The six charts a quarterly business review actually needs
QBR decks bloat because every team adds their own slide. Six charts answer the questions a review exists to answer; everything else is an appendix.
1. Revenue movement — waterfall
Last quarter to this quarter through new, expansion, contraction and churn. It replaces four slides of commentary.
2. Gross margin — trend line
Eight quarters, one line. Margin drift is slow and invisible in any single-quarter view.
3. Pipeline coverage — bar against target
Pipeline value against the number needed to hit next quarter. One bar, one target line, no funnel with eleven stages.
4. Retention — cohort lines
Indexed cohorts, one line each. Blended retention hides the fact that the newest cohort behaves differently, which is the only cohort you can still affect.
5. Cash — flow diagram
Where cash came from and went during the quarter, with opening and closing balances anchoring both ends.
6. Cost per head — simple bar
Total operating cost divided by headcount, over eight quarters. It catches cost creep that absolute spend charts hide during growth.
Build the deck's charts →Fix the six layouts once and each quarter becomes a data refresh instead of a design project.
Frequently asked
How many charts should a QBR have?
Around six in the main deck. Anything beyond that belongs in an appendix that gets read by the two people who need it.
Should QBR charts compare to the previous quarter or the previous year?
Both, but not in the same chart. Sequential for momentum, year over year to remove seasonality.