The Best Personal Dashboard Tools For Tracking Work

Many employees today are expected to wear “multiple hats” at their job than ever before–myself included. In my day job, I am personally responsible for running a content department and overseeing client relations for all our clients. As a result, I run two separate departments, and the responsibilities and tasks are endlessly stacked on top of each other. I have only survived by creating a personal dashboard to keep my roles and duties separate but equally visible.

Using a personal dashboard is an essential part of my daily workflow. It allows me to easily see and shuffle through all my data and customize my outputs however I want. While I know I am not the only manager who has to wade through a boatload of responsibilities, using a personal dashboard is the only way I have been able to get my act together.

If you have not set up a personal dashboard or are interested in knowing more about the “whys,” follow along as we talk about how to set one up, what to look for in a personal dashboard software, and some of my favorite platforms to track and manage my workflows.

What is a personal dashboard?

A personal dashboard is a digital platform, typically hosted over the internet, that allows you to arrange, track and store all your data in one central location. These dashboards act as an organizational tool for tracking client relationships and managing tasks, projects, and milestones related to any job.

I truly don’t know how I survived without my personal dashboard, and I can honestly say that I have three personal dashboards I can flip through at any time. Depending on the project, client, or data needed, my dashboards are set up to pull the information I need with a click of a button. While these dashboards may take some time to set up on the front end (we will get into that below), they are well-oiled machines and can become a manager’s best friend once they are completed.

Why you should get a personal dashboard

The day I set up my first personal dashboard was when my boss asked me for specific KPIs from a project I was working on. After a few hours of digging and pulling data from our CMS, I managed to cobble together a good report of my progress and show it to him.

Then, to my horror, he asked to see this same report every week so he could track the progress with me. Pulling this first report took hours, and providing it to him every week filled me with dread at how much time it would take to produce every Monday.

From that task, I realized I needed to find a tool to help me automate the requested report. After some digging, I discovered how to create a personal dashboard perfect for my needs. While there was some trial and error involved in choosing how to input my data into my dashboard, I ended up with a great report that took nothing but a few clicks of my mouse.

If you don’t currently use project management software or are looking to upgrade to one with a built-in personal dashboard feature like the one I use for my data, below are some of the options I have personally used before choosing the platform I’m using now. (Spoiler alert: It’s Hive).

Popular personal dashboard options

Hive
Trello
ClickUp
Asana

1. Hive

My current personal dashboard choice is Hive. Unlike the other dashboards I have used before, Hive offers a personal dashboard feature — called My Actions View — to provide an overall view of your current projects and upcoming task due dates in just one click. No need for customization or setup.

The only work I had to do on the front end was figuring out what I wanted to report, but Hive quickly solved that problem. Hive pulls data from the rest of your workspace, allowing you to toggle through projects, teams, and reports easily. Plus, it’s often my go-to tool since I used the Hive Goals feature to track my projects and lean on Hivemind AI to help automate and track my projects.

2. Trello

Trello is a blast from my past and the first ever personal dashboard I used. It’s a highly visual project management tool ideal for someone looking for a flexible and easy-to-use system. Its dashboard features allow you to create boards, lists, and cards to track work and collaborate with others.

With Trello, you can easily add due dates, assign tasks, and attach files to your cards, making it easy to stay organized and on top of your work. Trello also lets you color coordinate each of your boards, so it’s always a great way to toggle through them to see what’s going in with all of your projects at once.

3. ClickUp

This is the newest personal dashboard I have tried and I love it. ClickUp is such a rabbit hole of templates, upgrades, and integrations that the sky is the limit with how you want to optimize your personal dashboard.

ClickUp allows you to create custom dashboards for anything from tasks, projects, clients, and more. You can use the drag-and-drop features to move your projects around in an organized way to view, pull, and report immediately. Plus, there’s a built-in calendar to see all upcoming tasks and due dates quickly.

4. Asana

While I currently only use Asana for a few odds and ends, it isn’t a go-to for my personal dashboard. However, when researching this article, I took another look at Asana, and they have really turned a corner in the last few years, especially with their personal dashboard.