Getting Started
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      2. Getting Started

      Overview: Onboarding

      If you are an Agency Partner, use this specialized Agency Onboarding Guide

      In this article, we'll outline the recommended setup strategy for Databox users.

      This strategy coincides with the free Predictable Performance Training Course, which provides training on how to align your team around the right Metrics to track, how to create dashboards that allow you to efficiently and effectively analyze your performance, and how to set yourself up to adjust your strategy when need be. 

      Each recommended step is designed to help you get completely set up while ensuring you have a greater understanding of the tools available to help bring your reporting process to the next level. 

      HOW TO

      How to align your team around the right Metrics to track

      Success can’t be achieved unless it’s well-defined. The first step to developing a strong reporting process is choosing the right Metrics to track and setting Goals that will measure the success of your efforts. 

      HOW TO

      Invite Users to your Account

      Your Databox Account is a space for you and your team members to centralize data monitoring and analysis. Invite your team to this Account to give them the opportunity to connect Data Sources, specify which Metrics are significant for their role/ department, and analyze your company's data. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Connect Data Sources

      In order to start identifying the Metrics that are significant for you to monitor and analyze, you will need to connect one of each Data Source you'll be using in your dashboards. 

      View a full list of Data Sources that directly integrate with Databox here. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: It's important that your Data Sources are connected as soon as possible so data syncing can begin. Each Data Source has different limits in place for how much historical data can be accessed when the initial connection is made. Learn more about how much historical data each Data Source can initially sync here.

      Once data syncs with Databox, it is stored in Databox's own database. This allows us to accumulate more historical data over time. 

      Add Metrics to the Metrics screen

      The Metrics screen allows everyone in your organization to create a personalized view of all the Metrics that matter to them, while also gaining visibility into Metrics that are significant to others in your organization. 

      This makes it easy to collaborate and ensure you're aligned around the right Metrics to monitor for your organization. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Use Tags to keep your Metrics screen organized

      First, you'll need to create a Tag for each area you're monitoring data for. We often see Tags used to differentiate between services, departments, initiatives, or focus areas.  

      You can Tag Metrics on your Metrics screen to differentiate between the Metrics that are significant for each area. Tags are Account-wide so any user in your Account will be able to access these Tags. 

      You can Filter the Metrics screen based on Tags to create the optimal view for you. Tags can also help you efficiently organize your Metrics and build out your Databoards directly when you're ready.

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: The same Tags are available for Metrics, Databoards, and Goals. Use these Tags to stay organized as a company and create optimal views for your team.  

      Set Goals

      Goals are key to making reporting easy to understand and actionable. The Goal-setting functionality in Databox is designed to make it easy to set SMART Goals, meaning they're specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and timebound. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: In order to set your company up for long term success, click on the Advanced Setup link in the Goal Setup window so you can add Goal values for future Date Ranges. 

      Add Scorecards

      Use Scorecards to stay up-to-date on key Metrics for your business. These Scorecards can be sent out daily, weekly or monthly via email, push notification, or Slack. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: By default, Metrics selected in your Scorecard will show the comparison percentage vs the previous period. Click on the gear icon to the right of the Metric to have the Metric compare to a Goal value instead. 

      How to analyze your performance using Databoards

      HOW TO

      Use a Public Template

      The public Template Directory is home to hundreds of prebuilt Databoards that aim to satisfy some more common use cases. Templates give you the ability to have some of the setup work done for you. 

      Once you pull a Template into your Account, it is yours to customize as you see fit. This makes it so the Templates that you choose can act as a starting point for the Databoards that you plan to build.

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: Templates can give visibility into what other users are reporting on, and may give you ideas on ways to improve or adjust your own reporting style. 

      Add a Datablock from the Metric Library

      TheMetric Library consists of over 3,000 pre-built Datablocks, which are combinations of Metrics and Visualizations Types based on the most popular use cases. 

      Datablocks are similar to Templates, but on a smaller scale. Once you add a Datablock from the Metric Library to your Databoard, it will automatically populate with data from your selected Data Source. 

      As with Templates, you can further customize Datablocks as you see fit using the Datablock Editor on the righthand side of the Designer.

      Resources: Help Doc

      Add a visualization from the Visualization Types list 

      If you want to start with a blank Datablock, you can drag and drop a blank visualization from the Visualization Types list onto your Databoard. You can then use the Datablock Editor on the righthand side of the Designer to map this Datablock to a specific Data Source and Metric, select the Primary Date Range, change the comparison period, and more. 

      The Datablock Editor differs depending on the visualization selected, so it's worthwhile to test out the functionality of different visualizations before building your Databoards. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Add a Datablock from My Metrics

      When you add Metrics to your Metrics screen, you'll see them listed in My Metrics. This helps align your team around the right Metrics and makes it easier than ever to use these Metrics on Databoards.

      As with Datablocks added from the Datablock Library and Visualization Types list, once a Datablock from My Metrics is added to your Databoard you can customize it further using Datablock Settings. 

      Resource: Help Doc

      Build your Databoards

      Building your Databoards takes time and effort, but it's a critical part of the process. These Databoards will be the foundation of your reporting process moving forward, so don't rush through this step. 

      Pro Tip: Save Databoards as Account Templates to create standardized versions of dashboards that focus on different initiatives or projects. For example, you may create a Campaign Performance Template that can be used whenever you launch a new Campaign, or a Page Performance Template that's used to analyze individual page performance. 

      Your Metrics screen should already provide an outline of the Metrics you want to include in your Databoards. Tags should already be in place to differentiate between which Metrics are highlighted for specific purposes. 

      There are other considerations to keep in mind as you build your Databoards. Using the appropriate visualization for each Datablock allows you to convey your intended message or highlight key pieces of information. Setting Goals and displaying Comparison Periods adds context and makes your dashboard easier to analyze. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Customize Databoards with logos, colors, etc.

      Customization options are available from within the Designer. Customizing Databoards is quick and easy, but can make a big difference when introducing this new reporting style to team members or stakeholders. 

      Resources: Help Doc

            Pro Tip: For paid plans, you can further whitelabel Databox. Learn more
      here

      Use Tags to keep your Databoards organized


      You can Tag Databoards to differentiate between the dashboards that are significant for each focus area. Tags are Account-wide so any user in your Account will be able to access these Tags. 

      You can Filter the Databoards page based on Tags to create the optimal view for you. 

      Resources: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: The same Tags are available for Metrics, Databoards, and Goals. Use these Tags to stay organized as a company and create optimal views for your team. 

      Loop Databoards together in Looped Databoards

      Once your Databoards are built, you can create a separate reporting deck for each set of Databoards by looping Databoards together.

      This allows you to use the Streaming URL to view the full report and tell a comprehensive story of the work you're doing and the results of those efforts.  

      Resources: Help Doc

      How to adjust your strategy based on the state of your data

      HOW TO

      Schedule Snapshots of Databoards

      Scheduled Snapshots allow you to export Databoards as JPGs or PDFs. This allows you to archive your Databoards as often as you see fit.

      Scheduled Snapshots can also help make your Databoards a regular part of your routine by automatically exporting your reports and delivering them via email at a specified date and time. Rather than waiting for time to seek out your data, you can make your data work for you. 

      Resource: Help Doc

      Pro Tip:  If your Databoards are looped in Looped Databoard, you'll have the option to Schedule a Snapshot of the full Looped Databoard.

      Add Alerts

      Alerts enlist the Databox system to automatically and proactively monitor your top Metrics and notify you of emerging trends. 

      Alerts can be sent out via email, push notification, or Slack. By default, these Alerts will go to the user configuring them, but you have the ability to select additional recipients as well. 

      Resource: Help Doc

      Pro Tip: The condition  % has increased or decreased by is great to monitor emerging trends for key Metrics. At a minimum, it's recommend that you set Alerts for the top 3-5 Metrics per Client.

      Add Annotations

      Scheduled Snapshots and Alerts can both be triggers for you to add Annotations to your Databoards. Annotations are short text notices that can be added to Charts in order to better interpret KPIs and inform end users when something noticeable has impacted the data.

      By adding Annotations to a Chart, you're drawing a direct correlation between the work you're doing and the results you're seeing in the data. 

      Resource: Help Doc