The Backstory: You run the same check every Monday morning: how much pipeline was created last week, which accounts went quiet, and whether the team is pacing to target. Rather than rebuilding those numbers report by report, you set up a Board with sections for activity and pipeline metrics. This gives you a saved, visual view you can open each week and read in seconds.
Boards are customizable dashboards that present your data in clear, visual layouts—combining preconfigured KPIs and charts into tailored views. Boards are easy to create and navigate, so you can quickly spot team trends, assess pipeline health, and identify leading performance indicators without needing advanced reporting skills.
Board Components
Boards are composed of Sections filled with Charts.
Charts are the building blocks of a Board. Each Chart displays one or more metrics in a format you choose, such as a number, gauge, or bar chart.
Sections are containers within a Board that group related Charts under a title. Use them to organize metrics (for example, activity vs. pipeline) so the Board is easy to scan. You can add or rename sections any time.
Access an Existing Board
Log into Backstory Engagement Dashboards.
In the left sidebar, use the search bar to search a Board by name, or browse the list of available Boards below the search bar. Boards are represented by a three-tile icon.
Click the Board name to open it.
Create a New Board
Log into Backstory Engagement Dashboards.
In the left sidebar, click the + button.
Click + Create a Board.
In the Enter a board title field, enter a descriptive title like "Weekly Team Insights."
In the Enter a section title field, enter a descriptive section title. You can change this title later if needed.
Add a Chart to Your Board
Click +, then select Add Chart.
[Optional] Choose a pre-built Chart from the Quick Start menu to pre-populate the settings.
In the Start an Analysis sidebar, select Summary or Trend:
Summary for a snapshot of current data, or
Trend to view data over time by month or quarter. Note that Trend data is only available from the date the feature was enabled in your environment.
Under Object Type, select the object you want to analyze: Account, Opportunity, Team, or Activity.
In the Measures dropdown, select the metric you want to display. You can select metrics from Backstory, your CRM, or the ClosePlan Scorecard (ClosePlan customers only). If you select a Backstory metric, also select a time period from the available options.
In the Aggregation dropdown, select the measurement type.
Click Save.
[Optional] Add additional measures by clicking + next to Add a measure.
In the Group By dropdown, select a field to break the data into groups. Grouping displays the data as a column, line, bar, or area chart. If no field is selected, the Chart displays as a number or gauge, depending on the chart type you select.
In the Configure visualization sidebar, select a Chart Type.
If you choose a KPI or Gauge Chart Type, select how you want the information aligned: left, center, or right.
If you choose a Column, Line, Bar, or Area Chart, select the colors for each group in the Chart.
[Optional] To add a comparison, toggle on Set a Comparison. In the Compare to dropdown, select the comparison time period. Select to show the Previous Value, Difference, or Percentage.
[Optional] To add a target, toggle on Set a target. Select a target type and enter a value. The available target types depend on the metric..
Click Filters to add the criteria that define which records appear in the Chart. For example, to show only closed opportunities from a specific quarter, add these filters connected with And:
Opportunity Closed is Yes
Close Date is the desired quarter
Stage is Closed Won and Closed Lost
To filter based on a field from a related object, such as filtering opportunities by an account-level attribute, use the Cross Object Filters option. Note that cross object filters are only available on Account and Opportunity Charts.
Click Create to add the Chart to your Board.
Repeat the instructions above to add all additional Charts to your Board.
Arrange your Charts by clicking and dragging them to your preferred position on the Board.
Click Save to create your Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can create a Board?
Any Backstory user can create their own Boards.
Who can view my Board?
Visibility depends on your Backstory Permission level. Administrators can view all Boards. Non-admin users can only view Boards they created, Boards that have been assigned to them, or Boards that have been made public.
Can I edit or delete a Board after saving it?
Yes. Click the three dots at the top right of the Board to edit, duplicate, or delete it at any time.
Can I use Boards to update data in my CRM?
No. Editing field data is not currently supported in Engagement Dashboards. Boards are for viewing and analyzing data only.
Can I embed a Board in Salesforce?
Yes. You can add a Board Component to any Salesforce Home or App Page. You will need the Board ID, which you can find in the URL after edb.backstory.ai/board/, and then paste it into the Board ID field in the Salesforce Lightning App Builder.
Need Help?
Contact your Customer Success Manager or support@backstory.ai.