 11 today to learn how custom dashboards can elevate your impact.