Third Party Risk Dashboard Template

Your third party risk dashboard template transforms scattered vendor data into executive-ready intelligence. Without one, TPRM teams waste 15-20 hours monthly compiling status reports from spreadsheets, assessment tools, and email threads.

The right dashboard template eliminates this manual work while providing real-time visibility into vendor risk exposure. It answers three critical questions instantly: Which vendors pose the highest risk? Where are we non-compliant? What requires immediate action?

This guide provides a production-ready dashboard structure that integrates with common GRC platforms. You'll get specific KPI formulas, visualization recommendations, and query logic for pulling data from assessment repositories. We'll cover dashboard configurations for SOC 2 evidence collection, ISO 27001 control mapping, and regulatory reporting requirements.

Whether you're building in PowerBI, Tableau, or Excel, these templates adapt to your toolset while maintaining consistency across risk tiering methodologies.

Core Dashboard Components

Your third party risk dashboard requires five essential sections to function effectively:

1. Executive Summary Panel

Display aggregate risk scores using a 100-point scale or RAG (Red-Amber-Green) status. Include:

• Total vendor count segmented by criticality tier
• Percentage of vendors with completed assessments in the last 12 months
• Number of critical/high findings requiring remediation
• Average vendor risk score trend (trailing 6 months)

2. Risk Tiering Distribution

Visualize vendors across your risk tiers using a treemap or sunburst chart. Standard tiering structure:

Tier	Criteria	Assessment Frequency	Dashboard Update
Critical	Access to PII/PHI, single point of failure	Annual + continuous monitoring	Weekly
High	Material spend (>$1M), regulated data access	Annual	Bi-weekly
Moderate	Limited data access, replaceable service	Bi-annual	Monthly
Low	No sensitive data, commodity service	Risk-based	Quarterly

3. Control Gap Analysis

Map vendor control failures against your framework requirements. Create a matrix showing:

• Control domains (Access Control, Data Protection, Incident Response, etc.)
• Number of vendors failing each control
• Percentage compliance by control category
• Heat map highlighting systematic weaknesses

4. Assessment Pipeline Tracker

Monitor DDQ completion status with these metrics:

• Assessments due in next 30/60/90 days
• Average days to complete assessment
• Bottleneck analysis (vendor response time vs. internal review time)
• Overdue assessments by business owner

5. Incident and Issue Management

Track vendor-related incidents with:

• Open issues by severity and age
• Mean time to remediation by vendor tier
• Repeat findings across vendors (indicates systemic problems)
• SLA breach tracking for critical vendors

Industry-Specific Configurations

Financial Services

FFIEC guidance requires enhanced due diligence for critical vendors. Configure your dashboard to:

• Flag vendors with access to customer financial data
• Track Reg O compliance for board member relationships
• Monitor concentration risk across business lines
• Display vendor financial health indicators (credit ratings, financial statements currency)

Add specific widgets for:

• GLBA Safeguards Rule compliance status
• OCC 2013-29 risk assessment completion
• Interagency guidance control validations

Healthcare

HIPAA Security Rule necessitates tracking Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). Include:

• BAA execution status and renewal dates
• PHI data flow mapping across vendors
• Security risk assessment completion per 45 CFR 164.308(a)(1)
• Breach notification drill participation

Additional healthcare metrics:

• Percentage of vendors with validated encryption controls
• Third parties with access to EHR systems
• Medical device vendor FDA compliance status

Technology

SOC 2 and ISO 27001 require continuous monitoring. Structure dashboards to show:

• Subservice organization control effectiveness
• API security assessment results
• Data residency compliance by vendor
• Penetration testing and vulnerability scan currency

Compliance Framework Alignment

SOC 2 Evidence Collection

Configure dashboard queries to pull:

• CC9.2 vendor risk assessment artifacts
• CC3.4 vendor performance monitoring data
• CC4.2 change management records for vendor changes

Create automated evidence screenshots showing:

• Risk assessment completion rates
• Vendor review meeting minutes links
• Control effectiveness testing results

ISO 27001:2022 Requirements

Map dashboard metrics to:

• A.15.1.2 Supplier security requirements
• A.15.2.1 Supplier service monitoring
• A.15.2.2 Supplier change management

Display control implementation percentages across vendor population.

GDPR Article 28 Compliance

Track processor compliance with:

• Data Processing Agreement (DPA) execution status
• Sub-processor approval workflows
• Cross-border transfer mechanism validity (SCCs, adequacy decisions)
• Data deletion capability confirmations

Implementation Best Practices

Data Integration Strategy

1. Source System Mapping: Document where each metric originates (GRC platform, contract database, ticketing system)
2. ETL Pipeline Design: Use scheduled queries to refresh data without manual intervention
3. Data Quality Rules: Implement validation checks for vendor categorization consistency
4. Historical Data Retention: Maintain 24 months of trending data for pattern analysis

Stakeholder-Specific Views

Create role-based dashboards:

CISO/Board View: High-level risk exposure, trending, top risks TPRM Manager View: Operational metrics, team performance, pipeline management Business Owner View: Their specific vendors, upcoming assessments, open issues Analyst View: Detailed control testing results, evidence collection status

Refresh Cadence and Alerts

Set differential update frequencies based on risk:

• Critical vendor metrics: Daily refresh with anomaly alerts
• Standard reporting: Weekly aggregation with Monday morning delivery
• Quarterly business reviews: Point-in-time snapshots for trending

Configure alerts for:

• New critical/high findings
• Overdue assessments beyond SLA
• Vendor breaches or public incidents
• Certification expirations

Common Implementation Mistakes

1. Metric Overload

Dashboards with 20+ KPIs overwhelm users. Limit primary view to 7 metrics maximum. Use drill-down navigation for details.

2. Static Risk Scoring

Risk scores must reflect current threat landscape. Update scoring algorithms quarterly based on:

• Industry breach data
• Internal incident history
• Regulatory enforcement trends

3. Manual Data Entry

Any manual process breaks within 90 days. Invest in API connections or automated exports from source systems.

4. Ignoring Data Lineage

Document calculation methods for every metric. When auditors ask how you calculated "High Risk Vendor %", you need the formula, data sources, and refresh timestamp.

5. One-Size-Fits-All Design

Different stakeholders need different information density. A board dashboard showing control mapping details wastes everyone's time.

Query Templates and Formulas

Risk Score Calculation

Weighted Risk Score = (Inherent Risk × 0.4) + (Control Effectiveness × 0.3) + (Residual Risk × 0.3)

Where:
- Inherent Risk = (Data Sensitivity × Access Level × Business Criticality) / 3
- Control Effectiveness = (Passed Controls / Total Controls) × 100
- Residual Risk = Inherent Risk × (1 - Control Effectiveness/100)

Assessment Completion Rate

Completion Rate = (Assessments Completed On-Time / Total Due Assessments) × 100

Include logic for:
- Grace period handling (typically 30 days)
- Vendor non-response categorization
- Partial completion credit

Concentration Risk Index

Concentration Risk = (Revenue Impact of Top 5 Vendors / Total Vendor Spend) × 100

Flag when:
- Single vendor exceeds some category spend
- Top 5 vendors exceed the majority of total spend
- Geographic concentration exceeds a substantial portion of in single region

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I determine which metrics to include in my third party risk dashboard?

Start with metrics that directly support decision-making: risk scores by tier, overdue assessments, and critical findings requiring action. Survey your stakeholders to identify what drives their vendor decisions, then design widgets that answer those specific questions.

What's the optimal refresh frequency for dashboard data?

Critical vendor data should update daily, high-risk vendors weekly, and standard vendors monthly. Set real-time alerts for specific triggers like new critical findings or vendor breaches regardless of standard refresh cycles.

Should I build separate dashboards for different compliance frameworks or combine them?

Build a unified dashboard with framework-specific filters. This approach prevents metric conflicts while allowing stakeholders to view their relevant compliance requirements without switching between multiple dashboards.

How do I handle vendors that refuse to complete assessments?

Track non-responsive vendors as a separate metric with automatic escalation after 30 days. Display these vendors with an "Unassessed Risk" flag and default them to your highest risk tier until evidence is provided.

What's the best way to show vendor risk trends over time?

Use a 12-month rolling trend line for aggregate risk scores, with point-in-time snapshots quarterly. Include annotation capabilities to mark significant events (like remediation efforts or incidents) that explain score changes.

How can I automate evidence collection for dashboard metrics?

Configure your GRC platform to tag evidence with specific control numbers, then use API queries to count completed evidence items. For manual processes, use standardized naming conventions and folder structures that automated scripts can parse.

What level of detail should I include for executive dashboards versus operational views?

Executive dashboards need 5-7 high-level metrics with clear risk implications. Operational views should include 15-20 detailed metrics with drill-down capability to individual vendor records and control test results.