Widget Controller
The Widget Controller transforms how dashboards function by enabling Designers to configure which dimensions and measures are available per widget—without extra development work.
Viewers can interact with individual widgets independently, adjusting data views without affecting the rest of the dashboard. With reduced widget duplication and improved dashboard performance, Widget Controller simplifies self-service analytics while ensuring flexibility and efficiency.
Installation and configuration
The Dashboard Filters plugin can be installed by an Admin, following the directions in Installing QBeeQ Plugins.
Operating system and version support:
- Linux - Latest
- Windows - Latest
Compatibility
The Widget Controller can be used to control all native Sisense widgets and all QBeeQ widgets— except those that do not make any sense, such as BloX, Tabbers, Navigators, Filters, etc.
If you have questions about compatibility, please contact support@qbeeq.io
Before you start
Because the Widget Controller controls the different widgets on the dashboard, it is recommended to do some up-front planning to avoid back-and-forth referencing. This can include planning/building out the dashboard to your requirements or use case first, ensuring that all visualizations that you want Viewers to be able to interact with using the Widget Controller are represented.
If you are planning to use the Widget Controller to interact with more than one widget (and/or more than one data source), add all dimensions and measures in the data panel. Given this, you may want to keep track of which widgets belong to which data sources and take notes of which dimensions and measures that you want to be exposed through the Widget Controller.
Creating a new Widget Controller
To create a new Widget Controller:
- Create a dashboard with one or more widgets
You must have at least 1 widget on the dashboards before adding the Widget Controller
- Add a new widget and select Widget Controller from the widget dropdown list
- Click Apply
The Widget Controller widget is only visible to the Dashboard Designer. This widget will not be visible to Viewers.
- Rename the Widget Controller on the dashboard
It is recommended to rename this widget to a clear and descriptive title, such as “Widget Controller.” If multiple Widget Controllers are used, include the associated data source in the name to help distinguish between them (e.g., “Widget Controller – Sales Data”).
If you have a mix of widgets from different data sources that you would like to use with the Widget Controller, follow the steps to create a new Widget Controller, and change the data source. Repeat as needed for your requirements.
Selecting/confirming the data source
The selected data source will determine what dimensions and measures can be selected from the data panel, and subsequently, which widgets can be controlled. Once the data source is selected, any widgets that share the same data source will be displayed in the design panel.
Adding data to the widget controller
The Widget Controller will display the list of widgets on the dashboard, according to the selected data source. You will still need to add data in the data panel to select which widgets expose which dimensions and measures for Viewers to interact with.
If you do not see the widget you are looking for in the design panel, check the data source to ensure it is set to the correct model associated with that widget.
In the data panel, select the dimensions and measures you want to allow the various widgets on the dashboard to display within their controls. If you are planning to use the Widget Controller to interact with more than one widget, add all dimensions and measures in the data panel. You will be able to control which widget can interact with which data.
Dimensions or measures that use Formulas, numeric, and/or conditional applied to any dimensions or measures will be retained when used across multiple widgets
Adding controls to individual widgets
Each widget will have the same options for configurations and controls, the only difference is the dimensions and/or measures the Designer chooses to expose. To configure an individual widget to use the Widget Controller:
- Expand the selected widget in the design panel
Widgets without titles will display as the widget's ID. It is recommended to have titles for all of your widgets when using the Widget Controller.
- Toggle the Enable Switch Control to the on position
- Configure the controls using the design panel
- Repeat for additional widgets as needed
- Click Apply to save the configurations
After you save your selections and configurations, the dashboard will automatically reload.
Configuring an individual widget’s controls
Use these settings when configuring an individual widget’s controls and behaviors.
Setting | Behavior |
Enable Switch Control | Enables the widget control on the individual widget and allows the Designer to configure the controls. |
Multi Select | Determines the selection controls the Viewer is displayed, either single-select or multi-select. |
Configure Right Y Axis | When several values are represented on the chart, we can choose some of them to be represented on a different y-axis. This configuration only displays when the chart is a time series chart and must be set in the config.js file.
Please reach out to support@qbeeq.io if you need help configuring this setting. |
Menu custom height | If the content fits within the defined height (e.g., 150px), it will render at that height. If the content exceeds the specified height, a scrollbar will appear to allow scrolling within the container. |
Dimension Switch | Controls the UI to display a dropdown control on each widget and an Edit/Apply button, allowing the Viewer to edit, change, and apply the dimension(s) displayed in the widget. |
Dimension Selector | Controls which dimensions are displayed to the Viewer |
Measure Switch | Controls the UI to display a dropdown control on each widget and an Edit/Apply button, allowing the Viewer to edit, change, and apply the measure(s) displayed in the widget. |
Measure Selector | Controls which measures are displayed to the Viewer |
Dimension title | When enabled the title of the dimension is displayed in the data panel. When disabled the title will appear as it does from the data model without changes. |
Measure title | When enabled the title of the measure is displayed in the data panel.
When disabled the title will appear as it does from the data model without changes. |
Enable BreakBy | When enabled the user will be presented with an additional option to change the Break By. Designers can configure separate dimensions for BreakBy. This option is only displayed if the source widget has a BreakBy value. |
Enable Hierarchies | When enabled the user will be presented with an additional option to switch between hierarchies without the need to define each level separately. This configuration only displays when set in the config.js file.
Please reach out to support@qbeeq.io if you need help configuring this setting. |
Use measures colors as cell background? | When enabled the background color of the measure will be used as the cell background.
When disabled, the cells’ background will not be affected by the measure color.
This configuration is only relevant when the widget being controlled has cells, like in a table or pivot widget. |
Editing controls on individual widgets
Designers can go back and edit the Widget Controller to change the data that is available to the Viewers in their controls.
Changes to the source widgets will not automatically update the Widget Controller.
Adding additional fields to a widget’s controls
When wanting to display additional options, you must edit the source widget first
- Edit the selected widget (not the widget controller)
- Select the fields you would like to add
- Click Apply to save
- Edit the Widget Controller associated with the widget
- Add the same fields in the Data Panel
- Expand the widget in the Design Panel
- Click the checkbox of the newly added dimensions or measures you want to include
- Click Apply to save
Removing fields from a widget’s controls
Designers can remove dimensions and measures from the drop-downs displayed to Viewers. Designers have two options:
- Delete the field from the Data Panel
- Uncheck the dimension or measure in the Design Panel
Resetting the configurations
Designers can remove all the configurations, across all of the widgets being controlled.
To reset all configurations, click on the red Delete Config button which is at the bottom of the list of widgets. This action will not remove the selected data from the data panel but will reset all selections back to default (null).
This action is not reversible and does not have a confirmation. Please be cautious before taking this action to avoid lost work.
Removing the widget controller
Designers have two options when wanting to remove the Widget Controller, disabling for an individual widget or removing the Widget Controller from the dashboard.
Disable for an individual widget
To remove controls for one or more widgets on the dashboard:
- Click the edit icon on the widget controller
- Expand the selected widget in the design panel
- Toggle the Enable Switch Control to the off position
- Repeat for additional widgets as needed
- Click Apply to save
If you disable the Switch Control toggle and save the changes. And then return later, your selections will be retained in the controls.
Removing from the dashboard
You can remove all of the configurations, without needing to delete the Widget Controller widget. Removing the configurations will reset all configurations/settings for the dashboard.
To remove all configurations:
- Edit the Widget Controller
- Click the Delete Config button in the design panel
- Click Apply
If you have multiple Widget Controllers across multiple data sources, performing this action will only remove the controls for the related widgets. All other controls will be maintained unless this action is performed again.
Using the Widget Controller
For Viewers, the Widget Controller is presented as a set of drop-downs at the top of the widget.
To change how the widget displays using the controls:
- Click on the
- Search or scroll to find the data fields
- Select one or more fields (dependent on the configuration)
- Click out of the drop-down
Once the focus is off the drop-down, the widget will update based on the selection.
The input will display the number of selections in line with the drop-down field label.
Resetting controller dropdowns
The Viewer’s selections can be reset on the individual widget:
- Click the three-dot menu in the widget header
- Click Reset Controller Dropdowns
To reset controller drop-downs across the entire dashboard, use the native Sisense option to restore the dashboard.