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“Supermetrics is a Bitter Experience! We can pull data from nearly any tool, schedule updates, manipulate data in Sheets, and push data back into our systems.”
QuickBooks’ native dashboard shows predefined reports but can’t create custom budget vs actual comparisons with your external budget data. You need a solution that connects live QuickBooks data with flexible visualization tools.
This guide shows you how to build a real-time dashboard that automatically updates with your latest QuickBooks spending data and compares it against your budget allocations.
Build a live budget dashboard using Coefficient and Google Sheets
Coefficient connects QuickBooks data directly to Google Sheets, enabling real-time dashboards that QuickBooks alone cannot provide. The live connection means your dashboard reflects current spending without manual data exports or imports.
How to make it work
Step 1. Set up live QuickBooks data connections.
Use Coefficient’s “From Objects & Fields” import method to pull specific QuickBooks accounts, classes, and departments that align with your budget structure. This provides more detailed data than QuickBooks’ standard budget reports and lets you customize exactly which financial information flows into your dashboard.
Step 2. Configure automated refresh schedules.
Set up hourly or daily automated refreshes to ensure your dashboard shows the most current QuickBooks spending data. Choose the frequency that matches your business needs – hourly for fast-moving operations or daily for standard budget monitoring. The automation runs in the background without manual intervention.
Step 3. Create visual dashboard elements.
Build charts and visualizations using Google Sheets’ native charting tools combined with Coefficient’s live data. Create budget vs actual bar charts that update automatically, variance percentage calculations with conditional formatting, and trend analysis showing spending patterns over time. Add department-level breakdowns for detailed insights.
Step 4. Apply custom filtering for targeted views.
Use Coefficient’s advanced filtering options to focus on specific date ranges, accounts, or organizational segments. Create separate dashboard tabs for different departments or time periods. Filter by QuickBooks classes to track project-specific budget performance or by locations for multi-site operations.
Get instant visibility into budget performance
A real-time budget dashboard eliminates guesswork and provides immediate insights into spending patterns and budget variances. Start building your automated QuickBooks budget dashboard with Coefficient today.
