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Documentation Dashboards Reporting

Dashboards Reporting

Dashboards & Reporting Tutorial

Browse tenant guides generated directly from the Markdown files in docs/tenant.

Introduction

Use this tutorial to learn how dashboard filters and dedicated reporting pages work together in a realistic nonprofit workflow.

This walkthrough is designed for staff who are new to tenant reporting and want to understand not just where to click, but how to move from a broad question to a reliable answer.

What you will learn

By the end of this tutorial, you should understand how to:

  • use the dashboard as a shared operating view
  • apply filters before interpreting widgets
  • compare activity across multiple modules in one period
  • narrow the dashboard to one campaign area when needed
  • decide when to stay in the dashboard and when to move into a dedicated report
  • use dedicated reports for exact finance, compliance, or email follow-up work

Scenario

Your nonprofit is reviewing the last quarter.

Leadership wants a simple picture of fundraising, events, programs, and campaign activity. Finance needs exact exports for compliance follow-up. Staff want to understand whether recent email and fundraising efforts are reinforcing each other or moving in different directions.

The challenge is not just finding the numbers. It is knowing which reporting tool to use at each stage of the conversation.

Before you begin

Before opening the dashboard, clarify three things:

  1. what question the team is asking
  2. what reporting window should be used
  3. whether the outcome needs to be a summary view or an exact export

These choices affect how the dashboard should be read and whether a dedicated report will be necessary later.

Step 1 — Start with the dashboard

Open the main dashboard.

Review the available filter controls before drawing any conclusions from the widgets. Common filters may include:

  • date range
  • period
  • included sources
  • drill-down filters
  • attribution filters

Why start here

The dashboard is the best place to begin when the team needs a shared picture of activity across the tenant.

It allows staff to compare multiple parts of the organization in the same reporting window instead of checking unrelated module screens one at a time.

What to look for

At this point, do not rush into detailed interpretation. First, get oriented.

Look for:

  • whether overall KPIs appear stable or changing
  • whether donations, events, programs, and email seem aligned
  • whether one area stands out as unusually strong or weak
  • whether any chart suggests a question worth investigating
Tip

Treat the dashboard as a conversation starter, not just a wall of numbers.

Step 2 — Set one clear reporting window

Choose a date preset or custom range that matches the question you are trying to answer.

For example:

  • use a shorter range for a live campaign check-in
  • use a quarter for performance review
  • use a fiscal-year or custom window for finance-oriented follow-up

Why this matters

If staff are not looking at the same reporting period, they may think they disagree when they are actually reviewing different scopes.

A shared reporting window creates a shared frame of reference.

Good practice

Say the reporting window out loud in meetings or document it in notes.

For example:

  • “We are looking at Q1 only.”
  • “This dashboard is filtered to the spring campaign period.”
  • “This export is fiscal-year based, not campaign-period based.”

That small habit reduces a lot of reporting confusion.

Step 3 — Read the dashboard as a cross-team snapshot

With the filters in place, review the widgets as a shared summary of tenant activity.

Depending on the enabled modules and available data, the dashboard may help you review:

  • overall KPI movement
  • donation performance
  • event activity
  • program activity
  • email results
  • tracking-source patterns
  • top-performing entities or sources

What this stage is for

This is where teams answer broad questions such as:

  • What appears to be driving results this quarter?
  • Did campaign activity correspond with stronger donations or registrations?
  • Are there patterns that need a closer look?
  • Is one area underperforming relative to expectations?

Example

A community foundation might use this view to compare a scholarship campaign, two spring events, and email engagement over the same quarter before deciding which area deserves deeper follow-up.

Step 4 — Narrow the dashboard to one area

Once the broad picture is clear, use the drill-down filters when the team wants a more focused answer.

You can narrow the dashboard by:

  • event
  • program
  • giving form
  • designation

Why this helps

A broad dashboard is useful for context, but it can become noisy when staff are trying to answer a narrower operational question.

Drill-down filters help isolate one area without losing the visual reporting style of the dashboard.

Questions this can answer

  • How did one event contribute to results during the selected period?
  • Is one giving form driving most of the visible revenue?
  • Are outcomes for one designation different from the overall trend?
  • Did one program perform differently than others?

In many cases, this focused dashboard view is enough for staff conversations and decision-making.

Step 5 — Decide whether the dashboard is enough

At this point, pause before exporting anything.

Ask:

  • Do we already have the answer from the dashboard?
  • Or do we now need an exact report or file?

The dashboard is enough when:

  • the question is directional
  • the team needs comparison or discussion context
  • a summary KPI or chart answers the question
  • no downstream operational export is required

A dedicated report is better when:

  • the task is finance- or compliance-oriented
  • a specific export is needed
  • staff need more exact review than a widget provides
  • the work will continue outside the dashboard

This step is important because it keeps staff from exporting too early or relying on a summary when exactness is required.

Step 6 — Open the dedicated report that matches the task

Once the broad picture is clear, move to the reporting page that matches the next job.

Current reporting pages may include:

  • Email Performance
  • Email Audience Health
  • Event Tax Report
  • Receipting Compliance Report

Use Email Performance when:

  • the team wants a more focused view of email outcomes
  • campaign-level performance matters more than broad cross-module comparison

Use Email Audience Health when:

  • staff need to understand list quality, readiness, or audience-related issues before a send

Use Event Tax Report when:

  • the work is event-specific
  • tax-related follow-up or export is needed

Use Receipting Compliance Report when:

  • the work is about receipting review or compliance handling
  • finance needs a precise file tied to a reporting window

Step 7 — Filter carefully before exporting

For tax, receipting, or exact operational work, apply the date and scope filters carefully before exporting anything.

Why this matters

Dashboard questions and export questions are not always based on the same reporting window.

For example:

  • a campaign review might use a campaign-period date range
  • a finance export might need a fiscal-year or compliance-specific range

Always match the filters to the business process you are supporting.

Good habit

Before exporting, confirm:

  • reporting window
  • event or giving scope
  • whether the export is for finance, operations, or campaign follow-up
  • whether the file format matches the next workflow

Tips and notes

Tip

Start broad, then narrow. This usually produces better reporting decisions than starting with a narrow export and trying to reconstruct the bigger picture later.

Tip

If a widget looks surprising, first confirm the filter set. Many reporting misunderstandings come from comparing different scopes rather than finding bad data.

Warning

It is easy to compare one dashboard screenshot with another without noticing that the date range or drill-down filters changed. Always verify the active filters before discussing trends.

Example: An advancement office might use the dashboard to compare a gala, an annual appeal, and recent email activity across the quarter, then open Receipting Compliance Report for finance-specific follow-up tied to that same general period.

What to do next

After working through this tutorial, try these next steps:

  • review the dashboard for a recent month and then for a quarter
  • narrow the dashboard to one event, program, or giving form
  • open one dedicated reporting page and compare how it differs from the summary dashboard view
  • align your team on a shared reporting habit so dashboard conversations and exports use the right tool for the right job