The Dashboard Object Definition window allows you to specify the appearance and behaviour of dashboard objects that have been added to your dashboard tabs.

The Dashboard Object Definition window consists of the following tabs;

Data

Allows you to define the data that will populate the dashboard object.

Totals

Allows you to behaviour of totals for Grids and Pivot Table objects.

Appearance

Allows you to specify settings that will govern the appearance of the dashboard object.

Numeric Format

Allows you to specify the numeric format used to display numbers in the dashboard object.

X Axis

Allows you to specify settings that govern the appearance of the X axis on the dashboard object.

Y Axis

Allows you to specify settings that govern the appearance of the Y axis on the dashboard object.

Drill Down

Allows you to add and define a drill down to the dashboard object

Alerts

Advanced

Allows you to add advanced XML definitions to your dashboard object.

The Dashboard Object Definition window Data tab allows you to specify the data that will be used to render your dashboard object.

Follow the steps below to specify the data;

First select the Query data set that you wish to base your dashboard object;

Then Select a Calendar if required. ( see here for an explanation of Calendar's ) 

If you wish to, press the filter button to apply a filter to your data set. Next, decide how you want to group your data, and select the appropriate option;

The options are described below;

On Change of

Creates a record for each distinct combination of the group values selected.

For Each Record

Creates a record for each record in the source data set, regardless of the group values selected. The For Each Record option will only be offered if you are defining data for a data grid. If you select this option, you will not be able to specify any summary columns as the records are not summarised.

For All records

Creates a single record regardless of the group values selected.

Next, add the Dimension () group columns you require (some object types will only allow a single group column).

Select the Refrsh button , if you do not see a recently added Column, this will retrieve the available columns from inmydata.

If you wish to, you can change the way group values are grouped, sorted and displayed by selecting the group options button to open the group options window.

Next, select which Metric ( ) summary columns you require (some object types will only allow a single summary column).

For each summary column, select the summary operation you wish to be applied. Distinct count is the number of distinct values in the column for the group selected.

Note: The list of summary operations will be limited based on the type of Metric Summary Column that is selected

If you are defining a data grid, you can specify specific numeric formatting for each of the summary and group data columns. To override the default numeric format for a specific  column, select the Numeric Format Tab. This will open the Numeric Format tab to select a column and specify the format.

The Group Options window Group Selection tab allows you control how group values are selected to be displayed in your dashboard object or drill down.

Follow the steps below to specify how group values are selected;

If the group is a date, or date-time value, select which time interval you want to be used to group the data;

Next, if there are too many group values to display on a single chart you can limit the number of groups shown by selecting one of the group limiting options, described below.

To limit the number of groups show, do the following;

The Dashboard Object Definition window Appearance tab allows you to specify settings that will govern the appearance of the dashboard object.

Follow the steps below to specify the appearance of your dashboard object;

First if you want to change the type of object, select the new object type. Then enter a title, and, if you wish, second title (that will appear on a second line) for your Dashboard Object.

For some charts a 3D option can be selected.

Select whether you want to view point labels on your chart, whether those labels should (if possible) be drawn inside the chart, whether they should be shown with vertical text, whether to show a legend on the chart and whether to use the glass effect when rendering the chart.

For certain types of chart, you will be given the option to specify that zero values are not plotted. You can select one of three possible values in the drop down list, each described in the table below;

For certain chart types, you can also select whether to display a series as a line, bar or area, and if the object type has a dual Y axis, which Y axis to display the series on.

The Dashboard Object Definition window Y Axis tab allows you to specify settings that govern the appearance of the Y axis on the dashboard object.

Follow the steps below to specify the Y Axis details on your dashboard object;

First, if you are configuring a dashboard object with a dual Y axis, you can specify a configuration for each Y axis. As such, you need to select which Y axis you are specifying the details for.

Next enter a title for your y axis. If you want, you can specify an alternative number of decimal places for this Y axis, that will override the value specified in the numeric format.

If all the values to be plotted on a Y Axis are either positive, or all negative, by default the Y Axis will always have a minimum value (or maximum if all your values are negative) of zero. If all your values are well above (or well below) zero if might be sensible to uncheck the fix minimum value as zero option so it is easier to differentiate values plotted against your Y Axis.

Alternatively, you can override that automatic calculation of the Y Axis range, by selecting that Y Axis values should be fixed, and specifying the minimum and maximum values. (NB. If the values in your chart cannot be plotted on the range you have given, the range will be extended to compensate).

The Dashboard Object Definition window Drill Down tab allows you to specify what drill down is available when published, and if so, what the drill down will display.

The default behaviour is to allow freeform drilldows, so users are able to create their own inmydata Visualisations when the select an object on the dashbaord.

Follow the steps below to specify the drill down;

First, if you want the dashboard object to have a drill down, select the "Allow freeform drill downs from this object", 

If you do not want a drilldown then select "Define a specific drill down path from this object", selecting this and not adding a drill down will disable the default drill down position.

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If you select "Define a specific drill down path from this object"  Select Add to select a drilldown that has been previously created on inmydata.

The Alerts window allows you to specify alerts associated with a dashboard object. Alerts will be shown and the user notified as described below.

The Alerts window consists of the following tabs;

Users will be made aware of alert conditions with the following;

1. Alerts will be highlighted by the alert icon, and can be opened from the alert menu when the Dashboard is opened and the alert conditions resolve to true

2. An alert can be sent by email when the dashboard refreshes and the resulting data causes the alert conditions to resolve to true.

3. If the dashboard is set to refresh automatically on the server, a message can be tweeted when the dashboard refreshes and the resulting data causes the alert conditions to resolve to true.

4. If the dashboard is set to refresh automatically on the server, a notification will be raised on any mobile or wearable device with access to that dashboard through the relevant DataPA app when the dashboard refreshes and the resulting data causes the alert conditions to resolve to true

The Alerts window details tab allows you to define the alert text and conditions that will determine when the alert will be raised

Follow the steps below to define the details for your alert;

First, enter the text that will appear in titles and notifications for this alert.

Next, you may wish to ensure the alert is not raised too often. For instance, if a dashboard was scheduled to refresh automatically every minute and the alert conditions remained true, the alert would send notifications, (and tweets and emails if so configured) every minute. To prevent this without reducing the refresh interval of the dashboard, you can set a minimum time interval before which a repeat alert will be raised.

Next you need to define the conditions that will determine when this alert is raised. To add a condition, press the Add button. This will open the Alert Condition window to allow you to define the condition.

To delete a condition, select the condition and press Delete.To edit a condition, select the condition and press Edit. This will open the Alert Condition window to allow you to edit the condition.

The Alerts window Email tab allows you to specify whether the alert will trigger an email when raised on the server, and if so, the details of that email.

If a dashboard is scheduled to refresh automatically and you would like an email sent if the new data results in the alert conditions resolving to true, follow the steps below;

First ensure the checkbox labeled Send an email when this alert is raised is checked, then enter the email address or addresses you want the email to be sent to. Add the text you want in the body of the email, and finally choose whether to include an image of the chart by selecting whether or not the checkbox labeled Attach an image of the object to the email is checked.