CEOs need several key financial dashboards to provide a high-level, comprehensive view of the company's health, covering growth, profitability, liquidity, and efficiency. 

Essential Financial Dashboards for CEOs

• Financial Health/Command Center Dashboard: This provides an immediate pulse on the company's overall financial condition.
  • Key Metrics:
    • Revenue Growth: Year-over-year or quarter-over-quarter growth percentage.
    • Gross Profit Margin & Net Profit Margin: The percentage of revenue remaining after deducting costs of goods sold and all other expenses, respectively.
    • Cash Flow (Operating, Investing, Financing): The net amount of cash entering and leaving the business, crucial for liquidity and operations.
    • EBITDA: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization, a core measure of operational performance.
    • Burn Rate/Cash on Hand: Especially for startups, tracking how quickly cash is being used and how many months of cash remain (runway) is vital.
• Sales & Growth Dashboard: Focuses on the effectiveness of the sales engine and future pipeline health.
  • Key Metrics:
    • Total Sales Revenue (vs. Target & Prior Period): Performance against goals and past periods.
    • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The total expense to acquire a new customer.
    • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): The total predicted profit from an average customer over their relationship with the company.
    • Sales Pipeline Value: Potential revenue currently in the sales process.
• Operational Excellence/Efficiency Dashboard: Tracks internal processes to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement.
  • Key Metrics:
    • Revenue Per Employee: A measure of workforce productivity.
    • Inventory Turnover: How quickly inventory is sold (relevant for product-based businesses).
    • Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): The average number of days to collect payment from customers.
    • Budget vs. Actual Expenses: Comparison of spending against the approved budget to ensure cost control.
• Customer Pulse Dashboard: Provides insights into customer perception, loyalty, and retention.
  • Key Metrics:
    • Net Promoter Score (NPS) / Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): Measures customer loyalty and happiness.
    • Customer Churn Rate: The percentage of customers lost over a specific period.
    • Customer Retention Rate: The effectiveness in keeping existing customers.
• Strategic Roadmap Dashboard: Monitors progress on core, long-term strategic initiatives that underpin future success. The specific metrics here will be unique to each business's goals, such as progress on market expansion, product innovation, or digital transformation.