Back to Documentation

Custom Dashboard

Create interactive analytics dashboards with drag-and-drop components, AI-powered generation, and template management.

Custom dashboards in Meado allow you to create powerful, interactive analytics views tailored to your specific needs. Build comprehensive dashboards using drag-and-drop components, AI-powered generation, and pre-built templates.

Accessing the Dashboard

To access the custom dashboard functionality:

  1. Navigate to your project in the Meado application
  2. Click on the "Dashboard" tab in the project navigation (left sidebar)
  3. You'll see the main dashboard page with toggleable dashboard modules
  4. Select the dashboard modules you want to view (Shipments, Facilities, Orders, etc.)
  5. Choose a dataset from the dropdown for each module
  6. Optionally use the "Filtering" section to apply data filters
  7. Click the "Edit" button within each module to enter dashboard editing mode

Dashboard Interface

The custom dashboard interface consists of several key areas:

Header Section

The dark gray header contains the "Dashboard" title and control buttons:

  • Edit Button: Gray button with edit icon to enter editing mode
  • Save Template: Save current dashboard as a reusable template
  • Save: Green button to save your changes (only visible in edit mode)
  • Import: Load from existing templates (only visible in edit mode)
  • Cancel: Red button to discard changes (only visible in edit mode)

Component Selection Panel

When in edit mode, a white panel appears with component selection buttons:

Component Selection Panel

Add Components

The component selection panel that appears when editing a dashboard

Note: When working with shipment datasets, additional SLA-related components become available: Average SLA, Average SLA Transit, Shipments In SLA, Mass In SLA, and Parcels In SLA.

Dashboard Components

Meado offers a comprehensive set of dashboard components to visualize your data effectively:

Card Components

  • Sum Card: Displays the total sum of a numeric field
  • Avg Card: Shows the average value of a numeric field
  • Percentile Card: Displays percentile values (e.g., 95th percentile)

Graph Components

  • Sum Graph: Line or bar chart showing sum values over time or categories
  • Avg Graph: Line or bar chart showing average values over time or categories
  • Percentile Graph: Line or bar chart showing percentile values over time or categories
  • Advanced Analytics Graph: Complex visualizations with multiple data series and chart types

Specialized Components

  • Data Matrix: Tabular view of aggregated data with sorting and filtering
  • SLA Cards: Service Level Agreement metrics (available for shipment datasets)

AI Component Generator

The AI Component Generator allows you to create dashboard components using natural language descriptions:

  1. Click the "✨ AI Generator" button in the component selection panel
  2. Describe the component you want to create in natural language
  3. The AI will analyze your request and suggest appropriate component types
  4. Review the generated configuration and adjust if needed
  5. Click "Generate Component" to add it to your dashboard

Example: Try saying "Show me a bar chart of total revenue by month" or "Create a card showing the average delivery time" to see the AI in action.

Manual Component Creation

To manually create a dashboard component:

  1. Click on the desired component type button (e.g., "Sum Card", "Avg Graph")
  2. A configuration modal will open
  3. Enter a title for your component
  4. Select the field you want to analyze from the dropdown
  5. Choose aggregation type (sum, average, count, etc.)
  6. Select chart type if applicable (line, bar, pie, etc.)
  7. Configure styling options (colors, borders, etc.)
  8. Click "Add Component" to add it to your dashboard

Layout Management

The dashboard uses a responsive grid system for component layout:

Drag and Drop

  • Components can be dragged to different positions on the grid
  • Grid lines are visible when editing to help with alignment
  • Components automatically snap to grid positions
  • Collision prevention ensures components don't overlap

Resizing

  • Components can be resized by dragging the bottom-right corner
  • Minimum and maximum size constraints are enforced
  • Resize handles are only visible in edit mode

Component Management

  • Delete components using the trash icon in the top-right corner
  • Component headers show the component type when editing
  • Changes are saved automatically when you click the Save button

Dashboard Templates

Save and reuse dashboard configurations using templates:

Saving Templates

  1. Configure your dashboard with the desired components and layout
  2. Click the "Save Template" button in the header
  3. Enter a name and description for your template
  4. Click "Save Template" to store it for future use

Importing Templates

  1. Click the "Import" button in the header (edit mode only)
  2. Browse available templates (system templates and your saved templates)
  3. Select the template you want to use
  4. Click "Apply Template" to load the configuration
  5. Customize the imported components as needed

Best Practices

Follow these best practices to create effective dashboards:

Component Selection

  • Use cards for key metrics and summary statistics
  • Use graphs for trends and comparisons over time
  • Use data matrices for detailed tabular analysis
  • Limit the number of components to avoid visual clutter

Layout Design

  • Place the most important metrics at the top of the dashboard
  • Group related components together
  • Use consistent sizing for similar component types
  • Leave adequate white space between components

Data Filtering

  • Use the filtering section to focus on specific data subsets
  • Apply filters before creating components for better performance
  • Document filter criteria for dashboard users

Pro Tip: Start with the AI Generator to quickly create basic components, then manually refine and customize them to match your specific requirements.