Create a New Dashboard

Dashboards are the main visual workspace in INTERA.

A dashboard brings together the Assets, Metrics, statuses, warnings, trends, reconciliation results, and actions relevant to a specific Role.

This chapter explains how to create a dashboard, define its layout, add Frames and widgets, create multiple pages, and configure navigation between them.

Open the Dashboards Page #

To create a new dashboard:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Dashboards.
3. Click New or Create Dashboard.

The Dashboards page shows the dashboards available in your INTERA environment.

Depending on your permissions, you may be able to:

• create dashboards;
• edit existing dashboards;
• duplicate dashboards;
• assign dashboards to Roles;
• add or remove pages;
• configure Frames and widgets;
• archive or disable dashboards.

Set the Dashboard Name #

Enter a clear name that describes the purpose of the dashboard.

Good examples include:

• Finance Overview
• Fleet Operations
• Revenue Assurance
• Customer Support
• Network Status
• Supplier Payments

Avoid names that are too broad or unclear.

Poor examples include:

• Main Dashboard
• Dashboard 1
• General Information
• All Data
• Company Screen

A dashboard name should help users understand immediately what responsibility or operational area it supports.

Assign a Role #

Select the Role that should have access to the dashboard.

The Role controls which users can open and use the dashboard.

For example:

• Finance Manager;
• Billing Operations Manager;
• Fleet Manager;
• Technical Superintendent;
• Customer Support Manager;
• Revenue Assurance Manager.

A dashboard should normally be assigned to the Role whose responsibilities it supports.

For example, a Finance dashboard may contain:

• bank balances;
• overdue collections;
• supplier payments;
• cash-flow Metrics;
• accounting reconciliations.

A Network Operations dashboard may contain:

• service availability;
• active alarms;
• traffic;
• delayed updates;
• network incidents.

Role assignment is part of access control. Users who are not assigned the required Role may not be able to see the dashboard.

Depending on the configuration, one dashboard may be available to more than one Role.

Create the First Page #

Every dashboard contains at least one page.

A page is a visual workspace that contains Frames and widgets.

When creating the dashboard, INTERA creates the first page automatically or asks you to create one.

Enter a clear page name.

Examples include:

• Overview;
• Collections;
• Suppliers;
• Reconciliation;
• Fleet Status;
• Service Quality;
• Details.

The first page should normally provide the most important operational summary.

Choose a Page Layout #

Each dashboard page has a layout that controls how its content is arranged.

INTERA supports several page layouts.

One-Column Layout #

A one-column layout places content in one vertical column.

This is suitable for:

• simple dashboards;
• large summary widgets;
• mobile-friendly layouts;
• pages that present information in a clear sequence.

Two-Column Layout #

A two-column layout divides the page into two main vertical areas.

This is suitable for:

• comparing two groups of information;
• separating current status from trends;
• placing summary and detail widgets side by side.

Three-Column Layout #

A three-column layout provides more compact horizontal organisation.

This is suitable for:

• several small operational indicators;
• category-based dashboard sections;
• dashboards used on wider screens.

Four-Column Layout #

A four-column layout supports a larger number of compact widgets.

This is suitable for:

• status boards;
• control-room views;
• dashboards with many small Metrics.

Use four columns carefully. Too many widgets on the first screen may make the dashboard difficult to understand.

Z Layout #

A Z layout arranges content in a natural visual path across the page.

Users typically scan:

1. from the top left to the top right;
2. diagonally across the page;
3. from the lower left to the lower right.

A Z layout is useful when the page has a clear priority sequence.

For example:

• top left: overall status;
• top right: highest-priority warning;
• lower left: supporting Metrics;
• lower right: action or navigation.

The page layout controls how widgets respond when the browser width changes.

Widgets are not positioned freely on a canvas. They follow the selected page layout and their configured sizes.

Add Frames #

A Frame is a visual container used to group related widgets.

Frames help organise a page into meaningful sections.

Examples include:

• Bank Accounts;
• Collections;
• Supplier Payments;
• Fleet Status;
• Open Incidents;
• Service Quality;
• Reconciliation.

To add a Frame:

1. Open the dashboard in edit mode.
2. Select the required page.
3. Click Add Frame.
4. Enter the Frame name.
5. Choose its location within the page layout.
6. Save the Frame.

A Frame may contain one or several widgets.

Use Frames to group information that belongs together.

For example, a Finance dashboard may use separate Frames for:

• Cash Position;
• Customer Collections;
• Supplier Liabilities;
• Reconciliation Status.

Avoid creating a separate Frame for every individual Metric. Frames should represent meaningful sections, not create unnecessary visual borders.

Add Widgets to Frames #

Widgets display information or provide user interaction.

To add a widget:

1. Open the required Frame.
2. Click Add Widget.
3. Select the widget type.
4. choose the Asset, Metric, data source, or action;
5. configure the widget settings;
6. select the widget size;
7. save the widget.

Available widget types may include:

• Metric value;
• Asset card;
• status indicator;
• table;
• chart;
• trend;
• progress bar;
• map;
• label;
• reconciliation result;
• action button;
• navigation widget.

The available widgets depend on your INTERA configuration and installed packages.

Widget Size #

Widgets use predefined size options.

Available sizes include:

• Full;
• Half;
• Third;
• Quarter.

Widgets cannot be freely resized by dragging their edges.

The selected size determines how much of the available layout space the widget uses.

Full #

A Full widget uses the complete available width or height of its layout area.

Use Full for:

• major summary widgets;
• large tables;
• charts;
• reconciliation details;
• important warnings;
• maps.

Half #

A Half widget uses half of the available space.

Two Half widgets can normally appear next to each other.

Use Half for:

• related Metric groups;
• status and trend comparisons;
• two equal dashboard sections.

Third #

A Third widget uses one third of the available space.

Three Third widgets can normally appear in the same row or layout group.

Use Third for:

• three related Metrics;
• compact operational summaries;
• comparison between three categories.

Quarter #

A Quarter widget uses one quarter of the available space.

Four Quarter widgets can normally appear together.

Use Quarter for:

• compact status indicators;
• small numeric Metrics;
• flags;
• short labels;
• high-level counters.

The meaning of widget size depends on the page layout.

In a Z layout, size normally refers to horizontal width.

In other layout modes, it may control how much of the available layout area the widget occupies according to the page direction.

Choose Widget Sizes Carefully #

Larger widgets should be reserved for important or complex information.

For example:

• overall business health: Full or Half;
• current bank balance: Quarter or Third;
• reconciliation table: Full;
• status flag: Quarter;
• monthly trend chart: Half or Full.

Avoid giving every widget the same visual importance.

The size of a widget should reflect:

• business importance;
• amount of information;
• need for user attention;
• frequency of use.

Configure Widget Content #

Each widget has its own settings.

Depending on the widget type, you may configure:

• title;
• Asset;
• Metric;
• displayed fields;
• filters;
• time period;
• aggregation;
• status thresholds;
• trend;
• icon;
• navigation behaviour;
• click action.

For example, a Metric widget may display:

• Metric name;
• current value;
• status;
• trend;
• last update time.

An Asset widget may display:

• Asset name;
• selected fields;
• selected Metrics;
• current status;
• a link to more details.

Multi-Page Dashboards #

A dashboard may contain several pages.

Multiple pages help keep the initial view simple while allowing users to access detailed information.

For example, a Finance dashboard may contain:

1. Overview;
2. Collections;
3. Suppliers;
4. Cash Flow;
5. Reconciliation.

A Fleet dashboard may contain:

1. Fleet Overview;
2. Vessel Status;
3. Technical Issues;
4. Communications;
5. Details.

To add a new page:

1. Open the dashboard in edit mode.
2. Click Add Page.
3. Enter the page name.
4. choose the page layout;
5. add Frames;
6. add widgets;
7. save the page.

Each page may use a different layout.

For example:

• the Overview page may use a Z layout;
• the Details page may use one column;
• the Operations page may use three columns.

Page Naming #

Page names should be short and easy to understand.

Good examples include:

• Overview;
• Sales;
• Collections;
• Suppliers;
• Incidents;
• Reconciliation;
• Details.

Avoid long or technical names that are difficult to use in navigation.

Poor examples include:

• Detailed Information About Current Financial Operations;
• Page 2;
• Additional Data;
• Other Metrics.

Navigate Between Pages #

Users can navigate between dashboard pages through the dashboard menu or by clicking a widget.

Widget-based navigation is configured through the widget’s on_click event.

The on_click event defines what happens when the user selects the widget.

For page navigation, configure the event to open another page in the same dashboard.

For example:

on_click:
  action: navigate
  page: collections

In this example, clicking the widget opens the Collections page.

The exact configuration may be entered through the visual widget settings or dashboard configuration.

Use Widgets as Drill-In Links #

A widget on the Overview page may act as a summary and a navigation control.

For example:

• a Collections widget shows 92% collected;
• clicking it opens the Collections page;
• the Collections page shows current, overdue, and high-risk customer balances.

Another example:

• a Fleet Health widget shows 87%;
• clicking it opens the Vessel Status page;
• the page shows individual vessels and detailed Metrics.

This approach keeps the first page simple while still providing access to detail.

Other on_click Actions #

Depending on the widget and configuration, an on_click event may also:

• open an Asset detail page;
• open a Metric history view;
• open a dialog;
• start a Script;
• open an external URL;
• open another dashboard;
• display additional information.

Use click actions consistently so users can predict what will happen.

For example, summary widgets should generally navigate to more detail, while action widgets should clearly indicate that they start a process.

Dashboard Access and Editing #

Access to the dashboard is controlled by its assigned Role.

Editing access may be controlled separately.

A user may be able to:

• view the dashboard;
• navigate between pages;
• open Asset details;
• run allowed actions;

without being able to change the dashboard structure.

Only users with the appropriate permissions should be able to:

• add or remove Frames;
• add or remove widgets;
• change Metrics;
• change page layouts;
• modify Role access.

INTERA Dashboard Best Practices #

A good INTERA dashboard should help users understand the current situation quickly.

The initial page should answer questions such as:

• Is everything under control?
• What requires attention?
• What has changed?
• Where should I look next?

Show Minimum Initial Data #

The first page should contain only the most important information.

Do not try to display every available Asset or Metric at once.

A strong initial dashboard may show:

• overall health;
• highest-priority warnings;
• critical exceptions;
• a few supporting Metrics;
• links to detailed pages.

The first screen should provide orientation, not complete analysis.

Go Straight to Important Points #

Place the most important information where users see it first.

Typically, this means:

• top of the page;
• top-left area;
• larger widget size;
• clear status or warning indicator.

Do not force users to scan through low-priority data before reaching critical information.

For example, if overdue collections are the main financial risk, show the overdue amount and status before detailed revenue charts.

Use Drill-In for Details #

Detailed information should be placed on secondary pages or opened through widget interaction.

The Overview page may show:

• Collections Health: 82%;
• Overdue Amount: €140,000;
• Critical Customers: 6.

Clicking the summary widget may open a page containing:

• customer list;
• ageing categories;
• trends;
• detailed balances;
• actions.

This keeps the main page clear while preserving access to full information.

Design for One-Glance Understanding #

A user should understand the main situation within a few seconds.

Use:

• clear labels;
• consistent status indicators;
• meaningful widget sizes;
• limited visual noise;
• logical Frames;
• predictable navigation.

Avoid:

• too many charts;
• long tables on the first page;
• repeated Metrics;
• unexplained abbreviations;
• excessive colours;
• large blocks of descriptive text.

Group Related Information #

Use Frames to group information by business meaning.

For example:

Cash Position

• Bank Balance;
• Expected Collections;
• Supplier Payments.

Customer Risk

• Overdue Amount;
• High-Risk Customers;
• Average Payment Delay.

Do not mix unrelated information inside the same Frame.

Use Visual Priority #

Not all Metrics are equally important.

Use larger widgets for:

• overall health;
• critical warnings;
• key totals;
• major decisions.

Use smaller widgets for:

• supporting indicators;
• secondary statuses;
• contextual values.

The dashboard should make priority visible without requiring users to read every label.

Avoid Duplicate Information #

Do not display the same Metric several times unless each use has a clear purpose.

For example, a total may appear once on the Overview page and again on a detailed page with supporting data.

Repeating the same number in several Frames on the same page creates confusion and wastes space.

Use Consistent Navigation #

Similar widgets should behave in similar ways.

For example:

• summary widgets navigate to detail pages;
• Asset widgets open Asset details;
• warning widgets open the relevant exception list;
• action widgets start a Script or open a form.

Users should not need to guess what a click will do.

Keep Detailed Tables on Secondary Pages #

Large tables are useful, but they should not normally dominate the first page.

Use the Overview page for:

• totals;
• exceptions;
• status;
• trends;
• navigation.

Use secondary pages for:

• detailed Asset lists;
• transaction records;
• reconciliation mismatches;
• long histories;
• operational logs.

Use Role-Specific Language #

Dashboard labels should use terminology familiar to the assigned Role.

For example, a Finance Manager may expect:

• Receivables;
• Payables;
• Cash Position;
• Overdue Debt.

A Network Operations user may expect:

• Availability;
• Active Alarms;
• Traffic;
• Last Update.

Avoid generic labels such as:

• Value;
• Total;
• Result;
• Status 1.

Test the Dashboard #

Before publishing the dashboard, review it as a normal user.

Check that:

• the Role assignment is correct;
• the first page shows the most important information;
• the layout works at different browser sizes;
• Frames are clearly organised;
• widget sizes are appropriate;
• page navigation works;
• on_click actions open the correct destination;
• detailed information is available through drill-in;
• empty and error states are understandable;
• labels use clear business terminology.

Common Problems #

Too Much Information on the First Page #

Move detailed widgets to secondary pages.

Keep only the most important summaries and exceptions on the Overview page.

Widgets Appear in the Wrong Order #

Review the page layout, Frame order, and widget sizes.

Widgets follow the layout rules rather than fixed canvas positions.

A Widget Does Not Fit the Row #

The combined widget sizes may exceed the available layout space.

Adjust one or more widgets from Full to Half, Third, or Quarter.

Users Cannot See the Dashboard #

Check the assigned Role and the user’s Role membership.

Also verify that the dashboard is enabled and published.

Page Navigation Does Not Work #

Review the widget’s on_click settings and confirm that the target page exists.

A Dashboard Is Difficult to Understand #

Reduce the number of initial widgets, improve labels, group related information, and move details to drill-in pages.

Recommended Dashboard Structure #

A typical INTERA dashboard may use the following structure.

Page 1: Overview #

Show:

• overall health;
• key warnings;
• critical exceptions;
• top-level Metrics;
• navigation to detailed pages.

Page 2: Operational Detail #

Show:

• main Asset groups;
• supporting Metrics;
• trends;
• current status.

Page 3: Exceptions #

Show:

• failed checks;
• overdue items;
• reconciliation mismatches;
• Assets requiring attention.

Page 4: Analysis or History #

Show:

• trends;
• comparisons;
• historical values;
• detailed charts.

This structure is only a guideline. The final design should reflect the needs of the assigned Role.