Design

In Apex, dashboard canvas allows you to design the dashboard as per the organizational needs. Multiple controls can be dragged and dropped on the canvas and bind data to them to configure dashboards.

Create a Dashboard

On the Design tab, Application Designer can add the data source and drag and drop the controls to design the dashboard. Different data sources, charts, maps, layouts, etc. exist to design the dashboard. 

A Data Source should be configured to start designing the dashboard.

To configure the data source, perform the following steps: 

1. On the Design tab, click on the menu to open the dashboard menu.
   Figure: Dashboard menu
   
   
2.  To add a new data source, click Add under Used Data Sources.
   Figure: Add data source
   
   
3.  On the Add Data Source page, click Create data source to create a new data source.
   Figure: Create data source
   
   The Add Data Source window allows you to perform the following:
   
   

   Field	Description
   Add an existing data source	Select the listed data source and click Add.
   Create a new data source	Click create a new data source. It opens the dashboard data source wizard in which you can create a new data source based on the predefined data connection.

Dashboard Data Source Wizard

The dashboard data source wizard allows you to configure a data source, retrieve data, and add the created data source to a dashboard.

The dashboard data source wizard is displayed.

Figure: Dashboard data source wizard

Select a Data Connection

1. Select Database on the start page and click Next.
   The Choose a data connection page is displayed.
   Figure: Database
   
   
2. Select an existing connection from the list and click Next.
   Figure: Data connection

Select Queries

This page allows you to create/edit a query or select a Stored Procedure.

1.  Select the Query option to create a new query.
   Figure: Query
   
   
2. Click Run Query Builder to launch the query builder and select the required tables or views. Click OK after adding the query parameters.
   To know more about the query builder, refer to Query Builder.
   Figure: Query Builder
   
   
3.  The SQL string now displays the selected query. Click Finish.
   Figure: SQL String
   
   
4.  On the Add Data Source page, the selected query appears. Click Add to add the data source.
   Figure: Add data source
   
   
5.  On the data sources page, the added view appears. if you wish to add more data sources, click Add under the Used Data Source section.
   Figure: Data sources
   
   
6.  Close the Dashboard Menu by clicking on X icon.
   
   
7.  The data source is added to the dashboard.

The toolbox items on the dashboard canvas can be dragged dropped and configured for the dashboard. 

To know more about the toolbox elements and its configuration, refer to Toolbox Elements.