Before you begin: Widgets are the graphs, tables, text boxes and images shown in dashboards and reports. In order to display data, you need to create and configure widgets. During the widget creation process, you will assign it a data source to display. There are three different kinds of widgets: data, media and admin. This article describes how to create and configure the different widgets. These instructions assume you have already created the dashboard you want to add the widgets to. If you need to create a dashboard, see How to Create a Dashboard.
Locate the Dashboard
1] On the left side menu click Reports and then click Dashboards.
2] There are three ways to locate the dashboard:
- You can search for it by entering the name into the search box in the upper left (results appear automatically).
- Or you can click Add Filters and enter a filter parameter into the Filter textbox (results appear automatically).
- Or you can navigate through the collection using the page controls in the upper right.
3] When you locate the dashboard you want to add widgets to, click it.
How to Create a Data Widget
A data widget is specifically designed to display a data source in a TapClicks dashboard. There are eight different kinds of graph formats you can choose including pie charts, line charts and more. When you create a data widget from scratch, you specify the metrics to be displayed and can also tailor its look and feel.
4] In the upper right, click the "+" icon.
5] From the widget menu choose Data Widget.
6] The New Widget column appears on the right side with the Data menu selected.
7] Click a widget type from the menu across the top of the column. The widget type is the chart type used to display your data. You have the following choices:
- Big Number
- Data Grid
- Bar Chart
- Line Chart
- Combo Chart
- Pie Chart
- Funnel Chart
- Gauge Chart
8] To quickly preview your widget, enable the Use Sample Data option.
9] To take advantage of data in the TapClicks Data Cloud, enable the Use Data Cloud option.
10] Enter a title for the widget in the Title textbox.
11] Click the Data Category textbox and then choose a data source or channel from the dropdown menu for your widget. If you are using channels or smart connectors, scroll down the list until you find them. This list is often organized with Instant-on connectors at the top and then other data sources below. TapOrders and TapWorkflow views are found in the "Other Sources" section at the very bottom.
12] Click in the Data View textbox and from the dropdown, choose the data view for your widget. The data view is different for each data category and is based on how information in that application is structured.
13] Click inside the Metrics textbox and a list of metrics appear.
14] Select the metric(s) to display in your widget. The chosen metric(s) appear in the Metrics box. Should you need to remove a metric, click the "x" inside the metric icon.
| NOTE: At least one metric is required, so you will not see the deletion "x" when only one metric is present. To delete a lone metric, add another metric and then delete the one you want. |
Configure Metrics
15] One you select the metric(s), then you configure them. Click the settings icon to the right in the Metrics box.
16] The metrics configuration utility appears.
17] To change the order of the metrics, hover your mouse over a metric until it turns into a cross. Click, hold and drag it to where you want it to appear in the list and then release it.
18] Click the sort icon on the right of any metric to sort by that metric. To do multiple sorts, hold down the SHIFT key while clicking multiple sort icons.
19] To customize the chart color of a particular metric, click the color circle to the left of the metric.
20] From the color palette that appears, pick a color or click the pencil icon to input a specific color hex code.
21] To return to the New Widget column, click the back arrow at the top.
22] Choose dimensions by clicking inside the Dimensions (Group By) textbox and selecting from the list. Dimensions are how the data are grouped in the widget. Click the "x" to remove a dimension.
23] From the Time Grouping dropdown, choose the time unit for grouping your time (e.g., hour, day, week).
24] Click the Time Grouping dropdown menu and select the timeframe to group your data.
25] Make sure the Drilldown Chart? slider is slid to the right if you want grouped dimensions to be rolled up and clickable on the widget.
Style the Widget
26] To style your widget, click Styles from across the top of the column.
27] The Styles menu appears.
28] Choose the Look & Feel options and the widget options to style the widget your way. You'll see the changes reflected in the widget immediately.
29] When you have finished creating your widget, click Save at the bottom of the column.
How to Create a Data Widget Using a Template
Data widgets can be created based on a template. Widget templates are pre-defined, but you can still change the look and feel of a widget based on a Template.
1] From the New Widget column, click Templates across the top menu.
2] A list of available templates appears.
3] To locate a specific template by title, either scroll through the list or type the title into the search box at the top and hit Enter.
4] To filter the template list, click in the filter box and a list of available filters appears.
5] Scroll through the filter list and when you locate the desired filter parameter, click it to filter the list by that parameter.
6] When you locate the template you want to use, click it. The chosen template becomes a widget and automatically appears center page.
7] You can change the look and feel of the widget by using styles as detailed in the steps above.
How to Create a Media Widget
A media widget is used to display something that isn't data or text, such as videos or images. You will be presented with a WYSIWYG editor where you can add text, images, and other common configurations.
1] On the dashboard screen click the "+" icon.
2] On the widget type menu click Media Widget.
3] The Media Widget modal appears.
4] To add/edit the header of the media widget, start by clicking inside the header textbox.
5] When the Edit Widget Header workspace appears, enter and style your header text and then click Done.
6] To link the media widget to a data source, slide the Link media widget to a data source? slider to the right.
7] Click inside the Select a data source... textbox and from the dropdown menu, choose a data source for the media widget.
8] To link the media widget as a header, slide the Use this widget as a header slider to the right.
Insert Image
9] To make the widget display an image, click the image icon in the Media Widget menu.
10] The Insert Image modal appears.
11] Either enter the image URL in the Image URL textbox or click Choose Files and upload the image.
12] Click Insert Image.
13] Click Save.
Insert Video
14] To make the widget display a video, click the video icon in the Media Widget menu (next to the image icon).
15] The Insert Video modal appears.
16] Enter the video URL in the Video URL textbox.
17] Click Insert Video.
18] Click Save.
How to Create an Admin Widget
Admin widgets are used for displaying administrative data on the TapClicks dashboard. Administrative data include names, addresses, emails, roles, time zones, and login timestamps.
1] On the Dashboard screen, click the "+" icon.
2] On the widget type menu click Admin Widget.
3] The untitled admin widget appears in the center and the New Widget column appears on the right.
4] Enter a title for the widget in the Title textbox on the right column.
5] Click inside the Metrics box and a list of metrics appears.
6] Choose one or more metrics for the widget to display by clicking them. Click the "x" to remove them. The Date metric is required.
Configure Metrics
7] When you're finished choosing the metrics, click on the settings icon to the right to configure them.
8] The metrics appear in a list that can be reordered.
9] To reorder the metrics list, hover your mouse over the metric you want to move and the cursor turns into a cross. Click, hold and drag it to the desired location in the list and then release.
10] Click the sort icon on the right of any metric to sort by that metric. To do multiple sorts, hold down the SHIFT key while clicking multiple sort icons.
11] Enact any other options available for the metrics you chose. Hover your mouse over any icon to learn what it does.
12] Click Save at the bottom of the column.