Create a dashboard with multiple elements

The following video illustrates how to create a dashboard with multiple elements:

To recap the steps in the video:

In the repository browser, find - Dashboards
Press - Add Dashboard
Set the dashboard name to Debt Overview
Press

Create the dashboard by using some stream views you created earlier, and by creating a new view:

Open the configuration form for the stream Overall Debt Levels
Drag the view Debt levels by payment means onto the dashboard pane
Right click on the chart Debt levels by payment means in the dashboard and select Dashboard Options → Add Horizontal Bar
Drag Debt levels by payment means 2 into the space
Right click on the chart Debt levels by payment means in the dashboard and select Dashboard Options → Add Vertical Bar
Drag the icon from the stream configuration form for Overall Debt Levels onto the space
Choose view type Grid, and drag on all attributes from the stream to create the new view
Go into App mode to see the results

Remove dashboard elements

Open the dashboard Debt Overview
Right click on the view Overall Debt Levels_1 and select Dashboard Options → Remove Element from Dashboard

Removing a dashboard element only removes the view from the dashboard, it does not delete the view.

Add view

Since we have only removed the dashboard element, the view we created still exists. We will add it back into the dashboard:

Open the stream configuration form for Overall Debt Levels
Find the view Overall Debt Levels_1, and drag it into the empty space in your dashboard
Go into App mode - you should see that the dashboard is the same as before

Set dashboard to maximise on opening

Set your dashboard to that it automatically maximises when it is opened:

Right click on any view in the dashboard and go to Dashboard Options → Show Dashboard Details
In the dashboard configuration form, tick Open Maximised
Close and open the dashboard, it will now be maximised

Apply filters on dashboards

You will now filter one of the views Debt levels by payment means to show only the last 40 days:

Right click on the view Debt levels by payment means in your dashboard
Go to Dashboard Options → Show Element Details
Tick the flag Use Custom Default Filter
- Select the filter Last 40 days
Save your changes, and check the result of the filter

Using background filters

Over the next two exercises you will create a dashboard that supports investigation into debt issues. First, you will create a view with a background filter:

Open the configuration form for the view Overall Debt Levels - you can do this directly from the stream configuration form for Overall Debt Levels by double-clicking on the view
Set the Background Filter to Last 40 days
Save your changes to the view
Create a new dashboard, called Debt Investigation
Drag the view Overall Debt Levels onto it
You will see that the data appears with the filter Last 40 days applied, to check this:
- Press - this will show that only 102 records are now shown
Add a new filter:
- Name: Cash Only
- Conditions: PaymentMeans equals CASH
The resulting data set will contain records with PaymentMeans = CASH and within the last 40 days (34 records showing)

To verify this, open the Default View on the stream Overall Debt Levels and apply the Cash Only filter; all CASH rows will be shown (100 records)

A background filter will always be applied – in addition to any other filter applied to the view. Once a background filter is applied on a view, it is not possible to see the data without this filter. In this way a background filter differs from a default filter – default filters can be overridden by users if they simply select a different filter, or even clear the filter entirely.

A background filter can be set on a view, as in this exercise, or in the dashboard element properties for the view on a dashboard.
When you set up the view assess whether you will always want the background filter to apply in all circumstances; or whether the background filter needed will vary across different dashboards.

Using prompt for value filters

To complete the dashboard for investigating debt issues, you will now create a filter that will allow users to enter a value in a pop up form:

Add a filter to the view Overall Debt Levels on the dashboard Debt Investigation:
- Name: select Payment Means
- Conditions:
  - Where ALL the following are true
    - PaymentMeans equals _prompt.PaymentMeans
    - Press the ABC button - this will now say fx
- When you have completed all these details press
A form will pop up prompting you to enter a value – type in CHQ and press OK
The data will refresh to show entries for payment means CHQ (34 records showing)

Every time that this dashboard is opened the user will be prompted to enter a value. If you enter a value and want to change this, you can re-select the filter and you will be prompted to enter a new value.

22 Building dashboards