# Dashboards

A **dashboard** is a visual interface that aggregates, displays, and allows interaction with data through tiles, charts, filters, and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).\
Dashboards enable users to monitor metrics, track performance, and derive insights from multiple data sources in real-time.

**Key characteristics of a dashboard**:

* Visual, interactive representation of data.
* Configurable layouts and themes.
* Filters to personalize data views.
* Ability to drill into details or link related insights.

### Key Features

#### 1. Simplified Report Addition

Creating dashboards is now more intuitive.\
The enhanced interface streamlines the process of adding reports: users can quickly add cards to their dashboards with just a few clicks, making dashboard building faster and more user-friendly.

#### 2. Text Cards with Markdown Support

Dashboards now support **Text Cards** with Markdown formatting.\
Users can add textual content directly to their dashboards to:

* Provide narrative explanations,
* Offer important context,
* Highlight key insights alongside visual reports.

Markdown capabilities allow for flexible text styling, improving readability and communication.

#### 3. Streamlined Filter Management

Managing filters is easier than ever:

* Add filters directly to the dashboard to refine displayed data.
* Edit or remove existing filters with minimal effort.

This ensures dashboards remain dynamic and highly customizable for specific data exploration needs.

#### 4. Distinct View and Edit Modes

Dashboards now offer **separate view and edit modes**:

* **Edit Mode:** Allows users to modify layout, add or remove components, and adjust settings.
* **View Mode:** Locks the dashboard layout for a clean, interactive experience without risk of accidental modifications during presentations or usage.

This separation improves both usability and presentation quality.

#### 5. Saved Filters in View Mode

Users can now create and save their own filter configurations directly from view mode:

* Each user can personalize their view of the dashboard.
* Saved filters make recurring workflows faster and easier.

## How to create a new Dashboard?

Let's get started with creating a new Dashboard.

* Navigate to **Dashboards**  from the left navigation. 
* On the right corner of the listing page, you will find the button "**+Create Dashboard**". Click on the button to create your dashboard.
* Provide a **name** for your dashboard. 
* When done, you are taken to your dashboard with an empty canvas in **edit** mode, where you can add your cards.

<figure><img src="https://2657302904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FazylpawQDleaF3gtrhZd%2Fuploads%2FyGGTWZ4cMCath7Ze8MwV%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=ee23f23c-1dc4-4561-922b-44c048954a34" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Now click on "**Add Report**" to begin adding reports.

## Understanding the layout

On Dashboards, we have separate modes for editing and viewing the Dashboard. Let's first understand the Edit mode, where you would be setting up your dashboards for your audience.

On top of the interface, there is the Top bar which has a breadcrumb for navigation, buttons, and more.&#x20;

### **Top Bar:**

* **Refresh**: In order to run the dashboard and get the updated result, click on Refresh.
* **Mode Button**: to switch to view mode from the Edit Mode and vice-versa.
* **Add**: It's a dropdown button that enables you to add cards/widgets to the dashboard.&#x20;
  * **Add Report**, enables you to add tabs from Reports you created.&#x20;
  * **Add Text**, enables you to add a text card to your dashboard.&#x20;
* Below the Top bar, the area is used to display the filters. The "**+Add Filter**" lets you add filters to your dashboard.&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://2657302904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FazylpawQDleaF3gtrhZd%2Fuploads%2Fs8VK9t8FygbfG6U4EiYu%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=06e62ed5-8c7c-4d46-b7e3-8f926e92481b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* The major part of the screen is the dashboard **canvas**, where your added cards appear.
* **Edit Layout:** It lets you adjust the size of each of your cards and enables you to be in control of how you want your cards to appear on the grid.
* **Themes:** You can apply themes on the dashboard and created beautiful dashboards.

### Add Text Card to Dashboard&#x20;

In Dashboards , we have the feature to add **text cards** to provide context to your dashboards. Communicate your insights effectively with the new text card feature.&#x20;

You can now include text cards within your dashboard, supporting **Markdown text formatting.**&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://2657302904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FazylpawQDleaF3gtrhZd%2Fuploads%2FBIQfgrXgBlZMYGKe2Bdj%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=349ca563-717b-486f-9359-39a19a76bf02" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### To add a text card,&#x20;

* Click on the **Add Text** option from the Add button on the top right.&#x20;
* Provide the title to your text card.&#x20;
* By default, the text editor is in **view mode**. You may include markdown formatting to your text and view it in the preview mode on the Add Text modal.

You can create **multiple pages** under a single dashboard to better organize information, reduce clutter, and streamline navigation.&#x20;

### Pages in Dashboards&#x20;

* Each dashboard can contain multiple **Pages**.
* Each Page supports:
  * **Independent layout**.
  * **Separate filters**.
  * **Unique theme**.
  * **Custom set of visualizations**.
* Horizontal tabs allow quick switching between pages.

{% hint style="info" %}

Best practice:

* Use **Pages** for **broad segmentation** (e.g., different departments, regions).
* Use **Tabs** for **detailed views** within each Page.
  {% endhint %}

### Import Dashboards as Pages&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://2657302904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FazylpawQDleaF3gtrhZd%2Fuploads%2FL3Kdk2P0mfLwCqm1QzC8%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=14103696-816f-4f58-be02-a7d6af92188e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Existing standalone dashboards can be **imported** as Pages.
* This allows easy consolidation and centralization of insights.

<figure><img src="https://2657302904-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FazylpawQDleaF3gtrhZd%2Fuploads%2FMak2SSp70hZyDricjWNL%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=65e06acb-d5cc-4ae8-9abc-4b342712106c" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Enhanced Page Controls&#x20;

By clicking on the drop button next to Page name, users can manage Pages using the following controls:

* **Rename** a page.
* **Clone** a page.
* **Delete** a page.
* **Reorder** pages via:
  * **Drag & Drop**.
  * **Arrow keys**.
  * **Horizontal scrolling**.