Chapter 2. Creating Dashboard Widgets

2.1. Creating a Report Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click on the Dashboard Widgets accordion, then choose the Reports folder.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), then click 1848 (Add a new Widget).

  4. In the Basic Information area, type in a Title and Description. By default the widget will be active as soon as you create it. To make it inactive, uncheck the Active box.

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  5. From the Report Options area, select the filters until you are at the report you want for this widget. Select up to four columns from that report. Finally, for Row Count, select the number of rows that you want displayed.

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  6. In the Timer area, click the Run drop down to specify how often you want the widget data to get updated. The options displayed will depend on which Run option you choose. Select Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.

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  7. Select a Time Zone. Type or select a date to begin the schedule in Starting Date. Select a Starting Time based on a 24 hour clock in the selected time zone.

    Note

    If you change the time zone, you will need to reset the starting date and time.

  8. In the Visibility area, select <To All Users>, so that all users can use this widget no matter what user role they are assigned. Select <By Role> to assign this widget to specific user roles. Select <By Group> to assign this widget to specific groups.
  9. Click Add.

2.2. Creating a Chart Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widgets accordion and click the Charts folder.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), then click 1848 (Add a new Widget).
  4. In the Basic Information area, type in a Title and Description. By default the widget will be active as soon as you create it. To make it inactive, uncheck the Active box.

  5. From the Chart Report area, select a chart to display in the widget.

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  6. In the Timer area, click the Run drop down to specify how often you want the widget data to get updated. The options displayed will depend on which Run option you choose. Select Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.

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  7. Select a Time Zone. Type or select a date to begin the schedule in Starting Date. Select a Starting Time based on a 24 hour clock in the selected time zone.

    Note

    If you change the time zone, you will need to reset the starting date and time.

  8. In the Visibility area, select <To All Users>, so that all users can use this widget no matter what user role they are assigned. Select <By Role> to assign this widget to specific user roles. Select <By Group> to assign this widget to specific groups.
  9. Click Add.

2.3. Creating an RSS Feed Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widgets accordion, and click the RSS Feeds folder.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), then click 1848 (Add a new Widget).
  4. In the Basic Information area, type in a Title and Description. By default the widget will be active as soon as you create it. To make it inactive, uncheck the Active box.

  5. In the RSS Feed Options area, you have the following choices:

    • From Type, select Internal to use feed from CloudForms Management Engine. Then select the RSS feed, from the Internal RSS Feed dropdown.
    • From Type, select External to use a feed outside of CloudForms Management Engine. Then, either select the RSS feed or type your own.
    • From Row Count, select the number of rows you want returned from the RSS feed.
  6. Select the Filters until you are at the report you want for this widget. Select up to three columns from that report. Finally, for Row Count, select the number of rows that you want displayed.

  7. In the Timer area, click the Run drop down to specify how often you want the widget data to get updated. The options displayed will depend on which Run option you choose. Select Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.

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  8. Select a Time Zone.

    Note

    If you change the time zone, you will need to reset the starting date and time.

  9. Type or select a date to begin the schedule in Starting Date.
  10. Select a Starting Time (UTC) based on a 24 hour clock in the selected Time Zone.
  11. In the Visibility area, select <To All Users>, so that all users can use this widget no matter what user role they are assigned. Select <By Role> to assign this widget to specific user roles. Select <By Group> to assign this widget to specific groups.
  12. Click Add.

2.4. Creating a Menu Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widget accordion and click the Menus folder.
  3. Click 1847 [(Configuration), then click 1848 (Add a new Widget).

  4. In the Basic Information area, type in a Title and Description. By default the widget will be active as soon as you create it. To make it inactive, uncheck the Active box.

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  5. In the Menu Shortcut*s area, use the *Add a Shortcut dropdown to select all the places in the console that you want to add to this widget.
  6. In the Visibility area, select <To All Users>, so that all users can use this widget no matter what user role they are assigned. Select <By Role> to assign this widget to specific user roles. Select <By Group> to assign this widget to specific groups.
  7. Click Add.

2.5. Editing a Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widgets accordion and select the widget you want to edit.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), and then 1851 (Edit this Widget).
  4. Make the required changes.
  5. Click Save.

2.6. Copying a Widget

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widget accordion, and select the widget you want to copy.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), and then 1859 (Copy this Widget).
  4. Type a unique name for the widget and edit its properties.
  5. Click Save.

2.7. Deleting a Widget

Note

Default widgets cannot be deleted, but they can be copied.

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widget accordion and select the widget you want to delete.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), and then 1861 (Delete this Widget from the Database).
  4. Click OK.

2.8. Importing a Widget

You can share widgets between appliances using the export and import features.

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. In the Import/Export accordion, click Widgets.
  3. In the Import area, click Browse to select an import file.
  4. Click Upload.

2.9. Exporting a Widget

You can share widgets between appliances using the export and import features.

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. In the Import/Export accordion, click Widgets.
  3. In the Export area, select the widgets that you want to export.
  4. Click Export.

2.10. Generating Widget Content Immediately

  1. Navigate to Cloud Intelligence → Reports.
  2. Click the Dashboard Widgets accordion and select the widget you want to generate.
  3. Click 1847 (Configuration), and then 1847 (Generate Widget Content now).
  4. Click OK.

The content is generated immediately instead of waiting for the next scheduled update. Generation of widget content is shown under the Tasks page of 1846 (Settings & Operations).