How do I add a widget to a dashboard?

Overview

Widgets are the building blocks of a Vantage dashboard. Each widget displays your data in a specific format — a bar chart, a KPI card, a summary table, a map, and so on. You add widgets one at a time to a dashboard and configure each one with its own data source, columns, filters, and display settings.

When to Use

Add a widget to a dashboard when you need to:

Display a metric or KPI (e.g., total submissions, average score, completion rate) Show trends over time using a line or bar chart Break down data by category with a donut, pie, or stacked bar chart List detailed records in a summary table or pivot table Plot data on a geographic map Highlight events on a calendar view Add a heading or label to a section of the dashboard using a title block

Concepts

Widget – A single visual element placed on a dashboard. Each widget has its own configuration (data source, columns, filters, chart type).

Widget Type – The format used to display data. Available types include KPI Card, Bar Chart, Line Chart, Donut Chart, Pie Chart, Combo Chart, Stacked Bar (100%), Geo Map, Calendar, Summary Table, Pivot Table, AI Summary, Media Analysis, and Title Block.

Data Source – The data set a widget queries. A single dashboard can hold widgets pointing to different data sources.

Widget Filters – Conditions applied within a widget to narrow the data it displays (separate from the dashboard-level global filter bar).

View Data – A feature that lets you see the raw rows behind a widget’s visual. Available from the widget options menu.

Set Up Guide

Once you have created a dashboard (see How do I create a dashboard?), follow these steps to add your first widget.

Step 1: Open your dashboard

1. From the Dashboards list, click the dashboard you created
2. The dashboard opens in the builder view with an empty grid

Step 2: Add a new widget

1. Click the + Add Widget button
2. Select a widget type (e.g., Bar Chart, KPI Card, Summary Table)
3. Choose the data source the widget should query

Step 3: Configure the widget

1. Select the columns to display (measures, dimensions, or grouping fields depending on the widget type)
2. Set any widget-level filters to narrow the data
3. Configure display options such as title, colour, sort order, and number format
4. Preview the widget to verify it shows the expected data

Step 4: Save the widget

1. Click Save
2. The widget appears on the dashboard grid
3. You can drag it to reposition or resize it on the 12-column grid (see How do I arrange and resize widgets?)

User View

Learner (non-admin users) see widgets in read-only mode on shared dashboards.

They can interact with the global filter bar to narrow data across all widgets They can hover over chart elements to see values They can use View Data to see the raw rows behind a widget They can drill through from widget cells to underlying records (see How do I drill through from a widget to raw rows?) They cannot add, edit, or delete widgets

Best Practices

Start with KPI cards at the top to give viewers a quick summary before the detailed charts Use descriptive widget titles so viewers know what each chart shows without guessing Keep one widget per question — avoid cramming multiple metrics into a single chart Apply widget-level filters only when you need a subset that differs from the dashboard’s global filters Preview before saving to catch unexpected data or layout issues Use Title Block widgets to visually separate groups of related widgets

Related Links / FAQs

Related Links

How do I create a dashboard?
How do I arrange and resize widgets?
How do I apply filters to a dashboard?
How do I apply a theme to a dashboard?
How do I drill through from a widget to raw rows?

FAQs

Can I add widgets from different data sources to the same dashboard?
Yes. Each widget is configured independently and can point to any available data source.

Can I duplicate a widget?
Yes. Use the widget options menu to clone an existing widget. The copy appears on the same dashboard with the same configuration.

What happens if my data source has no data yet?
The widget will render with an empty state. Once data arrives and syncs, the widget updates on the next load or filter change.

How many widgets can I add to one dashboard?
There is no fixed limit, but adding too many widgets increases load time. Keep dashboards focused for the best experience.

Version Notes

Last Updated: Oct 2026