What is the custom admin dashboard?

Traditionally, every admin in your portal saw the same dashboard when they logged in.

The custom admin dashboard lets each admin build their own dashboard instead. You choose which information appears on it, where each piece sits and how large it is. You can build more than one layout, switch between them using tabs, share your layouts with other admins in your portal, and import ready made layouts from Tribal Habits.

Your dashboard is personal to you. Nothing you build is visible to any other admin unless you choose to share it.

The custom admin dashboard is available to the following admin types:

The following admin types do not have a dashboard, and continue to land on their usual page when they switch to Admin mode:

Some modules show data that People admins are not permitted to see. In those cases the module still appears on the layout, but in place of the data it displays the message "Your admin access level does not allow viewing of this module's data."

For the list of affected modules, see What modules can I add to my dashboard?.

The first time you open your dashboard you will see a welcome screen rather than a dashboard, because you do not have any layouts yet.

The welcome screen offers you three ways to begin:

Once you have at least one layout, the welcome screen no longer appears and your dashboard opens as normal.

Your layouts appear as tabs along the top of the dashboard. Click a tab to switch to that layout. The layout you were last using is the one that opens when you next visit the dashboard.

Two markers can appear on a tab:

A layout marked Removed still works. It simply will not receive any further updates. See How do I share a layout, or use a layout shared with me?.

All dashboard actions are in the "I want to..." menu at the top right of the page:

Some options are unavailable depending on what you are viewing. For example, Edit this Layout and Share this Layout are unavailable when you are viewing an imported layout, and Delete this Layout is unavailable when you only have one layout.

Most dashboard data is held for up to 60 minutes so that your dashboard loads quickly. The top right of the page shows the time your data was last updated, next to a refresh button. Click the refresh button at any time to pull the latest figures.

Create a layout, give it a name, add up to 20 modules, then drag and resize them into the arrangement you want. Most data modules can be configured, for example to cover a particular date range or to include only people in certain groups, roles or user types. See How do I create and edit a dashboard layout?.

Use more than one layout

You can have up to 10 layouts, which is useful when you want to look at your portal in different ways. For example, you might keep a compliance layout, a new starters layout and a content review layout, and switch between them as needed. See How do I create and edit a dashboard layout?.

If you have built a layout your colleagues would benefit from, share it. You choose which admin types can see it and add a short description explaining what it is for. Other admins then find it under Import a Layout, and can either copy it or import it. See How do I share a layout, or use a layout shared with me?.

Tribal Habits maintains a library of ready made layouts for common admin needs. These appear under Import a Layout as template layouts, and are the fastest way to build a useful dashboard. See How do I share a layout, or use a layout shared with me?.

Can other admins see my dashboard?

No. Your layouts are private to you unless you share them. Even then, other admins do not see your dashboard – they see the layout in a list, and can choose to copy or import it into their own dashboard.

What happens to my layouts if I leave the organisation?

If your account is deactivated, your layouts remain but are withdrawn from the Import a Layout list, so no other admin can take a new copy of them. Admins who already copied or imported one keep their version, and imported versions keep receiving updates.

If your admin access is deleted, your layouts are deleted with it. Admins who copied one of your shared layouts are unaffected. Admins who imported one keep their version, but it stops updating and shows a Removed badge.

If a layout needs to continue after an admin is deleted, an admin who imported it can use Duplicate Layout to create an independent copy and share that, which puts it back in the Import a Layout list for everyone else.

Does sharing a layout share my data with other admins?

No. A layout defines which modules appear and how they are configured. Every module shows data based on the access of the admin viewing it, so an admin who cannot see certain data in your portal will not see it through a shared layout either.

How many layouts and modules can I have?

You can have up to 10 layouts, and up to 20 modules on each layout. You must always keep at least one layout.

Why is my dashboard data out of date?

Most dashboard data is held for up to 60 minutes so the page loads quickly. Click the refresh button next to the "Last updated" time to pull the latest figures. Login activity is the exception and always shows live data.

Why can't I edit a layout?

Imported layouts cannot be edited, because they stay linked to their source and update when the source changes. If you want to change an imported layout, either copy it instead of importing it, or duplicate the imported layout to create an editable version. See How do I share a layout, or use a layout shared with me?.

Why does one of my modules say my access level does not allow viewing of its data?

Some modules show information that your admin type is not permitted to see. This most commonly affects People admins using a layout built or shared by another admin type. The module remains on the layout in case your access changes, but no data is shown.

One of my layout tabs shows a "Removed" badge. What does that mean?

That layout was imported, and its source has since been deleted or unshared, or belonged to an admin whose access has been deleted. Your layout keeps working exactly as it is, but it will not receive any further updates.

You can keep using it as it is, or use Duplicate Layout to turn it into an independent layout you can edit and share. If another admin re-shares that layout, you can instead delete yours and import the new version.

Can I go back to the old dashboard?

No. Once the custom dashboard is enabled for your portal, it replaces the previous dashboard for all admins who have access to it.

I am a Reporting, Restricted or Library admin. Why don't I have a dashboard?

These admin types do not have a dashboard. Reporting and Restricted admins land on Analytics when they switch to Admin mode, and Library admins land on Library.