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Planview Customer Success Center

Dashboards - Then and Now

For customers who are currently using Legacy dashboards, below are several key differences to keep in mind.

Key Differences between Legacy and New Dashboards

# Feature/Difference New Dashboards Legacy Dashboards
1 Permission to see the top-level Dashboards tab

Users must have permission to view at least one dashboard in order to see the top-level Dashboards tab. The new Reports feature works the same way - users must be able to view at least one report in order to see the top-level tab.

See Dashboards Teams/Permissions for more information.

The Dashboards top-level tab was visible to all users, regardless if they had permission to view any dashboards.

2 One dashboard can be accessed from multiple dashboard grids

Every dashboard will automatically be available at the top-level Dashboards list such that users with appropriate permissions can view, edit, and run from there. Optionally, you can configure a dashboard to be accessible from one or more entity grids, such as project Dashboards or portfolio Dashboards.

This means that you can create a single dashboard and make it accessible in various Dashboard list locations. When the dashboard is run from one of these Dashboard lists, the scope will automatically be set to that entity instance.  

Legacy dashboards require that a 'Target' be selected in order to identify what entity Dashboards list the dashboard will appear in. To have a dashboard available in more than one entity Dashboards list, the user must create a different dashboard and choose a different Target each time. For example, to be able to run the same dashboard at both the Organization and the Portfolio levels, the user must create a dashboard with Target 'Organization' and then recreate the dashboard with Target 'Portfolio'.

 

3 WYSIWYG dashboard designer - real time preview with sample data

The new dashboard designer opens in its own tab so that users can take advantage of as much screen real estate as possible. It includes a Preview pane that allows you to immediately see how the dashboard will render as you add reports, and even better, allows you to rearrange and dynamically resize reports within the dashboard.

The Preview pane displays sample data so that its performance is snappy and you do not have to wait for rendering. To see actual dashboard data, there is an option to run the dashboard, which opens the dashboard in another tab.

To see how a dashboard will render based on selected components, the user must run the dashboard and view it in a separate window. Further, when editing a dashboard, the user must use the Layout tab to reorganize reports and the Components tab to resize reports to set sizes.

 

4 Changing Scope when viewing the dashboard

You can optionally configure if you would like the user to be able to change the dashboard Scope when viewing the dashboard. Note that the same dashboard is always used but the scope can be adjusted as needed; no need to create separate dashboards for different entity targets.

For example, even if a dashboard is run from the top-level Dashboards list (and is therefore run at an organization level), you can allow the user to change the Scope (say to a portfolio) while viewing the dashboard. This is optional, you do not have to allow Scope to changed while viewing; the dashboard will just render given its configuration/relevant Scope.

There is no ability to change the Target while viewing the dashboard. Legacy dashboards required a separate dashboard for each entity level or target.

 

 

5 Changing Filters, Time Series, and other Variable Settings when viewing the dashboard

You can optionally configure per dashboard report if you would like the user to be able to change a report's filters, time series, or other applicable Variable Settings.

Filters can be ad hoc or saved; you do not have to create and save filters separately, you can use saved filters or configure with ad hoc filters as you like for each report on the dashboard. There are also additional filter options based on the fields that belong to a report. For example, if a dashboard's report (topic: project, type: list) includes fields for both project and task, the user can be allowed to change both of those filters when viewing the dashboard.

Other Variable Settings that belong to a report, such as Time Series and in the future KPI Trend field options, Audit History options, and others, can also be allowed to be changed while viewing.

Although filters can be changed per dashboard report, only saved filters can be used; there is no ad hoc filter capability. The allowed filters must be of the same category as the dashboard report. For example, if a dashboard's report (category: project, output type: list) includes fields for both project and task, the user can only change to a saved project filter when viewing the dashboard.
6 Dashboards list organization

The new Dashboards list includes a 'Group By' option which allows a user to organize their dashboards by Owner, Scopes, Created By, and Last Modified By (based on these columns being visible in the grid). Users can also just have an ungrouped list. The dashboards list includes an ad hoc filter control at the top and all columns are sortable.

 

The Legacy dashboards list includes an ad hoc filter control at the top and all columns are sortable.