iDashboards

Description:

iDashboards is a server software that we use to generate Flash based reports for your executive team.

To Resolve:

1. Idashboard has a client that you can install. It allows you to pick a server to connect to.

2. You can download different plugins:

   • Set states into regions = county maps
   • Chart example pack
   • Visibility pack = IT metrics
   • Dsapi = To create custom connections to idashboards API.

3. iDashboards has an auto-discover directory located on the severs’s idashboard program files location. You can change this if needed.

   • Rules for Excel:
   • You have to “Name” a set of data = press ctrl+a on the cells and name it something.
   • Column names shouldn’t have trailing spaces.
   • Do all formatting in iDashboards. Make Excel as plain as possible.

4. iDashbords limitations: For queries = 1000 rows / 3000 for pivots. Files: All photo formats, only .flv for video. * Always drill back up before saving. If you don’t it will override the top level one you had previously saved.

The Actual Program:

1. Designer => Dashboards => Frames = Where you insert Charts/ Panels/ Pictures,Txt

2. GUI Rules: Right click driven menu, You have to manually save, right arrow is to keep and continue, left error is to discard and not save.

3. Terms and features:

   • Dataset => Axis list => Chart type => Chart Preview Properties => Drilldown
   • Drill down => chart pivots => match column names
   • Input parameters = textbox, dropdowns, functions
   • Dashobard paramters = can be applied to all chart paramters as long as the column names match
   • Picklist = Create picklist from iDashboard menu => create parameter => drop down => picklist
   • Create filter to parameter

4. Lastly:

   • Report schedules = Sends reports automatically. We configured the smtp server.
   • Chart alerts = when something happens, send an email.
   • Dashboard reports = Exports chart data to a PDF.

5. Tips in creating a dashboard:

   • Add the columns as dashboard parameters from the data source. For your own columns, you have to use calculated parameters:
   • For dates, do ${currdate-90} as the beginning value and ${currdate} as the ending value
   • For drop down list, you have to manually type all available options in the “initial value” for each option. This is only if you want to filter multiple charts on multiple points.
   • Remember to use thresholds when available
   • Remember to make all charts look similar in size. If you have to, under “force grid boundaries” => check that to set a cutoff