You don't need a dashboard with 47 widgets. You need three numbers, reviewed every Friday, that tell you whether the firm is healthy or drifting.
1. Realization rate (trailing 30 days)
What percentage of the value you created actually turned into collected revenue? If this number is below 80%, something is broken in your pricing, scope management, or billing process.
2. Pipeline coverage (next 90 days)
How much qualified pipeline do you have relative to your revenue target for the coming quarter? Below 2x and you need to be marketing. Above 4x and you probably need to qualify harder.
3. Effective hourly rate (trailing quarter)
Total collected revenue divided by total hours worked — not billed, worked. This is the number that tells you whether your pricing strategy is actually working or just feels good.
The Friday ritual
Block 30 minutes every Friday. Pull these three numbers. Write them down — yes, on paper. Compare to last week. If any number moved more than 10% in either direction, that's your agenda for Monday morning.
The firms that stay healthy aren't the ones with the best tools. They're the ones with the best habits.