I use Basecamp to manage most of my work flow. Is there a way to integrate other aspects of projects, like social media ads and analytics, so we can see that updated like a dashboard?

Client question:

I use Basecamp to manage most of my work flow, is there a way to integrate other aspects of projects, like social media ads and analytics, so we can see that updated? daily? almost like a dashboard?

It sounds like you are managing a lot of projects! Congratulations on your thriving business and your commitment to keeping on top of the details. You have exactly the right idea about how to simplify your life and make managing your projects more effective and efficient.

This next sentence is going to have enough jargon in it that most readers will want to tune out immediately, but don’t worry! I’ll meet you on the other side of that sentence with a glass of lemonade and a simple alternative. Ready? Here we go:

This is actually possible, through the creation of a custom javascript browser plugin that injects the API data from your social media ads and analytics onto your Basecamp Home screen.

Lemonade served in a mason jar on a bright blue background, with sliced lemons surrounding it.Welcome to the other side! Here’s your lemonade.

If you wanted to attempt the above hat trick, I’d recommend hiring a professional programmer to create that plugin for you (we have some on staff with the required expertise!) However, there’s an alternative that may make more sense depending on your situation…

Rather than pulling your data into your Basecamp, consider pulling all of that data PLUS your Basecamp data into a Business Intelligence dashboard. These are specialized programs that exist to take all of the data you most need to see, no matter where that data is stored, and put it on one screen. That means not only could you monitor your ad campaigns, website analytics and project management data – you could also see your sales funnels, accounting data, payroll information, calendar of appointments, signups to your latest webinar, your blog editorial calendar, and whatever else your business uses.

In essence, these programs allow you to see EVERYTHING you need to in one place, to ensure the health and smooth operation of your business.

In the past, BI (Business Intelligence) programs were only for enterprise level companies, and they paid a mint to have these solutions created for them. However, in our brave new world of ubiquitous APIs and common integrations, BI solutions are available for companies of any size, and at affordable prices. And yes, of course we can help create one for you — BI is a major part of effective Synergy!

It’s not just ease and process efficiency that gets a boost when all your necessary data is in one place. Interestingly, there’s research to suggest that companies that implement and actively use a BI solution have 126% profit improvement over their competition, and 50% higher revenue growth. That’s a pretty compelling reason to stay on top of all your business data, and putting it all in one place can make that easy — and actionable.