Creating New Dashboards

Use Dashboards 2.0 to make dashboards and group them into collections. Dashboards have pages with dashlets that hold your Designer or Visualizer reports and prompt filters. In addition, you can add key performance indicator (KPI) widgets, drill-across links, images, buttons, text boxes, and display pages from other websites.

The basic steps are listed below. Many are optional. The order is suggested; you may choose to do most tasks in a different sequence.

1. Make a new dashboard, either blank or a copy.
2. Add existing reports to the dashboard.
3. Alternatively, create a new report in Visualizer and seamlessly add it to the dashboard.
4. Change the layout. Use auto-layout and then refine the design.
5. Edit the dashlet properties, such as enabling view selectors and report exporting, for each report.
6. Set a color theme that applies to the dashboard and to any Visualizer reports in the dashboard. See Applying Themes to Dashboards.
7. Edit dashlet styles such as background color, border style and color, and shadow.
8. Change the visibility and location of a Visualizer legend.
9. Open an existing Visualizer report, edit it in Visualizer, and return directly to the dashboard.
10. Add filters. See Creating Dashboard Filters.
11. Decide whether to show or hide the dashboard title and filter cards.
12. Link to other dashboards. See Adding Drill-Across Links to Other Dashboards.
13. Add Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). See Adding  KPIs to Dashboards.
14. Add images.
15. Add text boxes.
16. Add buttons.
17. Embed external web pages in a dashlet. See Embedding External Web Pages.
18. Write custom HTML in a dashlet. See Embedding HTML.
19. Change how axis, legends, and tick marks are displayed or not displayed. See Setting Chart Display Styles.
20. Optionally, add a background color and/or an image. See Adding Backgrounds.
21. Cancel edits that you decide not to use.
22. Publish the dashboard and test it to see how it performs.
23. Set the refresh rate for how often the data is updated.
24. See the Next Steps:
    

• As you make more dashboards, define collections to organize them. See Organizing Dashboards Using Collections.
• Grant access to your dashboard users. See Access and Privileges for Dashboards 2.0.
• Provide your end users with tips for using the dashboards, especially export and email notification formats. See:
  • Business User Guide to Dashboards 2.0
  • Report Email Notification Formats
  • Report Export Formats
• Use the embedding API and JavaScript to embed Dashboards 2.0 dashboards in your application's web pages. You can also pass data from a web page embedded in Birst to the Birst application. See Embedding API for JavaScript.

To make a new dashboard

1. From the Home page click Dashboards 2.0. If there aren't any existing dashboards, a new empty dashboard opens.
   
   

• If you already have one or more dashboards, the default one displays. To make a new one, click Dashboards to open the list.
  
  Locate the collection that will hold the dashboard, and click Add Dashboard. See Organizing Dashboards Using Collections.
• If you want to start from an existing dashboard, locate it in the list and click Clone, then click Edit to make changes. By default the clone is put into the same collection.

2. Name the dashboard by hovering, clicking, and typing.
   
   You will see a message if your title does not follow the naming conventions, or if another dashboard with the same title in the same collection already exists. Dashboard names within a collection must be unique.
   
   

To add reports to a dashboard

1. In the default new dashboard, click in the center prompt "start adding reports to this dashboard" to open the Add Reports page. The Reports List (also called Reports Navigator) opens.
   
   The listed reports have icons that tell you whether they are from Visualizer or Designer .
2. Use Search to quickly find reports by name, or navigate to different folders and browse for the reports you want to use.
   
   The Reports List also shows the columns used in the report and the type, or style, of report.
   Tip: Use the Search parameters to narrow down the list of reports by creator, type, and modification date.
   
   
3. Check the reports you want to use.
   
   As you check reports their thumbnails are added to a carousel at the bottom.
   Tip: You can delete a report from the carousel if you decide not to use it, or just uncheck it.
4. Click Done. Dashboards 2.0 stacks the reports on the dashboard, ready for you to organize them.
   

To add a new Visualizer report

1. Click Edit to go into edit mode.
   
   
2. Use the Insert menu to add another existing report or create a new Visualizer report.
   
   See Getting Started with Visualizer.
   
3. When you finish the Visualizer report, save it in Visualizer.
4. Click Insert to return to Dashboards 2.0 and see the new report in its dashlet.
   

To automatically lay out reports on the dashboard

You can drag-and-drop reports as you like. Optionally you can use the automatic layout menu.

1. Use the Dashboard Design - Layout menu to automatically position them on the grid, or just drag them to where you want them.
   
   
2. As you resize the browser the reports in the dashlets resize. Select the dashlets and move and resize as needed. See To refine dashboard layout.
   
   
3. Click Publish to Save the dashboard.
   
   

To refine dashboard layout

1. Move dashlets by dragging and dropping. The page uses a snap-to-grid system to help you ensure a tidy alignment.
   
2. You can resize dashlet reports by clicking and dragging their handles.
   
3. You can layer dashlets on top of each other. For example, you can layer a KPI with a transparent background over an image. Drag a dashlet over another dashlet to activate the layering toolbar and use it to position the layers.
   
   See a demo.

To edit dashlet properties

1. Hover over a dashlet to see its dashlet edit menu.
   
2. Click it to see the Properties, Open in Visualizer, Drill, and Delete menus.
   
3. Click the Properties icon. The Edit Dashlet Properties dialog opens.
   

Each report's dashlet container has additional formatting properties:

The Title is editable and you can toggle it on and off. As a convenience, the original report name displays.
Tip: You can use variables, with either the GetVariable('variable_name') or V{variable_name} syntax, in the description text. See Using Variables.

Report displays the internal location and name of the report. You can replace the current dashlet with another report and still retain the original dashlet properties using the Birst Report Catalog navigator.
Tip: Use this to quickly check whether a report is public or private, and to copy its internal name for use in SSO parameters. If there is a bookmark, it will display the new report. You will need to manually update any associated report email notifications.

Apply prompts if adding the prompt filter results in a valid query means that any prompt filter on the dashboard will apply if the data is relevant to the filter. If you do not want any filters to apply to this dashlet's report, deselect this option.

Enable View Selector gives end users the option to select a different type of report style, such as a pie chart instead of a bar chart.

Display Save As: allows users to save a copy of the report from the Dashboard.

Enable Report Exporting allows end users to export reports to a variety of formats for use in other presentations or documents. When enabled, the Export menu appears on the dashlet. Reports can be exported to Excel or PDF.
Important: Visualizer charts exported to Excel do not look exactly like the report in Visualizer. For example, Visualizer reports exported to Excel do not support break-by sub-summaries.

Important: To export reports as PDF or other file formats, the user must belong to a group that has downloads enabled. See Creating Groups and Adding Users to Groups. Also, make sure the report was saved in the Public folder and not a private folder.

Description is the text that will be displayed in the tooltip for the dashlet. You can add carriage returns and extra spaces to the text. For example:

To use a color theme

Optionally, set a color theme that applies to the dashboard and to any Visualizer reports in the dashboard.

Tips:

The colors of the Home button and horizontal header are from the theme.

When you develop your dashboards, the colors of the Home menu (left navigation) and the Themes menu are from Birst and cannot be changed.

1. From the Home menu click Themes.
   
   The Themes menu lists all the themes that are already saved in the space.
   
2. See Applying Themes to Dashboards.

To edit dashlet styles

Dashlets have style options that become available when you select one or more dashlets.

Important: Color settings on a dashlet override the theme settings.

Tip: To match these colors with Visualizer color palettes see Color Reference.

1. Select a dashlet. To select multiple dashlets, hold the Ctrl (PC) or Command (Mac) key and select multiple dashlets. The Edit Menu bar appears.
   
2. Use Background Color to change the background color. Tip: To select a custom color, click the current color icon at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Use Border Color to change the border color. Tip: To select a custom color, click the current color icon at the bottom of the screen.
   
4. Use Border Thickness to set the thickness of the dashlet's border.
   
   
5. Use the Border Radius to change the border corner style.
   
   
6. Use Padding to set the space between the image and the border.
   
   
7. Use Shadow to set the drop shadow outside the dashlet.
   
8. To modify text in the dashlet, select either Style Dashlet Title or Style Dashlet Body.
   
9. Use Font Family to set the font family.
   
10. Use Font Size to set the font size.
    
11. Use Font Color to set the font color. Tip: To select a custom color, click the current color icon at the bottom of the screen.
    
12. Use Text Alignment to set the text alignment.
    
13. Publish to save the changes to the dashlet.
    

To change the location of a Visualizer legend

By default the legend is hidden. You can show it and choose its location.

1. Select the dashlet.
2. Set the legend to display at the top, bottom, left side, or right side of the dashlet.

To edit an existing Visualizer report

An existing report may need adjustments. You can open a report from a dashboard directly in Visualizer, edit it, save it, and return to the dashboard editor.

1. Click a dashlet to see its Edit menu.
2. Click Visualizer.
   
   Tip: Alternatively, double-click on the dashlet to immediately open the report in Visualizer.
3. Edit the report in Visualizer.
   See Getting Started with Visualizer.
4. Click Save to return to the dashboard editor.
   

To add a filter or embedded filter

1. Either:

For a standard filter, click Filters.

Or:

For an embedded filter, click Insert - Embedded Filter.

2. See Creating Dashboard Filters.
   

To show or hide dashboard titles and filter cards

You can toggle whether to show or hide the dashboard title and the filter cards. This is a design decision based on how you want to lay out the dashboard on the screen, and what kind of control you want users to have over the filters.

Use the Dashboard Settings menu to toggle these displays. By default they are displayed.

For example, a dashboard with title and filter cards displayed looks like this:

Without them, the same area at the top of the dashboard looks like this:

To add a drill-across link to another dashboard

A drill-across link connects a KPI, button, chart, or tabular report to another dashboard. The end user clicks on the column you designated and another dashboard opens. For example, from a high-level depiction you could link to a dashboard with addition reports that show more context and detail.  

Tip: A drill-across link at the dashlet level overrides a drill-down action defined at the report level.  

1. Select a dashlet and in the Edit menu click Drill Across (the link icon).
   
2. See Adding Drill-Across Links.
   

To add a KPI widget

A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) widget displays the basic number of any measure or expression.

1. Click Insert - KPI.
   
   
2. See Adding KPIs to Dashboards.
   

To add an image

1. Click Insert - Image.
   
2. Enter the URL of the image or click the folder icon to browse the Report Catalog.
   Tips:
   • To add image files to the Report Catalog see Uploading Image Files.
   • You can resize the dashlet to make the image smaller. However it cannot be enlarged.

3. Click Insert. The image appears in its own dashlet.
   Tip: Use the dashlet properties for further refinement.

To add and edit text

1. Click Insert - Text Area.
   
2. Enter the text you want to display.
   
   Tip: You can use variables, with either the GetVariable('variable_name') or V{variable_name} syntax, in the text. See Using Variables.
3. Format the text by font style, color, type, and alignment.
   
4. Use the Size options to set the size of the text.
   
   • Auto means that the text will be responsive to the size of the text box dashlet, and resize itself as you change the dashlet size. If you have less text in the box, the font is larger.
     
     
   • The additional settings are relative sizes that are also responsive to the size of the dashlet, and will remain consistent with each other. For example, all text boxes on a page that are set to Medium will consistently resize so that they are always the same Medium size.
     

     
     
     

     • If the text area is larger than the dashlet, vertical scroll bars appear so that users can scroll through the text.
       
     • The default size is Medium.
     • All text within a box is the same size. To use different sizes, use different text boxes.
       
     
     

5. Click outside the box to leave edit mode.
6. Select a handle and drag it to resize the dashlet.
7. You can edit the text area dashlet properties (borders, background color, description) by clicking the Edit menu and selecting Edit Dashlet Properties.
8. To edit the text again, hover and click the Edit menu and select the Edit Text Area icon.
   
9. Click Close.
10. Click outside the dashlet to hide the Edit menu and see the new formatting.

To add a button

1. Click Insert - Button.
   
2. Enter the button label.
   
   Tip: You can use variables, with either the GetVariable('variable_name') or V{variable_name} syntax, in the button label text. See Using Variables.
3. Deselect and reselect to move the button.
   
4. To resize a button, select it, and drag the resize indicators.
   
5. To change the text again, select the button, click Edit - Edit Button.
   
   Enter the new text. Click outside the button to deselect it.
   
6. To change the colors or border, select the button, click Edit, and use the menu bar options. Buttons have a text color option. For other options see To edit dashlet styles.
   
   
7. To add a drill-across link that opens another dashboard in the same space, select the button, click Edit, and click Drill Across. See To add a drill across link to another dashboard.
   

To embed an external web page

Dashboards can display content from other websites.

1. Click Insert - Web Page.
   
   
2. See Embedding External Web Pages.

To set the refresh rate

The refresh rate determines how often a single dashboard refreshes its data and browser view. By default it is disabled. Multiple dashboards in a collection may update data at different rates.
Best Practice: Use the dashboard automatic refresh feature when you need to display real-time visualizations, particularly for data that frequently changes. It is especially helpful for Live Access sources, since Birst does not automatically detect updates in those local sources.

1. Click Refresh.
   
2. Use the slider to set the rate.
   
3. By default the refresh rate applies to all dashlets on a dashboard.

To save a dashboard

At any time while you are editing click Publish to save a dashboard.

Tips:

• Dashboards 2.0 automatically saves dashboards and dashboard collections to the shared directory.  Each collection has a folder.
• Avoid using the same name as other existing dashboards, including original or HTML5 dashboards.

To cancel or close

To exit the editor without saving click Close (X).

Next Steps

• As you make more dashboards, define collections to organize them. See Organizing Dashboards Using Collections.
• Provide your end users with tips for using the dashboards. See Business User Guide to Dashboards 2.0.
• Grant access to your dashboard users. See Access and Privileges for Dashboards 2.0.
• Provide your end users with tips for using the dashboards, especially export and email notification formats. See:
  • Business User Guide to Dashboards 2.0
  • Report Email Notification Formats
  • Report Export Formats

Tip: Birst provides an embedding API for JavaScript. Use the embedding API and JavaScript to embed Dashboards 2.0 dashboards in your web pages. You can also pass data from a web page embedded in Birst to the Birst application. See Embedding API for JavaScript.