Setting Up Your Default Dashboard Layout

Your PayHelm dashboard is customizable to show the metrics and data that matter most to your business. This guide will show you how to personalize your dashboard layout and save your preferences.

Understanding Your Dashboard

What Is the Dashboard?

The Dashboard is your main analytics view when you log into PayHelm. It displays:

• Key performance metrics
• Sales trends and charts
• Top products and customers
• Recent order activity
• Quick access to reports

Default Dashboard View

When you first log in, PayHelm shows a standard dashboard with:

• Total sales
• Order count
• Average order value
• Top selling products
• Sales trend chart
• Recent orders list

Choosing Your Metrics

Available Metrics

PayHelm offers over 300 metrics across categories:

Sales Metrics:
• Total Sales
• Net Sales (after refunds)
• Gross Profit
• Average Order Value
• Order Count

Customer Metrics:
• Total Customers
• New vs Returning Customers
• Customer Lifetime Value
• Repeat Purchase Rate

Product Metrics:
• Units Sold
• Revenue by Product
• Product Profit Margin
• Inventory Turnover

Marketing Metrics:
• Marketing ROI
• Cost per Acquisition
• Conversion Rate
• Traffic Sources

Shipping Metrics:
• Shipping Costs
• Average Shipping Time
• Shipping Profit/Loss

For detailed metric explanations, see Understanding and Customizing Your Metrics in PayHelm.

How to Add Metrics to Your Dashboard

1. Look for Customize or Edit Dashboard button
2. Click Add Metric or + Add Widget
3. Browse or search for the metric you want
4. Click the metric to add it to your dashboard
5. The metric card appears on your dashboard

How to Remove Metrics

To remove metrics you don't need:

1. Find the metric card on your dashboard
2. Look for the X or Remove icon (usually top-right of the card)
3. Click to remove the metric
4. The card disappears immediately

Hiding and Reordering Columns

Working with Data Tables

Many dashboard sections display data in table format (like order lists or product performance). You can customize these tables:

Hiding Columns You Don't Need

1. Find the data table you want to customize
2. Look for a Columns or Customize Columns button
3. Click to open the column selector
4. Uncheck columns you want to hide
5. Check columns you want to show
6. Click Apply or Save

Common columns you might hide:
• Order tags (if you don't use tags)
• Specific product attributes
• Customer segments you don't track
• Metrics not relevant to your business

Reordering Columns

To change column order:

1. Open the column customization menu
2. Drag columns up or down to reorder them
3. Alternatively, some tables let you drag column headers directly
4. Release to drop the column in its new position
5. Click Save to keep changes

Tips for column order:
• Put most important data on the left (it's visible first)
• Group related columns together
• Keep key identifiers (like Order #) first
• Hide rarely-used columns instead of pushing them far right

Saving Your Preferred Layout

Auto-Save vs Manual Save

Some customizations auto-save:
• Metric selections
• Column visibility
• Filter preferences

Some require manual saving:
• Dashboard layouts
• Widget positions
• Custom arrangements

Look for a Save or Save Layout button after making changes.

How to Save Your Dashboard Layout

1. Make all your desired customizations:
- Add/remove metrics - Arrange widgets - Set column visibility - Choose date ranges
2. Look for Save Layout or Save as Default
3. Click the save button
4. Your preferences are now your default view

Creating Multiple Layouts (If Available)

Some plans allow multiple saved layouts:

1. Create your first custom layout
2. Click Save as... or Create New Layout
3. Give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Daily Sales Overview")
4. Create additional layouts for different purposes
5. Switch between layouts using a dropdown selector

Useful layout examples:
• Daily operations view
• Weekly review dashboard
• Monthly executive summary
• Product performance focus
• Marketing metrics dashboard

Customizing Dashboard Widgets

Resizing Widgets

Many dashboard cards/widgets can be resized:

1. Hover over the widget edge or corner
2. Look for resize handles (usually arrows or drag icons)
3. Click and drag to make larger or smaller
4. Release to set the new size

Moving Widgets

Rearrange your dashboard layout:

1. Click and hold the widget header or title bar
2. Drag the widget to a new position
3. Other widgets shift automatically to make room
4. Release to drop in the new location
5. Save your layout to keep changes

Configuring Widget Settings

1. Look for a settings gear icon on the widget
2. Click to open widget configuration
3. Adjust settings like:
- Date range - Comparison period - Data filters - Display format (chart type, table style)
4. Click Apply or Save

Setting Your Default Date Range

Choosing Your Preferred Time Period

Set the default date range for your dashboard:

1. Use the date picker in the dashboard header
2. Select your preferred range:
- Today - Yesterday - Last 7 days - Last 30 days - Last 90 days - Month to date - Year to date - Custom range
3. Look for Set as Default option
4. Click to save this as your default view

Every time you log in, this date range displays automatically.

Comparison Periods

Many widgets allow comparisons:

1. Enable comparison mode in widget settings
2. Choose what to compare to:
- Previous period - Same period last year - Custom comparison range
3. The widget shows both current and comparison data
4. Percent change indicators appear

Filtering Your Dashboard Data

Available Filters

Customize what data appears:

Store filter:
• If you have multiple stores
• Select specific stores or all stores

Product filter:
• Focus on specific product categories
• View only certain brands or SKUs

Channel filter:
• Online vs in-person sales
• Sales channel (web, marketplace, etc.)

Customer segment filter:
• New vs returning customers
• VIP or wholesale customers
• Geographic regions

Applying Filters

1. Look for Filters button in dashboard header
2. Click to open filter panel
3. Select your filter criteria
4. Click Apply
5. Dashboard updates to show filtered data

Saving Filter Preferences

1. After applying filters
2. Look for Save Filters or Set as Default
3. Click to save
4. These filters apply every time you view the dashboard

Best Practices for Dashboard Setup

Start Simple

• Begin with 4-6 key metrics
• Add more as you identify what you need
• Don't overwhelm yourself with too much data initially

Focus on Actionable Metrics

Choose metrics you can act on:
• ✓ Conversion rate (can optimize marketing)
• ✓ Average order value (can test upsells)
• ✓ Cart abandonment rate (can improve checkout)
• ✗ Total lifetime sales (interesting but not actionable)

Group Related Information

Organize your dashboard logically:
• Top row: Most important KPIs
• Second section: Sales trends and charts
• Third section: Product performance
• Bottom section: Detailed tables or lists

Use Comparisons

Enable period comparisons to spot trends:
• Compare to previous month
• Year-over-year comparisons
• Week-over-week changes

Update Regularly

Review and adjust your dashboard:
• Monthly: Assess if current metrics are still useful
• Quarterly: Major dashboard reorganization if needed
• When business changes: Update to match new priorities

Dashboard Tips by Business Type

For Product-Focused Businesses

Prioritize:
• Best-selling products
• Product profit margins
• Inventory levels
• Product category performance

For Marketing-Driven Businesses

Focus on:
• Customer acquisition cost
• Marketing channel ROI
• Conversion rates
• Traffic sources

For Multi-Store Operations

Emphasize:
• Store comparison widgets
• Individual store performance
• Cross-store inventory
• Location-based metrics

For B2B/Wholesale

Highlight:
• Average order value (typically higher)
• Customer lifetime value
• Repeat purchase rate
• Invoice status

Resetting to Default

If you want to start over:

1. Look for Reset to Default or Restore Default Layout
2. Click the button
3. Confirm you want to reset
4. Your dashboard returns to PayHelm's default configuration
5. Re-customize from scratch if desired

Note: This doesn't delete your data, only resets the layout.

Troubleshooting Dashboard Customization

Changes Don't Save

If your layout keeps reverting:

• Make sure you click Save after changes
• Check if you have permissions to modify dashboard
• Try clearing browser cache
• Try a different browser

Widgets Overlap or Look Broken

If layout looks wrong:

• Try resizing your browser window
• Check if you're zoomed in/out (should be 100%)
• Reset to default and rebuild
• Contact support if issues persist

Missing Metrics

If you can't find a metric:

• Check if it requires a specific add-on (Inventory, Traffic)
• Ensure your data source provides that metric
• Search for alternate metric names
• See How to Enable Add-Ons

Getting Help

For assistance with dashboard customization:

• Use the in-app chat support
• Browse the Help Center for metric definitions
• Contact support for custom dashboard requests
• Check if your desired layout requires a plan upgrade

A well-configured dashboard gives you instant visibility into your business performance and helps you make data-driven decisions quickly.