Importance of Asset Management Dashboards
What is an Asset Management Dashboard?
An asset management dashboard is essential in tracking performance at a certain point in time and to compare actual performance to budget and underwriting. These dashboards are created within Excel and improve the quality of a financial model as they mitigate the risk of inaccurate data. The information within these Excel dashboards allows for the streamlined navigation of key criteria as it is all found in one place and ties to the underlying financial model. The accuracy and accessibility of the data allows for optimization and is vital in any financial model.
In real estate, an Asset Management Dashboard is used to compare occupancy, NOI, expense margins, and other stats to both your budget and initial underwriting to see how the asset is performing.
Dashboard Composition
Asset management dashboards are typically a single Excel spreadsheet, drawing data and assumptions from various sources to display information using tables, charts, maps, and gauges. Having an asset management dashboard consolidates all information into one sheet; this keeps every department within an organization updated on various metrics.
The Asset Management Dashboard can be at the asset level, or consolidated at the portfolio/fund level. In addition, the dashboards can be used internally - presented to senior management, or externally - presented to investors.
Visualizing Data
Dashboards allow instant access to critical information within a financial model. This gives you a clear understanding of the wellbeing of the business, and how certain projects are performing. Utilizing a financial dashboard allows for the summarization of hundreds of moving parts with comprehensible visuals. Asset management dashboards collect valuable data across spreadsheets to pull together key performance indicators. This magnifies what is and isn’t working within a business. Correctly incorporating dashboards into a financial model allows management to make informed decisions on whatever task at hand.
Dashboard Types
Operational Dashboard
Operational Dashboards are the most common and incorporate live data to display the daily operations and performance of a business. This is important in better decision making as the data provides a start point for structuring a business movement.
Analytical Dashboard
Analytical Dashboards identify key performance indicators utilizing data and trends. This version consists of more advanced metrics and requires a deeper understanding of the business to analyze correctly.
Strategic Dashboard
Strategic Dashboards correlate performance within the business to key performance indicators that better align management with the ability to make decisions and develop strategies. This allows for informed decision-making on business drivers.