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Overview

Dashboards in Quail allow you to combine multiple charts and visualizations into a single, cohesive view of your data. Monitor key metrics at a glance, create executive reports, or build department-specific analytics hubs.

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Creating Your First Dashboard

1

Navigate to Dashboards

Click on Dashboards in the main navigation menu.
2

Create New Dashboard

Click the + Create Dashboard button in the top right corner.
3

Name Your Dashboard

Enter a descriptive name for your dashboard:
  • “Executive Overview”
  • “Sales Performance Q1 2026”
  • “Customer Analytics”
  • “Daily Operations Monitor”
4

Add Description (Optional)

Provide additional context about what this dashboard tracks and who it’s for.
5

Create

Click Create Dashboard to proceed.
Your new dashboard opens in edit mode, ready for you to add charts and customize the layout.
Start with a clear purpose for your dashboard. What questions should it answer? Who will use it? This helps you choose the right charts and layout.

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Adding Charts to Your Dashboard

You can only add charts that you’ve already created and saved. If you need to create new charts, see the Charts guide.
1

Enter Edit Mode

If you’re not already in edit mode, click the Edit button in the top right corner.
2

Click Add Chart

Click the + Add Chart button, which appears when in edit mode.
3

Browse Available Charts

A panel opens showing all your saved charts. You can:
  • Browse all charts
  • Search by name or tag
  • Filter by chart type
  • View chart previews
4

Select Charts

Click on the charts you want to add. Selected charts show a checkmark.You can select multiple charts to add them all at once.
5

Add to Dashboard

Click Add Selected Charts at the bottom of the panel.
6

Save Changes

Click Save Dashboard to persist your changes.
Charts added to dashboards remain linked to the original chart. If you update the original chart, the changes will automatically appear on all dashboards using it.

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Arranging Your Dashboard Layout

Quail provides a flexible drag-and-drop interface for creating the perfect layout.

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Repositioning Charts

1

Enter Edit Mode

Click the Edit button if not already in edit mode.
2

Drag Charts

Click and hold on a chart’s title bar, then drag it to a new position.As you drag, other charts automatically shift to make room.
3

Drop in Place

Release the mouse button to drop the chart in its new position.

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Resizing Charts

1

Locate Resize Handle

In edit mode, each chart has resize handles on its corners and edges.
2

Drag to Resize

Click and drag any resize handle to change the chart’s dimensions.
  • Corner handles: Resize width and height simultaneously
  • Edge handles: Resize in one direction only
3

Release

Release the mouse button when the chart is the desired size.

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Removing Charts

1

Locate Remove Button

In edit mode, each chart has an X button in its top-right corner.
2

Click to Remove

Click the X button to remove the chart from the dashboard.
3

Confirm

Confirm the removal if prompted.
Removing a chart from a dashboard does not delete the original chart—it only removes it from this dashboard.

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Layout Tips

Grid Organization:
  • Most important metrics at the top
  • Related charts grouped together
  • Consistent sizing for similar chart types
Visual Hierarchy:
  • Larger charts for primary metrics
  • Smaller charts for supporting details
  • Use whitespace to separate chart groups
Responsive Design:
  • Test how your dashboard looks at different screen sizes
  • Ensure charts are readable on mobile devices
  • Consider creating mobile-specific dashboards for complex layouts

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Dashboard Filters

Filters allow viewers to interact with your dashboard, exploring different cuts of the data without editing the dashboard itself.

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Adding Filters

1

Enter Edit Mode

Click the Edit button to enter dashboard edit mode.
2

Click Add Filter

Click the Add Filter button at the top of the dashboard.
3

Select Filter Field

Choose which data field to filter on:
  • Date ranges (e.g., “Order Date”, “Created At”)
  • Categories (e.g., “Region”, “Product Type”)
  • Numeric ranges (e.g., “Revenue”, “Customer Age”)
4

Choose Filter Type

Select the appropriate filter control:
  • Dropdown: Single or multi-select from a list
  • Date Range Picker: Select start and end dates
  • Slider: Select numeric ranges
  • Text Search: Free-form text search
5

Select Target Charts

Choose which charts this filter should affect. You can:
  • Apply to all charts
  • Select specific charts
  • Exclude certain charts
6

Set Default Value

Optionally set a default filter value that applies when the dashboard first loads.
7

Add Filter

Click Add Filter to create the filter.
8

Save Dashboard

Click Save Dashboard to persist your filter configuration.

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Using Filters

Once filters are added to a dashboard:
  1. Apply Filters: Click on a filter and select your desired value(s)
  2. Multiple Filters: Apply multiple filters to drill down into specific data
  3. Reset: Click Reset Filters to return to default values
  4. Save Views: Bookmark specific filter combinations for quick access
Filters only affect charts that query the filtered field. If a chart doesn’t include the filtered field, it won’t be affected.

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Filter Best Practices

Essential Filters:
  • Date range (nearly always useful)
  • Primary dimensions (region, product, customer segment)
  • Status or category filters
Avoid Over-Filtering:
  • Too many filters can overwhelm users
  • Limit to 3-5 most important filters
  • Consider creating multiple dashboards instead
Set Smart Defaults:
  • Default to most commonly used values
  • Current month/quarter for date filters
  • “All” for category filters unless a specific view is more useful

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Sharing Your Dashboard

Make your dashboards accessible to team members and stakeholders.
1

Open Dashboard

Navigate to the dashboard you want to share.
2

Click Share

Click the Share button in the top right corner.
3

Choose Sharing Method

Select how you want to share:Private
  • Only you can access the dashboard
  • Default for new dashboards
Public Link
  • Anyone with the link can view the dashboard
  • Useful for sharing with external stakeholders
  • Viewers don’t need a Quail account
Team/Organization
  • All members of your team can access
  • Respects user permissions
4

Set Permission Level

Choose what recipients can do:View Only
  • See the dashboard and refresh data
  • Apply filters
  • Cannot modify layout or settings
Edit
  • All View permissions
  • Can add/remove charts
  • Can modify layout
  • Can add/remove filters
5

Invite Specific People (Optional)

Enter email addresses to invite specific people:
  • They receive an email with a link to the dashboard
  • You can set individual permission levels
  • You can revoke access later
6

Copy Link

Copy the share link to send via email, Slack, or other channels.

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Managing Access

Control who can see and edit your dashboard:
  • View Access List: See everyone who has access
  • Modify Permissions: Change individual permission levels
  • Revoke Access: Remove access for specific users
  • Disable Public Link: Turn off public link sharing

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Refreshing Dashboard Data

Dashboards automatically refresh their data, but you can also refresh manually.

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Auto-Refresh

1

Click Settings

Click the Settings icon (gear) in the top right.
2

Enable Auto-Refresh

Toggle Auto-Refresh on.
3

Set Interval

Choose refresh interval:
  • Every 1 minute
  • Every 5 minutes
  • Every 15 minutes
  • Every hour
4

Save

Click Save Settings.
Frequent auto-refresh can impact database performance, especially for dashboards with many charts or complex queries. Use longer intervals unless you need real-time data.

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Manual Refresh

To refresh all charts on the current dashboard:
  1. Click the Refresh button (circular arrow icon) in the top right
  2. All charts update with the latest data
  3. Last refresh time is displayed on the dashboard

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Dashboard Templates

Quail provides pre-built dashboard templates for common use cases:

Executive Summary

High-level KPIs and trends for leadership:
  • Revenue metrics
  • Growth indicators
  • Key performance trends

Sales Dashboard

Comprehensive sales analytics:
  • Sales by region/product
  • Pipeline metrics
  • Win rates and deal velocity

Customer Analytics

Customer behavior and segmentation:
  • Customer acquisition
  • Retention and churn
  • Customer lifetime value

Operations Monitor

Real-time operational metrics:
  • System health
  • Transaction volumes
  • Error rates and alerts
To use a template:
  1. Click Create Dashboard → Use Template
  2. Select a template
  3. Map template charts to your data sources
  4. Customize as needed

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Exporting Dashboards

Share dashboard snapshots outside of Quail:

PDF Export

Generate a PDF report of your dashboard. Perfect for:
  • Executive reports
  • Monthly/quarterly reviews
  • Archiving snapshots

Email Schedule

Schedule automated email delivery:
  • Daily, weekly, or monthly
  • PDF or screenshot format
  • To specific recipients

Image Export

Download dashboard as PNG:
  • Include in presentations
  • Share on Slack
  • Embed in documents

Embed Code

Embed dashboard in other applications:
  • Internal wiki pages
  • Admin panels
  • Customer portals

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Best Practices

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Dashboard Design

Keep It Focused:
  • One dashboard = one purpose
  • Limit to 6-10 charts per dashboard
  • Create multiple dashboards rather than overcrowding one
Tell a Story:
  • Arrange charts in a logical flow
  • Start with overview metrics
  • Drill down to details
Make It Actionable:
  • Include context (targets, benchmarks, previous periods)
  • Use colors to highlight issues or opportunities
  • Add notes to explain unusual values

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Performance

Optimize Query Performance:
  • Use aggregated data when possible
  • Add indexes to frequently queried columns
  • Limit date ranges in filters
Reduce Load Times:
  • Don’t include too many charts
  • Use caching for static data
  • Consider lazy-loading for below-the-fold charts

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Maintenance

Regular Reviews:
  • Review dashboards monthly
  • Remove outdated charts
  • Update to reflect new business priorities
Documentation:
  • Document what each dashboard shows
  • Note any data caveats or limitations
  • Keep ownership information updated

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User Experience

Mobile-Friendly:
  • Test on mobile devices
  • Use responsive layouts
  • Consider mobile-specific dashboards for complex layouts
Accessibility:
  • Use colorblind-friendly palettes
  • Include text labels, not just colors
  • Ensure sufficient contrast
Performance:
  • Optimize for fast loading
  • Use filters instead of creating many similar dashboards
  • Cache frequently viewed dashboards

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Troubleshooting

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Dashboard Not Loading

  • Check database connection status
  • Verify all charts are loading individually
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Check browser console for errors

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Charts Not Updating

  • Click manual refresh button
  • Check auto-refresh settings
  • Verify database connection is active
  • Confirm queries are still valid

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Layout Issues

  • Clear browser cache
  • Try a different browser
  • Reset dashboard layout
  • Check for overlapping charts in edit mode

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Filter Not Working

  • Verify charts include the filtered field
  • Check that filter values match data types
  • Ensure filter is applied to target charts
  • Try removing and re-adding the filter

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