Dashboards

About Dashboards

Dashboards are stored in the Catalog, and they are displayed on the Dashboard page. The content of each dashboard is determined by queries that define what should be displayed on the dashboard. Throughout this documentation, we use the term dashboard to refer to the dashboard Catalog item and its underlying queries that are displayed on the Dashboard page.

Dashboard Catalog items store configurable widgets. The term widget is used in the APM documentation to refer to dashboard widgets, their configuration options, and default layouts.

APM includes a set of baseline dashboards that are specific to certain modules and work processes. If you do not specify a default dashboard in APM, the APM Foundation dashboard will be set as your default dashboard.

About Filtering Dashboard Content

The dashboard content that is displayed in query, calendar, and graph widgets can be filtered according to the criteria defined in the query selected in the Filter Query section of the dashboard edit view. This query defines the content of the Enter Parameter Values window that appears when you open a dashboard.

The filter parameter values can be defined in the URL that you use to access the dashboard. If you do not specify the parameters in the URL, the default values specified in the underlying query, or your previously used values, which are stored as a user preference are used.

Important: The filter criteria that is prompted in the queries selected in the query-based widgets on the dashboard must be included in the filter query selected in the Filter Query section of the dashboard edit view, and must use the same parameter IDs. If any criterion used in a widget query is not included in the filter query, or if the parameter IDs do not match, the behavior of the Enter Parameter Values window is not as expected and content is not filtered accordingly.

About Filter Parameter Value Precedence

The following rules are applied to determine how filter parameter values are set when you access a dashboard:
  • When you access the dashboard using a URL that specifies filter parameter values, the specified values are always used. For example, when you access the URL #dashboard/64252603546?asset=345728389&days=90, the dashboard with key 64252603546 is opened and the filter parameter values are set to asset=345728389 and days=90.
    Note: After you access the dashboard using a URL that specifies filter parameter values, you can still modify the filter parameter values. However, if you refresh your browser, the filter parameter values will revert to the values specified in the URL.
  • When you access the dashboard using a URL which does not specify filter parameters, or you access a dashboard from the Dashboard page:
    • Your stored user preferences are used. For example, when you access the URL #qdetail/64252603546, the query opens in the results-only view and your stored user preferences are used to set the parameter values.
    • If you do not have stored user preferences, the default parameter values specified in the underlying queries are used.
    • If default parameter values are not specified in the underlying queries:
      • For Asset Hierarchy parameters, the global asset context, that is, the asset or asset group currently selected in the Assets page, is used.
      • For other parameters, the Enter Parameter Values window appears. Enter the values you want to use and select Done to set the parameter values.
Note: When you access a graph or query in the results-only view, for example when you select Open in New Tab from a dashboard widget, the page uses the same filter component as the dashboard, and the behavior of filter parameters is similar.

Access and Modify the Dashboard Configuration

Procedure

  1. Open an existing dashboard.

    -or-

    Create a new dashboard.

  2. In the upper-right corner of the page, select Edit Mode.

    Depending on your security permissions, the following options appear:

    • Filter Query : Displays a window with prompts by which to filter query results.
    • Add New Widget : Displays buttons for each widget type.
    • Show Hidden Widgets : Displays a list of widgets that are hidden from the dashboard. This list is displayed to all users. You can redisplay a widget that appears in this list.
    Tip:  You can move widgets by selecting them and then dragging-and-dropping them in your desired location. You can also resize widgets by selecting the border of the widget and adjusting its dimensions. You can also configure responsive layouts to support devices with different screen sizes.
  3. After making changes using the dashboard configuration options, select Edit Mode.

    The changes made to the dashboard are saved.

Create a New Dashboard

Procedure

  1. Access the Dashboards page.
  2. In the upper-right corner of the Dashboards page, select Create New.

    The Save As window appears.

  3. In the Catalog pane, navigate the hierarchy to determine the type of dashboard that you want to create.

    A grid appears in the workspace.

  4. Under the grid, complete the required fields.
    • In the Name box, enter a unique file name for the new dashboard.
    • In the Caption box, enter unique text to identify the new dashboard.
    • Optionally, in the Description box, you can enter an explanation of the new dashboard.
  5. Select Save.

    A blank dashboard appears on the Dashboard page, and the dashboard is saved to the Catalog.

Configure The Responsive Dashboard Layout

About This Task

You can configure the Responsive Dashboard layout to optimize the user experience. You can configure upto 5 layouts to suit devices with different screen sizes by adjusting the location and size of the widgets as in the following table:
DeviceSupported screen widthLayout grid columns Minimum widget size
PhoneUp to 600 pixels wide44 columns x 4 rows
Small Tablet Between 600 and 767 pixels wide86 columns x 4 rows
Tablet Between 768 and 1023 pixels wide 126 columns x 4 rows
Desktop screen Between 1024 and 1799 pixels wide 246 columns x 4 rows
HD screenMore than 1800 pixels wide246 columns x 4 rows
Note: If you do not configure the layout for a given device type, its dashboard layout will change with the screen width to its default resulting in overlapping of widgets.

Procedure

  1. Open an existing dashboard.

    Or

    Create a new dashboard.

  2. In the upper-right corner of the page, select Edit Mode.
  3. Adjust the browser width to match the device type for which you want to optimize the layout.
    Tip: You can use the mobile layout option in your browser’s development tools to facilitate dashboard layout optimization. Set your browser width to the supported screen width lesser by 20 pixels. For example, to simulate the Phone experience, set the browser width to 579 pixels or less.
  4. Resize and arrange the widgets to optimize the dashboard layout.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each device type for which you want to optimize the layout.
  6. After making changes to the dashboard layout, select Edit Mode.

    The changes made to the dashboard layout are saved.

Filter Dashboard Content

Procedure

  1. Access the dashboard configuration options.
  2. In the Filter Query section, select .

    The Select a query from the catalog window appears.

  3. In the hierarchy, navigate to the folder that contains the query by which you want to filter the dashboard.

    The queries by which you can filter the dashboard appear on the window.

  4. In the grid, select the query, and then select Open.
    The dashboard appears, displaying the selected query in the Filter Query section.
  5. In the upper-left corner of the page, select .
    If the does not appear on the upper-left corner of the page, then, in the upper-right corner of the page, select Edit Mode, and then select Edit Mode again. This will cause the button to appear.
    The Enter Parameter Values window appears.
  6. Using the options on the window, configure values by which to filter the query results, and then select Done.
    The dashboard content is filtered according to the selected parameters.
    Note: You can select (Open in New Tab) icon to open the selected query in the Design workspace.

Export a Dashboard

About This Task

You can export the contents of a dashboard page to a PDF file so that you can create a report for analysis of the data.
Note: This feature is also available in the home dashboard.

Procedure

  1. Access a dashboard.
  2. Select , and then select Export to PDF.
    The Print window appears.
    Note: The Export to PDF option is not available in the edit mode.
  3. Select Save as PDF as the destination, and then select Save.
    The Save As window appears.
  4. Select a location for the file, enter a name for the file, and then select Save.
    The contents of the dashboard are saved as a PDF document to the selected location on your computer.

Set a Dashboard as the Home Dashboard

About This Task

The home dashboard is the first display that appears when APM opens or when you select from the top navigation bar. You can set any existing dashboard as your home page.
Note: Selecting a dashboard as your main dashboard does not affect any other users.

Procedure

  1. Access a dashboard.
  2. Select , and then select Set as Home Page.
    The Set as Home Page window appears.
  3. Select Yes.
    The dashboard is set as your home dashboard.