Use dashboards

Latest Dynatrace

These procedures describe the basics of using dashboards and get you started on the way to customizing and creating your own dashboards.

List all dashboards

To list dashboards

  1. Go to Dashboards.

  2. In the Dashboards panel, the Recently modified section lists recently modified dashboards.

  3. Hover over a dashboard name and select for a menu of available commands for that dashboard. In this example, we would display the menu for a dashboard called my dashboard 3.

    Dashboard kebab menu

    The commands you see in the menu depend on your permissions for that dashboard. For example, you can't rename someone else's dashboard unless they have given you edit permissions for that dashboard. (But you can make a copy of a shared dashboard and then edit your copy.)

    • Rename enables editing for the dashboard name
    • Duplicate makes a copy of the dashboard
    • Download writes the dashboard to a JSON file that you can import
    • Move to trash moves the dashboard to the trash can

    This icon after a dashboard name means someone shared that dashboard with you.

  4. To display a table of all dashboards to which you have access—your own dashboards and all dashboards that people have shared with you—select All dashboards.

    • To sort the table, select the Name, Created, or Last modified header.
    • To filter the table:
      • You can enter a search string in the filter bar at the top of the table.
      • You can select All dashboards, My dashboards, Shared with me, or Ready-made in the list at the top of the table.
    • To create a new dashboard, select Dashboard in the upper-left corner.
    • To upload a dashboard, select Upload in the upper-left corner.
    • To delete a dashboard, select Move to trash. If there's no icon for a dashboard, it means you have permission to view that shared dashboard but not to delete it.
    • To list deleted dashboards, select Deleted in the upper-right corner of the Dashboards page.
      • To restore a deleted dashboard, select Restore.
      • To permanently delete a dashboard, select Delete permanently.

  5. To close the Dashboards table and return to your initial view, select Dashboards in the upper-left corner of the Dashboards page.

List my dashboards

To list all dashboards you own

  1. Go to Dashboards.
  2. In the Dashboards panel, select All dashboards.
  3. At the top of the Dashboards table, select My dashboards.

List dashboards shared with me

To list all dashboards shared with you

  1. Go to Dashboards.
  2. In the Dashboards panel, select All dashboards.
  3. At the top of the Dashboards table, select Shared with me.

List ready-made dashboards

To list all ready-made dashboards

  1. Go to Dashboards.
  2. In the Dashboards panel, select Ready-made dashboards.

Alternatively, you can select All dashboards and then change the filter at the top of the table from All dashboards to Ready-made.

What's special about ready-made documents
  • Created and automatically distributed by Dynatrace as examples and templates.
  • Read-only: you can't change them, but you can make copies and edit the copies.
  • This icon in a table of documents indicates that it's a ready-made document.

Display a dashboard

To display a dashboard

  1. Go to Dashboards.

  2. In the Dashboards panel, select the name of the dashboard. In this example, we open my dashboard 2.

    Open a dashboard

Select the timeframe

The timeframe describes the when of the data on the dashboard.

  • When you open a dashboard for the first time, the standard global timeframe (Last 2 hours) is applied.

  • If you change the global timeframe setting for your dashboard, that timeframe is applied the next time you open the dashboard. However, there are exceptions as described below.

  • You can set a dashboard-specific default timeframe that is applied each subsequent time you open the dashboard.

  • You can set a tile-specific timeframe. This setting overrides the global timeframe.

  • When you open a dashboard via a link, if a timeframe is included in the link, the link timeframe is applied and the default dashboard timeframe is ignored.

Change global timeframe

To change the global timeframe

  1. In the upper-right corner of the dashboard, open the timeframe selector menu (the default is Last 2 hours ).
  2. Select a new timeframe.
    • To select a standard timeframe, choose one of the standard Relative timeframes
    • To define a custom timeframe, define the timeframe in the Custom timeframe panel and select Apply.
      • Use the calendar buttons Calendar to select calendar dates
      • Edit the resulting From and To settings to fine-tune the range

When you change the global timeframe:

  • The new timeframe is displayed in the upper-right corner of the dashboard.
  • The dashboard contents are recalculated and displayed according to the new timeframe. This overrides the default dashboard timeframe.
  • This does not affect any tile-specific timeframe overrides. Tile-specific timeframes take precedence over any global timeframe settings.

Default dashboard timeframe

To set a default timeframe for a specific dashboard

  1. Display the dashboard.
  2. In the upper-right corner of the dashboard, select Settings.
  3. Turn on Custom timeframe.
  4. Select the dashboard default timeframe.

When you set a default dashboard timeframe, that timeframe is applied when you open the dashboard.

Tile-specific timeframe override

To specify a custom timeframe in a dashboard tile

  1. Edit the tile.

  2. In the edit panel, turn on Custom timeframe.

  3. Select the timeframe to apply to the selected tile.

    This timeframe overrides the dashboard timeframe set in the upper-right corner of the dashboard. Using this method, a dashboard can have multiple tiles, where each tile has its own timeframe.

You can also specify a custom timeframe in a data tile's DQL query. If you use this method (with a timeframe specified in the query), the above UI setting is disabled and the timeframe specified in the query is used.

Example timeframe specification in DQL:

fetch [recordtype], from:now() - 2h
    | ....

For details on specifying a timeframe in DQL, see Specify timeframe in the DQL documentation.

Select segments

To filter data, you can specify segments at two levels: dashboard and tile. Tile-level segment selections override dashboard-level segment selections.

Segments

Use segments when you want to reuse them across dashboards. For example, use segments for recurring filters such as for your Kubernetes clusters, namespaces, workloads, or pods. Segments automatically apply on top of the queries of your tiles/sections, so you don’t need to reference them within.

Variables

If you need more control over how a filter is applied, however, you might want to use variables.

  • Variables allow you to fully control the underlying query or within your Explore section or tile, determining where and how they are applied. For example, you can specify how they connect with other filters applied (AND, OR) and you can control which operator is used for your filter (such as equals, contains, startsWith, and endsWith).
  • Additionally, use variables when you need fine-grained control over how filters are interdependent.

For a Dashboards-specific segments use case, see Analyze monitoring data with segments.

Dashboard-level segments

To select dashboard-level segments

  1. Display the dashboard.

  2. Open the segment selector at the top of the dashboard and, in Filter by segments, select a segment.
    If the segment requires an additional value selection, select it now.

  3. To add another segment, select Segment. Repeat this step for each segment you want to add.

  4. Select Apply to apply the selection and filter data on the dashboard.

    • The segment selector now displays the name of the selected segment or, if you select more than one segment, the number of selected segments.
    • To change your segment selection, select again, make your changes, and select Apply.
    • To manage segments in general (list, create, view, edit, delete), select and then select the Manage segments link.

Tile-level segments

To select tile-level segments

  1. Display the dashboard.

  2. Select the tile and then select in the tile controls to edit the tile.

  3. In the edit panel, turn on Custom segments.

  4. In the Custom segments list, select a segment.
    If the segment requires an additional value selection, select it now.

  5. To add another segment, select Segment. Repeat this step for each segment you want to add for the selected tile.

  6. Select Apply to apply the selection and filter data on the tile.

    • The segment selector now displays the name of the selected segment or, if you select more than one segment, the number of selected segments.
    • To change your segment selection, select again, make your changes, and select Apply.
    • To manage segments in general (list, create, view, edit, delete), select and then select the Manage segments link.

Interact with a tile

If you see something on a dashboard that you want to zoom in on, you can maximize it and have a closer look, and then minimize it again when you're done.

When you maximize a tile, it is temporarily zoomed to the maximum size of the display so you can see the details of the selected tile.

To maximize a tile

  1. Hover over the tile to display the tile-specific commands.
  2. Select Maximize.

To return to the normal dashboard view, select Minimize in the upper-right corner.

Run a code tile

When you open a document from another user, you may see the following message:

This dashboard contains custom code. It is read-only until you review the code and select “Accept and run”.

When you run a code tile or section written by another person, Dynatrace executes the other person's JavaScript using your user account and your permissions. This is a powerful feature, but it needs to be used correctly and responsibly. The JavaScript code can access external APIs on your behalf (using your account and permissions).

To review code

  1. Select Review all code.

    The Review code page displays each code tile's code in a separate box.

  2. Review the code and decide whether you want to run it.

    If you want to run the code, you can approve it just this time or permanently.

    • To run the code just this time, select Accept and run. The next time you open this document, you will be asked once again to review the code before running it.
    • To permanently accept the code in this document, select Always trust code in this document and then select Accept and run.

Change variable values

If a dashboard has one or more variables, they are listed by name along the upper-left of the dashboard, under the dashboard name. When you change variable values, the dashboard contents are recalculated and displayed according to the new values.

To change the value of a variable

  1. In the upper-left of the dashboard, locate the variable name in the upper-left of the dashboards.

  2. Use the menu or edit box under the variable name to change the value.

    • If the variable allows just one selection (value) at a time, select the value that you want to apply to the dashboard.
    • If the variable allows multiple selections (values) at a time, select the checkbox for each value you want to apply to the dashboard. The menu name for that variable shows how many values are selected.
    • For a text variable, you can edit the text in the box under the variable name.

Refresh a dashboard

When you open a dashboard for the first time, the refresh rate is set to Off (no automatic refresh).

Manual refresh

To refresh the current dashboard manually, in the upper-right corner of the dashboard, select (in the pair).

Automatic refresh

To refresh the current dashboard automatically, in the upper-right corner of the dashboard, select (in the pair) and select a refresh rate.

  • Off turns off automatic refresh
  • Other settings will refresh the dashboard at the specified interval

If you change the refresh rate, that rate is remembered the next time you open the dashboard.

A frequent refresh rate can keep you literally up to the minute, but a complex dashboard may take some time to recalculate each time it is refreshed. Choose a refresh rate that suits your needs and the complexity of the dashboard.

Manage dashboard versions

Dashboard versions are saved automatically.

  • You can access the 50 most recent versions of your dashboard.
  • Each dashboard version is available for up to 30 days.

To view and manage dashboard versions

  1. Display your dashboard.

  2. In the upper-right corner of your dashboard, select History.

    This displays a menu of the most recent versions of the current dashboard.

    • Date
    • Time
    • Name of the person who created that version

  3. From any version entry in the Versions menu, you can select version-specific actions.

    • Preview Preview displays a preview of the selected version.
    • Restore switches your dashboard to the selected version.
    • Make a copy creates a new dashboard from the selected version and displays the new dashboard. The original dashboard remains unchanged.
    • Download saves a JSON file of the selected version of the dashboard to your local machine.
    • Preview in new tab displays a preview of the selected version on a new browser tab.
    • Delete this version deletes the selected version.

  4. To list and manage all versions of the dashboard in a separate window, go to the bottom of the Versions menu and select Show all.

For details, see Manage document versions.

Download result

To download (export) the result of the current dashboard tile or notebook section

  1. Hover over the tile or section to display available commands.

  2. On the command bar, select More actions > Download result > [format].

    The result is downloaded to a local file in the selected format.

    The selection of download formats available depends on the visualization.

    • CSV: The result is downloaded to a local comma-separated values (*.csv) file
    • JSON: The result is downloaded to a local JSON (*.json) file

    Some visualizations offer no option for downloading the result.

Add dashboard to Dock

To add your dashboard to the Dock for easy access, open the menu next to the dashboard name and select Add to Dock.

Share a dashboard

If you own a document (dashboard or notebook), you can share it.

There are two ways to share a document with other Dynatrace users in your company:

  • Share access: Create and maintain a list of users and user groups that can access the document.
  • Share links: Create links (URLs) pointing to your document and distribute the links through the channel of your choice (email, for example).

These methods are not mutually exclusive. For example, you can maintain a focused list of users for ongoing access to the document (maybe everyone in a certain group edits the document regularly) and you can create and distribute view-only links for a wider audience as needed.

In either case, you control whether people can edit the document or only view it.

For details on sharing documents, see Share documents.

Change dashboard owner

When you create a document (dashboard or notebook), you are the owner. To give ownership of the document to another Dynatrace user

  1. Open the document menu and select Change owner.

  2. Find and select a new owner, and then select Change owner.

    When you change the document owner, you immediately lose access to the document.

    • Be sure you are ready to transfer ownership before you select this command.
    • You can regain access to the document only if the new owner gives you permisssion.

  3. After the transfer is complete, the new owner will receive email about the document ownership transfer.

Duplicate the current dashboard

To make a copy of the current dashboard

  1. At the top of the dashboard, open the dashboard menu next to the dashboard name.

  2. Select Duplicate from the menu.

    A copy is created with the name Copy of + the name of the current dashboard. The copy is now listed in the Dashboards panel.

Download a dashboard

To download (export) the current dashboard as JSON

  1. At the top of the dashboard, open the menu next to the dashboard name.

  2. Select Download from the menu.

    The definition of the current dashboard is downloaded to a local JSON file.

To download (export) a dashboard from the side panel

  1. Go to Dashboards.

  2. In the Dashboards app, the side panel lists your Recently modified dashboards.

  3. Hover over the name of the dashboard you want to export and select > Download. The dashboard is downloaded to a local JSON file that you can upload.

Upload a dashboard

To upload (import) the JSON definition of a dashboard from the Dashboards side panel

  1. In the Dashboards app, in the Dashboards panel on the left, select Upload.
  2. Find and open the dashboard JSON definition file.

To upload (import) the JSON definition of a dashboard from the Dashboards table

  1. Go to Dashboards.

  2. In the Dashboards panel on the left, select All dashboards.

    A Dashboards table displays all dashboards by Name and Last modified date.

  3. In the upper-left corner of the page, select Upload.

  4. Find and open the dashboard JSON definition file.

An uploaded dashboard is:

  • Opened in Dynatrace.

    If you see a message about running custom code when you upload a dashboard, see Run code warnings for more information.

  • Added to your Recently modified list.

  • Added to the Dashboards page with Last modified set to the upload date and time.

Copy to another document

Use Open with to copy a dashboard tile to another document (such as a different notebook or dashboard).

For example, an easy way to start a new document (dashboard or notebook) is to use Open with to copy reusable sections from existing documents (dashboards or notebooks) to a new document and then edit the copied sections as part of the new document.

To copy a dashboard tile to a notebook (as a notebook section)

  1. In the dashboard, select the tile that you want to copy to a notebook.

  2. Select > Open with.

  3. In the Open with… window, select the Notebooks option.

    A Select destination box is displayed.

  4. In Select destination, you can create a new notebook or select an existing notebook.

  5. Select Add.

    The Dashboards application opens with the selected section copied into a new or existing dashboard (depending on what you chose in Select destination).

For details, see Open with.