Step-by-Step Guide to Dashboards

The following provides step-by-step guidance to creating, customizing and using your dashboard.

The following diagram is a suggested workflow that includes all the activities that you can perform with dashboards; however, not all steps are required to start using your dashboard.

graph TD A[1. Define Dashboard Purpose] --> B[2. Create Dashboard Framework] B --> C[3. Select Appropriate Widgets] C --> D[4. Manage Dashboard] D --> E[5. Customize Dashboard] E --> F[6. Design Layout] F --> G[7. Configure Time Settings] G --> H[8. Make Dashboard Interactive] H --> I[9. Share Dashboards] I --> J[10. Export to PDF] J --> K[11. Implement Scheduled Reports] %% Manage Dashboard Subgraph D --> D1[Dashboard Menu Options] D --> D2[Grant Permissions] %% Change Dashboard Subgraph E --> E1[Dashboard Name, Colors, Formatting] %% Layout Features Subgraph F --> F1[Sections] F --> F2[Parameters Panel] %% Time Settings Subgraph G --> G1[Widget Time Picker] G --> G2[Section Time Picker] G --> G3[Live Mode and Time Zone] %% Interactive Features Subgraph H --> H1[Apply Basic Filters] H --> H2[Implement Parameters] H --> H3[Configure Interactions] %% Share Features Subgraph I --> I1[Create Wall Monitor Links] %% Clickable Links click B "dashboards-create" "Create the dashboard framework" click C "widgets-gallery" "Select appropriate widgets" click D "dashboards-manage" "Manage your dashboard" click E "dashboards-edit" "Customize your dashboard" click F "dashboards-organize" "Design the layout" click F1 "dashboards-organize-sections" "Add sections" click F2 "dashboards-organize-sections" "Add parameter panel" click G "dashboards-time" "Configure the time settings" click G1 "dashboards-time-widget-time-selector" "Configure widget time" click G2 "dashboards-time-section-time-selector" "Configure section time" click H1 "dashboards-interactive-filters" "Apply basic filters" click H2 "dashboards-interactive-parameters" "Implement parameters" click H3 "dashboards-interactive-interactions" "Explore the data deeper" click I "dashboards-share" "Share dashboards" click J "dashboards-pdfexport" "Export to PDF" click K "automated-scheduled-reports" "Implement scheduled reports" %% Styling classDef default fill:#f9f9f9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef manage fill:#e6e6ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef change fill:#ffe6ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef interactive fill:#e6f3ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef layout fill:#fff0e6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef time fill:#e6ffe6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef share fill:#ffe6e6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; class H1,H2,H3 interactive; class D1,D2 manage; class E1 change; class F1,F2 layout; class G1,G2,G3 time; class I1 share;
graph TD A[1. Define Dashboard Purpose] --> B[2. Create Dashboard Framework] B --> C[3. Select Appropriate Widgets] C --> D[4. Manage Dashboard] D --> E[5. Customize Dashboard] E --> F[6. Design Layout] F --> G[7. Configure Time Settings] G --> H[8. Make Dashboard Interactive] H --> I[9. Share Dashboards] I --> J[10. Export to PDF] J --> K[11. Implement Scheduled Reports] %% Manage Dashboard Subgraph D --> D1[Dashboard Menu Options] D --> D2[Grant Permissions] %% Change Dashboard Subgraph E --> E1[Dashboard Name, Colors, Formatting] %% Layout Features Subgraph F --> F1[Sections] F --> F2[Parameters Panel] %% Time Settings Subgraph G --> G1[Widget Time Picker] G --> G2[Section Time Picker] G --> G3[Live Mode and Time Zone] %% Interactive Features Subgraph H --> H1[Apply Basic Filters] H --> H2[Implement Parameters] H --> H3[Configure Interactions] %% Share Features Subgraph I --> I1[Create Wall Monitor Links] %% Clickable Links click B "dashboards-create" "Create the dashboard framework" click C "widgets-gallery" "Select appropriate widgets" click D "dashboards-manage" "Manage your dashboard" click E "dashboards-edit" "Customize your dashboard" click F "dashboards-organize" "Design the layout" click F1 "dashboards-organize-sections" "Add sections" click F2 "dashboards-organize-sections" "Add parameter panel" click G "dashboards-time" "Configure the time settings" click G1 "dashboards-time-widget-time-selector" "Configure widget time" click G2 "dashboards-time-section-time-selector" "Configure section time" click H1 "dashboards-interactive-filters" "Apply basic filters" click H2 "dashboards-interactive-parameters" "Implement parameters" click H3 "dashboards-interactive-interactions" "Explore the data deeper" click I "dashboards-share" "Share dashboards" click J "dashboards-pdfexport" "Export to PDF" click K "automated-scheduled-reports" "Implement scheduled reports" %% Styling classDef default fill:#f9f9f9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef manage fill:#e6e6ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef change fill:#ffe6ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef interactive fill:#e6f3ff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef layout fill:#fff0e6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef time fill:#e6ffe6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; classDef share fill:#ffe6e6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px; class H1,H2,H3 interactive; class D1,D2 manage; class E1 change; class F1,F2 layout; class G1,G2,G3 time; class I1 share;
Step Description
1. Define the dashboard purpose Identify key metrics and goals (for example, you need to monitor security threats, or track system health) or determine your target audience.
2. Create the dashboard framework Navigate to dashboard creation interface and configure the basic settings. This step might include selecting a dashboard template (if applicable) or importing an existing dashboard from a LogScale package.
3. Select appropriate widgets Add widgets to your new dashboard. Widgets are visualization tools that are generally based on search queries you want to preserve. Choose the right widget based on data visualization needs, data type compatibility, and your use case.
4. Manage your dashboard Manage your dashboards through several menu options, for example export, clone and delete dashboards, or grant permissions to new users.
5. Change your dashboard Style and customize the layout of dashboard with several edit options, such as edit labels, set a different time interval, configure settings across multiple widgets.
6. Design the layout Provide intuitive navigation and clear data visualization in dashboards. This is achieved through effective layout design and information organization of your dashboards: for example, arrange widgets in logical groups (sections), establish visual hierarchy or optimize space utilization.
7. Configure the time settings Choose whether queries in your dashboard should be live or static; adjust time controls at dashboard or widget level.
8. Make your dashboard interactive

Use dashboards interactively in view mode without editing queries or altering the structure of pre-designed dashboards. Available functionalities for this purpose include:

  • Apply basic filters

    Filter data by specific criteria (for example, filter by severity level ERROR, WARNING, INFO).

  • Implement parameters

    Create parameter-based filtering to store filter values, thus allowing your dashboard users to change these values dynamically and customize data views.

  • Explore the data deeper with interactions

    Configure dashboard interactions that allow dashboard users to drill-down to detailed views, link to other dashboards or to external resources.

9. Share dashboards Grant access to others without allowing access to the data, by sharing the dashboard.
10. Export to PDF Export a dashboard in PDF format for archiving, printing, or distribution purposes.
11. Implement scheduled reports Generate formatted dashboard reports and automatic email sending to specified recipients based on customizable time intervals.