How to create a new Dashboard

What are Dashboards and how to create them

Dashboards are a visual compilation of the data that is important to you. It is where users should start and end their day… It is a tool to help understand their current work load through views and charts. Additionally, they are interactive. Quickly open a record straight from the Dashboard without having to search for the record or navigate through the system.

Preparing to create your new Dashboard

Users can create their own Views, Charts, and Dashboards to show them what is important to them. Here is what those terms mean:

View: a list of records. The list is organised by Filters and displayed by Columns.
Filters: defined by And and Or statements, the filters control what records are displayed in the view
Columns: columns define what data is shown in the view. Columns can be sorted, as well
Chart: a visual representation of the records in the corresponding View. E.g  Pie Charts, Bar and Column Charts, and Pipeline Charts.
Dashboard: a combination of 6 (or less) components. A component can be a View, Chart, Web Resource, or Iframe.

Step 1: Design : Define what you want to see and what is important to you. 
Step 2: Create Views (if needed): See article: Creating a List View
Step 3: Create Charts (if needed): See article: Building Charts
Step 4: Create Your Dashboard

When you have everything ready based on your Dashboard Design, navigate to the Dashboard area by clicking Dashboards > +New > Dynamics 365 Dashboard
 

This will show you the 7 layout options (you can change width and height of each component after selecting one of the layouts). Click on one and then click Create.

 

Each component will have 6 options. You will typically only add List Views or Charts. 
 

 

 

Select the List View icon 
 

 

 

 

The Add Component window will open, find and select your View.

 

Select the Record type; this is the entity in which you created your List view such as Contacts, Vacancies, Clients, Placements or Activities. Next choose the View you want to see and click Add.
 

 

 

Click to Highlight the section and then click EDIT COMPONENT to view/refine the Properties of the section (double clicking on the section will also open up to Properties)
 

This will allow you to set properties to refine what can be seen in the section. You can give it a name, manage what other views might be available to users or give an option for a chart to be included. You could also manage the data source to completely change it if needed. Click OK when you are finished.
 

You would repeat these steps for each component you want to add for the other sections.

 

Charts work  the same way. Click the Chart icon

 

Choose the record type, the view and then select the type of Chart. Click Add when you have finished. 

 

 

Once again if you want to edit the components further click to highlight the section and click EDIT COMPMONENT as you did above for the list View .
 

 

 

Click on Save & Close when you have finishing building your Dashboard. 
 

 

Your Dashboard will then show up, you might have to refresh or press Control and press F5.
 

 

 

 

Bonus Tips

 

If there is a System Dashboard that you love, except you want to change one component or change the layout, it is easiest to click the Save As button and edit, rather than starting from scratch.

You don't have to fill up all of the sections. If you've chosen a 3 column with 6 sections but only need 5 or 4 just leave the ones you don't need blank and they will be disregarded.