Analytical dashboards

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You can use the Analytical dashboard tool to visualize frequently used combinations of analytical reports (a table, a chart, and a key indicator dashboard). Previously configured analytical reports are selected as dashboard areas.

Using the analytical dashboard

To generate an analytical dashboard, that is, to fill it with data of analytical reports, select an analytical dashboard in the Analytical dashboards list form and click Open dashboard.

A generated analytical dashboard is a combination of generated analytical reports where you can view the drilldown of each indicator.

At the top of the Report tab, there is an area with main common filters for all dashboard areas.

Double-click an area cell of the analytical dashboard to open the drilldown of respective analytical report.

Setting up the dashboard

You can create a new analytical dashboard or edit an existing one from the list form of the Analytical dashboards catalog.

Setting up areas

To edit the contents of an analytical dashboard, open the list form of the Analytical dashboards catalog, double-click a catalog item or select it and click Change.

You can place report groups on different tabs of the analytical dashboard. Only reports on the active tab are generated when the dashboard is displayed. The analytical dashboard must contain at least one tab. Tabs contain area groups, to which analytical report areas are added.

There are four area types: normal, dependent, pivot table template, and Gantt chart. Each area has individual properties and display options. A normal area has the widest range of features. It can contain an analytical report or a key indicator dashboard.

A normal area based on a key indicator dashboard can be displayed:

• As a list (balanced scorecard in BSC terms).
• As a map of indicators (strategy map in BSC terms).
• As a list and a map.
• As a mosaic plot.

When data is displayed as a list, indicators are represented in a table as a target hierarchy. A responsible person and a group of values are displayed next to each indicator. Variance data and plan fulfillment percent are displayed to the right.

When data is displayed as a map, indicators are represented in a target tree. Different colors are used to inform responsible persons whether a certain target has been achieved. Colors are selected based on indicator values. Targets are marked by flags. Indicators are located below the targets. Icons with plan fulfillment percent can be assigned to indicators. Numbers above arrows represent indicator weight or importance for the target. Targets in brackets contain information on the number of initiatives. Double-click a target to open the Initiatives report. Double-click an indicator to open the Indicator dynamics report.

When data is displayed as a mosaic plot, each dashboard indicator looks like a tile with brief information on the indicator dynamics and state.

Name color depends of the indicator state. Current indicator value is located in the middle. Its planned value is located in the lower right corner. Variance between the current and planned indicator values is displayed in percentages. Negative and positive variances are presented in red and green, respectively. Previous indicator value is located in the upper right corner. Absolute indicator value for the previous period is displayed with the percentage variance between the current and previous values. A triangle shows the value change dynamics. Positive and negative changes are represented in green and red, respectively.

Double-click an indicator to open its context menu.

The following actions are available for indicators:

• Refresh dependent areas.
• Drilldown (main). Show the data source of an indicator.
• Dynamics. View indicator changes by periods as a chart.
• Structure. View an indicator broken down by specified dimensions.
• Analytical report (if included in the indicator drilldown). Display a specific analytical report. Several analytical reports can be assigned to one indicator.

You can set up the key indicator dashboard to limit the number of displayed mosaic plot columns.

In addition to the normal area, you can display the pivot table and Gantt chart areas in the dashboard. You need these areas if you want to display respective system objects in the analytical dashboard.

To set up the pivot table area, select a previously configured pivot table template. You can also set filters to configure the pivot table view in the dashboard. If you set filters in the area settings, dashboard filters are ignored. The possibility to set filters for an area allows you to perform scenario analysis of the pivot table.

A dependent area can be assigned to each normal area. It is mainly used to display normal area data indicators in a certain way.

Setting up dependent areas

When you add an area, select its kind in the dialog box: normal or dependent.

Reports in dependent areas are hidden when the analytical dashboard is displayed. Contents of dependent dashboards are refreshed when a cell in the main dashboard is drilled down.

There are three kinds of dependent dashboards: indicator dynamics, an indicator structure, and an analytical report. You can select a dashboard kind in the editing form that opens when you add a new area.

Each dependent area kind has its own settings.

For the Analytical report type, you need to set an analytical report in the Universal report field and configure it in the Saved setting field.

Indicator structure represents the indicator value structure. For this area, you need to specify the Dimension number, by which the value structure will be generated.

The Data display method field defines whether a report will be displayed as a table, a pie chart, or a column chart.

Indicator dynamics represents the change dynamics of planned and actual indicator values for a specified number of periods. For an actual value, future values are forecasted using the extrapolation method.

Dependent areas are italicized and highlighted in color when you select a normal area linked to them in the analytical dashboard structure tree.

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