Intelliview NXT employs a wizard format for the dashboard creation process. The wizard encompasses tabs in the following order:
The section below explains the workflow and each of the steps required to create and publish a dashboard. While selecting the layout (step 1) and adding widgets (step 2) are necessary steps for creating the dashboard, the remaining steps such as setting up data model filters, quick filters, and smart filters are optional
Layout - This page allows you to select the layout for the dashboard. Based on your requirement, you can choose a layout with one, two or three columns
Add Widget - Using this page, you can add or remove widgets from the dashboard. You can publish a dashboard only if you have added at least one widget to it. A dashboard that you save without adding widgets is saved as a draft dashboard. You can access the draft dashboard from the Manage Dashboard menu
The Add Widget page also allows you to create a new widget or import an existing widget from other dashboards
Data Model (DM) Filters - Using this page, you can determine which of the data columns returned by the data model will be used to filter the dashboard at the time of retrieving data from the database
A data model represents a query or a stored procedure that is executed against the database. Defining a data model filter enables you to restrict the data retrieved from the database to match the filter values selected for the data model filter columns
Configuring the appropriate data model columns as the data model filter columns allows retrieval of only the data needed from the database. This reduces the data retrieval load on the database and improves report response time
Example: If the database contains data for the past 5 years and you need to design a report that presents metrics only for the current year, selecting the ‘Year’ column as a data model filter and selecting the filter value using the DM Filter Setup page ensures that only the data needed for the dashboard is retrieved from the database
DM Filter Setup - This page allows you to select specific filter values for the selected data model filter columns. Selecting data model filter values ensures that the report only retrieves the data relevant to the dashboard and not the entire data set as defined by the data model
Example: If the database contains data for the past 5 years, a report that presents metrics only for the current year can be designed by selecting the filter value for the current year from the ‘Year’ column
While it is possible to edit the query or the stored procedure associated with the data model to retrieve only the data relevant to a dashboard, it would mean creating and/or editing data models on an ongoing basis for every dashboard, thereby adding significant overhead on the Administrator
The intent of the data model filter implementation is to use the same generic data model across multiple dashboards and assign the required data model filters to determine which subset of data from the data model is required for each specific dashboard
This reduces the overhead on the Administrator and provides you with more flexibility in designing the dashboard
Quick Filters - Using this page, you can select the quick search filter columns from the global list of columns provided by the data model. You can select up to six columns as quick search filters. These filters are displayed in the top pane of the dashboard. You can use the filters to customize the dashboard data set while viewing it
Unlike data model filters that are applied while retrieving the data set from the database, the quick search filters and smart filters are applied on the data set that has already been retrieved from the database
Applying a quick search filter isolates the data set to only what is associated with the search term and the dashboard is updated to reflect data from the isolated data set
Example: If the data model contains a Customer column, adding it as a quick search column enables you to perform a search for one or more customers and have the dashboard only reflect data pertinent to the records associated with the customer(s) specified in the search
The intent of the quick search filters is to provide you with the familiar search paradigm and improve the usability of the dashboard
Smart Filters - Using this page, you can select the smart filter columns from the global list of columns provided by the data model. You can select up to four columns as smart filter columns. These filters are displayed below the quick search filter columns in the top pane of the dashboard. You can use the filters to customize the dashboard data set while viewing it
Applying a smart filter isolates the data set to only the data associated with the smart filter and the dashboard is updated to reflect data from the isolated data set
Although similar to quick search filters in concept, smart filter columns must ideally contain only four column values, thereby ensuring all the column values can be made available as smart filter buttons. Any column with very few values that are unique but pertinent to any analysis of the information presented in the dashboard can be used as a smart filter
Example: If the data model has a Payment Type column with two unique values, such as Cash and Credit, then the column would make an ideal choice for a smart filter
SF Setup - This page allows you to select the unique values for the selected smart filter column. The filter values are displayed in the top pane of the dashboard
The alias name that you assign to the column value can contain a maximum of four characters as the width of the smart filter button can display only four characters. Hovering on the smart filter displays the underlying column value
Similar to the quick search filter, the intent of the smart filter is to improve the usability of the dashboard by enabling you to customize the data set for the dashboard
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