Dashboard Creation & Management

Create and organize custom dashboards for visualizing your industrial data

Dashboard Creation & Management

Dashboards in DataForeman provide a customizable interface for visualizing real-time and historical data from your industrial devices. Organize your visualizations into folders and create as many dashboards as you need.

Dashboard Main View

Overview

Dashboards allow you to:

  • Create custom layouts with multiple charts and widgets
  • Organize dashboards into folders for better management
  • View real-time and historical data side-by-side
  • Share dashboards with team members (based on permissions)
  • Export dashboard data for reporting

Creating Your First Dashboard

Step 1: Navigate to Dashboards

Click the Dashboards icon in the left sidebar to access the dashboard management interface.

Step 2: Create a New Dashboard

  1. Click the CREATE DASHBOARD button in the top-right corner
  2. Enter a dashboard name and description
  3. Optionally, select a parent folder to organize your dashboard
  4. Click Create to save

Step 3: Add Charts to Your Dashboard

Once your dashboard is created:

  1. Click Add Widget or Add Chart
  2. Select from existing saved charts in Chart Composer
  3. Arrange charts using drag-and-drop
  4. Resize charts by dragging their corners
  5. Click Save to preserve your layout

Organizing with Folders

Creating Folders

  1. Click New Folder in the left panel
  2. Enter a folder name
  3. Optionally, select a parent folder for nested organization
  4. Click Create

Managing Folders

  • Create Subfolder: Hover over a folder and click the subfolder icon
  • Edit Folder: Click the pencil icon to rename
  • Delete Folder: Click the trash icon (dashboards inside will be moved to parent or root)

Dashboard Features

View Mode

In view mode, dashboards display your data cleanly without editing controls:

  • Charts update automatically based on configured refresh rates
  • Click any chart to view details or drill down
  • Use the time range selector to adjust the viewing window
  • Toggle between dark and light themes

Edit Mode

Edit mode allows you to customize your dashboard layout:

  • Drag charts to reposition them
  • Resize charts by dragging corners
  • Add new charts from your saved collection
  • Remove charts you no longer need
  • Configure chart-specific settings

Sharing & Permissions

Dashboards respect the DataForeman permission system:

  • Users need read permission to view dashboards
  • Users need update permission to edit dashboards
  • Users need create permission to make new dashboards
  • Administrators can control access through User Management

Tips & Best Practices

  1. Organize Strategically: Use folders to group dashboards by:

    • Production line or area
    • Equipment type
    • Shift or department
    • Process stage

  2. Optimize Performance:

    • Limit dashboards to 6-8 charts for best performance
    • Use appropriate time ranges to reduce data load
    • Consider separate dashboards for real-time vs historical views

  3. Naming Conventions: Use clear, descriptive names like:

    • “Line 1 - Production Overview”
    • “Boiler System - Real-Time”
    • “Quality Metrics - Daily”

  4. Regular Cleanup: Archive or delete unused dashboards to keep the interface manageable

Troubleshooting

Dashboard Won’t Load

  • Check Permissions: Ensure you have read access to the dashboard
  • Verify Charts: Make sure all charts in the dashboard still exist
  • Check Data Source: Confirm the devices are connected and sending data

Charts Not Updating

  • Refresh Rate: Check if auto-refresh is enabled
  • Data Availability: Verify data exists for the selected time range
  • Browser Console: Check for JavaScript errors (F12)

Layout Issues

  • Clear Cache: Try refreshing the page (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
  • Browser Compatibility: Use a modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
  • Screen Resolution: Some layouts may need adjustment for different screen sizes

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Ctrl+S / Cmd+S: Save dashboard (in edit mode)
  • Esc: Exit edit mode
  • F11: Toggle fullscreen mode
  • R: Refresh all charts

Next Steps