Create a new dashboard

A dashboard can include a single piece of content (such as a chart or graph), or you can display multiple related content items together for valuable context.

1. Open the dashboard editor in one of the following ways.

   • Select Create from the navigation rail, then select Dashboard.

   • Select Browse from the navigation rail, then select Dashboards. The browse dashboards page appears. Select the Add button to create a new dashboard.

   • The following methods skip the Create Dashboard dialog and open a grid dashboard. If you are creating a dashboard via either of the below methods, proceed to step 6:

     • Search for streams, asset stream refs, or asset metadata from the search bar.

     • Select Browse from the navigation rail, then select Streams. The browse streams page appears. Select one or more streams, then select the Create Dashboard button.

2. The Create Dashboard dialog opens.

   

   In the Create Dashboard dialog:

   1. Select a dashboard type in the Select Type section:

      • Grid: A responsive dashboard where contents snap into alignment with each other. This is the recommended type if the dashboard will be accessed on tablets. When viewed, grid dashboards dynamically arrange their columns of content based on the width of the page as follows:

        < 850 px: One column.

        ≥ 850 px: Two columns. This width is typical for a tablet in portrait orientation.

        ≥ 1200 px: Three columns. This width is typical for a tablet in landscape orientation.

        ≥ 1600 px: Six columns. This width is typical for desktop screens.

        This is the maximum number of columns that will be displayed. However, if you configure a grid dashboard with fewer columns, expanding the page or pane doesn't cause more columns to display. For example, if you configure a grid dashboard with two columns of content, it still displays as two columns at a page or pane width of 1600 px.

        If a content item or graphic is wider than the number of columns available, it is automatically resized to fit. If there are multiple items in a row but not enough columns to display them all, items are automatically moved to the next row.

        This also applies to pane width when the dashboard is added to an experience.

        A column is the minimum width that a content item or graphic can be. By default, content is two columns wide. So if, for example, you want to display two content items side by side on a tablet in vertical orientation, resize each content item to the minimum width. Then each content item will be one column wide, and they'll display side by side on an 850 px tablet screen.

        The dashboard designer is always six columns wide, regardless of the page width.

      • Canvas: A freeform dashboard type that allows layered content and a customized look. This type is ideal for desktop displays.

   2. Optionally select the Asset context section of the dialog to set an asset context.

      When an asset context is set, you can configure the content in the dashboard to use the asset context instead of setting the asset individually for each content item. This is useful if you have many similar assets, tags, or documents that you want to visualize in the same way.

      For example, you might have a wind farm with 50 wind turbines. It’s useful to show charts displaying the expected output and actual output for a single turbine. You can create a dashboard with an asset context of the first turbine in the wind farm, and configure its content to follow the asset context. When a user views this dashboard, they’ll see data for the first turbine selected by default. They can then select the asset context button to change the asset being visualized to a different turbine.

      Note the following:

      • If an asset context is set, it is recommended that all content items in the dashboard be configured to follow the asset context. Otherwise it may not be clear to viewers why some content items change with the asset context and others do not.

      • You can change or remove the asset context when editing the dashboard.

        If Asset Information Management - Advanced (AIM-A) integration is enabled, a tag or document can be set as the asset context as well.

   3. Optionally select the Time context section of the dialog to change the time context. This is the default time range for the data that is displayed in content in the dashboard. Content items can be individually configured to use a different time range.

      Note the following:

      • The time context can be changed by viewers of the dashboard. Changes by viewers are not saved.

      • You can change the time context when editing the dashboard.

   4. Select the Create button to create the dashboard. The dashboard opens in edit mode.

3. If this is a canvas dashboard, configure the properties per Canvas dashboard tools and properties. Grid dashboards don't have configurable properties.

4. Select the buttons on the top bar to set the context and adjust your view:

   • Select the asset context button to set or change the asset context.

     Note: If an asset context is selected and then removed, content configured to follow the asset context reverts to the last asset context selected.

   • Select the time context button to change the time context.

   • Select the full screen button to expand the dashboard to the full page

     If this is a canvas dashboard, additional options are available. See Canvas dashboard tools and properties.

5. Select the Add Content button to add content to the dashboard. See Add content to an experience or dashboard for details on the content and options available.

   A canvas dashboard can be added to a grid dashboard. This is the only way in which a dashboard can be added to another dashboard; you cannot add a grid dashboard to a grid dashboard, nor can you add either type of dashboard to a canvas dashboard.

   The following properties can be configured for a canvas dashboard added to a grid dashboard:

   • Follow asset context: This is enabled by default. The canvas dashboard uses the grid dashboard's asset context. This affects any content in the canvas dashboard that is configured to follow the asset context.

     If this is enabled, the grid dashboard should have an asset reference assigned.

   • Follow time context: This is enabled by default. The canvas dashboard uses the grid dashboard's time context. This affects any content in the dashboard that is configured to follow the time context.

   • Show original background: The background color or image configured for the dashboard displays.

     Note: When a canvas dashboard is added to a grid dashboard, you can navigate to the canvas dashboard by selecting Go to original. The canvas dashboard opens in the current browser tab.

6. Arrange and resize content within the dashboard.

   Tip: Use the Duplicate option to create a copy of content within the same dashboard. This allows you to quickly add similar content to the dashboard.
   
   Use Swap to change a content item or graphic to a different content item or graphic. Applicable settings are saved.

7. Save and share your content.

8. Select Exit to close edit mode.