Custom Dashboard Administration
  • 10 Jan 2023
  • 5 Minutes to read
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Custom Dashboard Administration

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Article Summary

Netreo allows administrators to create their own custom dashboards. There are two basic types of dashboard that can be created: generic dashboards and device group dashboards. Generic dashboards are dashboards intended to fill a specific arbitrary role (management, engineering, command center, etc.). They can display any kind of data, can be assigned to users as their "home" dashboard, and can be restricted based on user access level. Device group dashboards are intended to replace the built-in default dashboards seen when viewing an individual device group (site, category, strategic group). They allow different device groups of the same type (for example, sites) to have dashboards with different layouts, maybe even containing different information. For example, a dashboard for one site could have a different layout and show different information than a dashboard for another site.

Customize Dashboards Page

To create or edit custom dashboards, navigate to the "Customize Dashboards" page from the main menu (Administration > Users > Custom Dashboards). Alternatively, you can click the Customize Dashboards button on the "Other Dashboards" page (Quick Views > Other Dashboards) to open the "Customize Dashboards" page.

Each specific dashboard type has its own section with a table that lists each dashboard of that type. The tables list the currently existing dashboards in alphanumeric order. Mouse over the number in the WIDGETS column for a preview list of the widgets currently configured in that dashboard. The switch in the QUICK VIEW column allows you to select whether the dashboard appears under the "Quick Views" menu item in the main menu, or on the "Other Dashboards" page. If you have a large number of dashboards, the table will paginate (select a page number at the bottom right of the table). You can select the number of dashboards that should be listed on each page at the top left of the table. If you have a really large number of dashboards, the table can be searched using the search box at the top right which acts as a realtime filter for the list. Under the ACTIONS column, you can click the eye button to preview a dashboard (the preview will open in a new tab or browser window). Device group dashboards cannot be previewed—as a preview requires specific instance data to display the preview. Since device group dashboards are applied to a device group type, there is no specific data to display for a preview. Click the build button to edit an existing dashboard, or the delete button to delete that dashboard. Default Netreo dashboards cannot be deleted, but they can be customized. However, be aware that if you customize a default dashboard, there is no automatic setting to restore it to its default state.

A new empty dashboard must first be created before it can be customized. To create a new dashboard, click the Create New Dashboard button next to the appropriate dashboard type.

Editing Dashboards

Dashboards in Netreo are made up of collections of widgets that display various types of information. After a dashboard has been created, click the build button in its ACTIONS column to open the edit page for the dashboard.

Save an edited dashboard using the Save button at the top right of the page. If your dashboard can be previewed, click the Preview button to open a preview in a new tab or browser page. The Revert button will undo any changes you've made since the last time you saved the dashboard (for this editing session only). You can return to the dashboard administration page at any time by clicking the List All Custom Dashboards button at the top left of the page.

The following four aspects of a dashboard can be set on the edit page:

  • Name - This is the name of the dashboard as it appears in menus, displays, and the dashboard itself.
  • Access Level - This restricts access to the dashboard to users logged in at the selected access level and above only.
  • Layout Template- This selection determines how widgets will be arranged on the dashboard. Widgets will display more, or less, information depending on how much room they have in the layout. There are four options:
    1. Full Width - Each widget will take up the entire width of the dashboard (if applicable) and widgets will stack in a single column, one on top of another.
    2. Narrow/Wide/Narrow - This layout provides a narrow column on each side of a wide column in the center that is double the width of the narrow columns.
    3. Narrow/Wide - This layout provides a narrow column on the left side, and a wide column on the right that is three times the width of the narrow column.
    4. 50/50 - This layout provides two double-width columns side by side.
  • Widget Selection - Widgets are dragged using the handle icon from the list of available widgets on the left to any position in any column. Widgets may be dragged to reorder within a column, or from one column to another, at any time. Many widgets require configuration after being added to a dashboard. Click the configuration button on a widget to configure it. You must save the dashboard before attempting to configure widgets. Widgets in the list on the left that have the multiple-use icon may be added to a dashboard multiple times and configured with different settings. Single-use widgets that have already been added to a dashboard will no longer be available in the list until they are deleted from the dashboard. Click the delete button on a widget to delete it from the dashboard.

If you change the Layout Template selection of a dashboard, any widgets currently assigned to that dashboard will disappear from the layout. However, they are still assigned to that dashboard. If you change the selection back to the previous Layout Template, you will see that all the widgets are still there. Widgets will not be removed from a dashboard after selecting a new Layout Template until the dashboard is saved—at which time the widgets will reappear for selection in the widget list on the left.

Remember to save your dashboard after you've finished editing it.

Assigning Custom Dashboards

Users
Generic dashboards can be assigned to users as their "home" dashboard. This is done on the "User Administration" page (Administration > Users > Add/Edit Web Users).

Device Groups
Device group dashboards are assigned to group members using the administration page for the respective group type:

  • Categories - Use the "Category Administration" page (Administration > Grouping > Category). Click the edit icon in the CUSTOM DASHBOARD column for the respective category.
  • Sites - Use the "Site Administration" page (Administration > Grouping > Site). Click the edit button in the ACTIONS column for the respective site. On the site edit page, select the dashboard to be assigned in the CUSTOM DASHBOARD field.
  • Strategic Groups - Use the "Strategic Group Administration" page (Administration > Grouping > Strategic Group). Click the edit icon in the CUSTOM DASHBOARD column for the respective strategic group.

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