Introduction
The system dashboard has been reworked.
Items that appear on the dashboard have been converted into widgets, with it now being possible to create custom dashboard layouts by placing these widgets wherever wanted.
Accessing the Dashboard
The dashboard is the first thing seen on the home page when accessing the admin site.
The home page and dashboard can be accessed from anywhere on the site by clicking the OPS-COM logo in the top left of the screen.
Layouts
Active Layout
For admin users with the correct permissions, a dropdown menu for dashboards will appear below the user menu in the top right of the screen.
The drop-down menu allows the admin to view the different dashboard layouts that have been created.
Accessing a dashboard will show a preview of the selected dashboard, with the option to make it the user's active dashboard.
The active dashboard is what the admin sees on their home page.
This change only affects the admin that made it.
Dashboard Layout Management
If they have the correct permissions, admins can create and edit their own dashboard layouts by accessing the dashboard layouts and items menu, located under the System Configuration menu.
- Dashboard Layouts - allows the management of dashboard layouts
- Custom Dashboard Items - allows the creation and management of custom widgets
Clicking on Dashboard Layouts will open the dashboard layouts page.
This page contains a list of all existing dashboard layouts, including those created by other admins.
From this page, the user can manage the site's dashboard layouts, including their creation and edit.
- New layout - creates a new dashboard layout.
- Dashboard Items - takes the user to the custom dashboard items page. This is also accessible from the System Configuration menu.
- Make System Default - sets the system default layout. This is the dashboard that will appear on the home page of users who do not currently have a dashboard set as active. This is separate from the individual user's active dashboard.
- Edit - edit the selected dashboard layout.
Creating Dashboard Layouts
Clicking to Edit an existing layout or to create a New Layout will open the dashboard layout editor.
On this page, admins can drag and drop widgets from the widget storage onto the dashboard layout. The widgets can be moved and resized as desired.
Widgets left in the widget storage will not appear on the dashboard.
Any new widgets, be they system created or admin custom items, will appear here after they are created, where they can then be dragged onto the dashboard.
New system widgets will continue to be added and made available in the widget storage sidebar.
There are several different types of widget, identified by their color.
- Blue - system widgets. Show important administration information about the site.
- Yellow - stats widgets. Display site stats and information in different graph formats.
- Green - admin-created custom items. These are the items created on the custom dashboard items page.
Creating Dashboard Items
It is possible for admins to create their own custom dashboard items.
The item management page can be found under System Management, below the Dashboard Management page, or accessed from the management page itself.
When accessed, the page will display a list of the custom dashboard items created by admins.
Choosing to Edit an existing item or to Create New will open the dashboard item editor.
A version of the item can be made for each language installed on the site.
- Title - what appears as the widget header on the dashboard.
- Identifier - the ID name of the item. This is used to identify it on the dashboard layout editor.
- Language - the current language you are creating the item for.
- Content - what will appear on the widget. The widget can include objects like text and images.
If an item is open to be edited, it can be deleted from this page as well.
Once saved, the custom item will appear in the widget storage sidebar when editing a layout.
It can then be dragged onto the dashboard layout.
After the layout is saved with the custom widget on it, the item will appear when viewing the dashboard.
Permissions
There are several permissions related to managing dashboards layouts.
Permissions for the dashboard can be found under System Configuration → Admin Management → Manage Roles → Edit a role → System Configuration.
- Change Dashboards - allows the admin to view other dashboards and change their active dashboard.
- Edit Dashboard Layouts - allows the admin to create and manage dashboard layouts.
- Edit Dashboard Items - allows the admin to create and manage custom dashboard items.