Dashboards

The Dashboards resource lets you assemble multiple saved charts into a single, customizable view. You can create any number of dashboards, arrange charts in a grid layout, resize and move panels, and switch between dashboards to monitor different sets of metrics.

Navigation: Access Dashboards via the sidebar under the “Dashboards” section.

1. Dashboards Index

When you open Dashboards, you are presented with the currently active dashboard. At the top of the page:

Dashboard Selector (Dropdown)
- A dropdown control lists all dashboards you have created.
- Selecting a different name from the dropdown immediately switches the view to that dashboard.
Action Icons (Top Right)
- Edit ✏️: Opens the Edit Dashboard form for the active dashboard.
- Delete 🗑️: Deletes the active dashboard after confirmation (all layout and chart selections are removed).
Create New Dashboard Button
- A button labeled Create Dashboard opens the Dashboard Creation form to build a brand-new dashboard.

Below these controls, you will see the grid layout of the active dashboard’s charts. Each chart appears in its own panel, sized and positioned according to how it was configured.

Tip: Give each dashboard a clear name that reflects its purpose (e.g., “Production Overview”, “Error Monitoring”, or “Weekly Metrics”). This helps you switch context quickly when using the dropdown.

2. Create Dashboard

Click Create Dashboard to open the Dashboard Creation page. This form allows you to define the dashboard’s identity and layout.

2.1 Dashboard Name

Enter a concise, descriptive name for the dashboard (required).

2.2 Layout Grid & Add Charts

Below the Dashboard Name field, you will see a blank grid area and an Add Charts button on the right.

Add Charts Button
- Click to open a sidebar or modal listing all charts you have already created (pulled from the Charts resource).
- Scroll through or search this list to find the desired charts.
Drag and Drop into Grid
- Drag any chart from the list and drop it onto the layout grid.
- Each chart panel appears as a resizable widget on the grid.
Resizing & Positioning
- Once a chart is on the grid, click and drag its corners to resize it (e.g., span two columns or take up more vertical space).
- Click and drag the header area of the chart panel to reposition it within the grid.
Multiple Charts
- Repeat the drag-and-drop process to add as many charts as you need.
- The grid will automatically adjust to fit panels without overlap.

Tip: Start by arranging your most critical charts at the top-left, then place supporting charts below or to the right. You can always come back and reorganize later.

2.3 Save

After adding and arranging your charts to your liking, click Save.
Laritor persists your dashboard definition, including the name, panel positions, and sizes.
You are redirected to view the newly created dashboard, with all panels rendering live data from their respective charts.

Tip: If you need to adjust the layout later, use the Edit icon on the dashboard page to open the edit form and rearrange panels.

3. Edit Dashboard

To modify an existing dashboard:

Select the dashboard name from the Dashboard Selector dropdown.
Click the Edit ✏️ icon at the top-right.
In the Edit Dashboard form:
- You can rename the dashboard.
- Use Add Charts to bring in additional charts.
- Drag existing panels to new positions or resize them.
- Remove a chart by clicking a small “×” icon in its panel header (if available).
Click Save to apply changes.

Your layout updates immediately, preserving any other dashboards you have configured.

Tip: When removing a chart, only its panel is removed—your underlying saved chart remains intact in the Charts resource.

4. View Dashboard

When viewing any dashboard (either newly created or existing):

Each panel displays its chart with live data, updated according to the chart’s default timeframe or any manual adjustments you make within the panel.
You can hover over chart elements to see tooltips showing exact values.
Resize your browser or hide panels to focus on specific sections; the grid will reflow as needed.
Use the Dashboard Selector to switch to another dashboard without losing your current grid arrangement.

Tip: If you need more space for one chart, maximize its panel by dragging it to fill the grid. When you’re done, drag it back to its original size.

5. Delete Dashboard

To remove a dashboard entirely:

Select the dashboard name from the Dashboard Selector.
Click the Delete 🗑️ icon. Laritor will ask for confirmation.
Confirm the deletion. The dashboard and its layout are permanently removed; charts themselves remain unaffected.

If no dashboards remain, the interface will prompt you to Create Dashboard before showing any panels.

6. Best Practices

Create Themed Dashboards
- Group charts by function or audience. For example, a “DevOps Dashboard” might include server CPU, memory, disk usage charts, whereas a “Performance Dashboard” focuses on request durations and slow queries.
Optimize Layout for Readability
- Place critical or summary charts at the top. Use wider panels for time-series line charts and narrower panels for pie charts or small tables.
Use Consistent Panel Sizes
- Stick to a grid pattern (e.g., two equally sized panels per row) to avoid clutter.
Limit the Number of Charts per Dashboard
- While Laritor supports many panels, too many can slow page load and overwhelm viewers. Aim for 6–10 charts per dashboard maximum.
Leverage Drill-Down Links
- If a chart reveals an anomaly, click its “view” icon (if available) to navigate to the underlying resource (like Requests or Queries) for deeper investigation.
Share Dashboard Access
- If your organization uses role-based access, ensure that stakeholders who need to view a dashboard have appropriate permissions.

By leveraging the Dashboards resource, you can centralize key visualizations across resources, arrange them to suit your monitoring needs, and switch between multiple dashboards to keep tabs on different aspects of your application’s health and performance.