> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rootly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Managing Dashboards

> Create, share, duplicate, and set default dashboards in Rootly. Ownership types, permission levels, public link behavior, exports, auto-refresh, and deletion.

Dashboards live under **Metrics**. Every dashboard has three dimensions: **ownership** (who controls it), **permissions** (who can modify it), and **visibility** (who can access it, internally or publicly).

This page covers creating, sharing, duplicating, exporting, and deleting dashboards. For building panels inside a dashboard, see [Customizing Dashboards](/metrics/customized-dashboards).

## Dashboard Ownership and Visibility

### Ownership Types

Dashboards are owned either by an **organization** or by an individual user.

#### Personal Dashboards

Personal dashboards are owned by an individual user.

They are ideal for:

* Exploratory analysis
* Personal reporting workflows
* Temporary or experimental views
* Individual operational tracking

By default:

* You are the **Manager**
* No one else has access unless you explicitly share it

#### Organization Dashboards

Organization dashboards are shared at the organizational level and are best suited for standardized reporting across teams.

They are appropriate when:

* Multiple teams rely on the same metrics
* Dashboards support recurring reporting, such as weekly reviews or executive updates
* Standardized views are required across departments

Organization dashboards can be shared broadly across your Rootly account.

### Public Dashboards

Any dashboard — Personal or Organization — can optionally be made **Public**. When public access is enabled, Rootly serves the dashboard at `/public/dashboards/…` as read-only, no login required.

<Warning>
  Public dashboards use a **boolean visibility flag** on the dashboard record, not revocable link tokens. Anyone with the URL can view the dashboard until you untoggle **Public** — there is no per-viewer expiration or access log. Treat the URL like a semi-public artifact.
</Warning>

<Tip>
  Public access is a visibility layer, not an ownership change. Making a dashboard public does not change who can manage or edit it — the manager and permission roles on the dashboard still control that.
</Tip>

<Note>
  Some organizations disable public dashboards entirely. If you don't see the **Public** toggle, contact your administrator — the option is admin-gated per workspace.
</Note>

## Creating a Dashboard

To create a new dashboard:

1. Navigate to **Metrics**
2. Click **+ Create Dashboard**
3. Configure the dashboard settings
4. Save your dashboard

Dashboards are designed to provide sensible defaults while still supporting deeper customization when needed.

## Configuration Options

When creating a dashboard, you can define:

* **Name**
* **Description**
* **Icon**
* **Color theme**
* **Date range**
* **Period grouping**
* **Auto-refresh behavior**

### Default Values

If you create a dashboard without customizing every field, Rootly applies the following defaults:

* Icon: 📊
* Date range: **Last 30 Days**
* Period: **Day**
* Auto-refresh: **Disabled**
* Color: Randomly selected from the supported palette

<Info>
  <strong>Color system</strong><br />
  Dashboard colors are selected from a predefined palette to maintain visual consistency across your workspace.
</Info>

### Period Grouping

Metrics can be grouped by:

* Day
* Week
* Month
* Quarter
* Year

Choosing the right grouping affects how trends are interpreted.

For example:

* **Day** is useful for short-term incident spikes
* **Month** or **Quarter** is better for leadership-level trend reporting

## Personalizing Dashboard Views

Each user can personalize how they view a dashboard without affecting anyone else.

You can adjust:

* Date range
* Period grouping
* Team filters
* Service filters

These preferences are saved per user, per dashboard.

<Tip>
  <strong>View preferences are private.</strong><br />
  Changing filters or date ranges does not update the dashboard for other viewers.
</Tip>

## Sharing and Permissions

To share a dashboard:

1. Open the dashboard
2. Click **Share**
3. Assign permission levels to users or teams

### Permission Levels

Permissions are hierarchical:

* **Viewer**
  * Can view data only

* **Editor**
  * Can view and modify panels
  * Inherits Viewer permissions

* **Manager**
  * Can view, edit, share, and delete
  * Inherits Editor permissions

A dashboard must always have at least one **Manager**. You cannot remove or downgrade the last Manager until another Manager has been assigned.

<Check>
  <strong>Permission hierarchy matters.</strong><br />
  Editors inherit Viewer permissions, and Managers inherit both Viewer and Editor permissions.
</Check>

## Setting a Default Dashboard

You can designate one dashboard as your default.

This dashboard will automatically open when you navigate to **Metrics**.

To set a default dashboard:

1. Open the dashboard
2. Click **⋯**
3. Select **Set default**

<Note>
  Each user can have one default dashboard per team. Setting a new default replaces your previous default for that team.
</Note>

## Duplicating Dashboards

Duplicating a dashboard is useful when you want to:

* Create team-specific variants
* Compare different time periods
* Test new panel configurations without changing the original

To duplicate a dashboard:

1. Open the dashboard
2. Click **⋯**
3. Select **Duplicate**

Duplicated dashboards:

* Include all panels and dashboard configuration
* Are created as **Personal dashboards**
* Do not inherit sharing permissions
* Are automatically renamed to **Copy of \[original name] - YYYY-MM-DD**

For example: **Copy of Overview - 2025-03-16**

## Exporting Dashboards and Panels

Dashboards and panels can be exported for reporting and distribution outside of Rootly.

### Entire Dashboard

You can export the full dashboard as:

* **PDF**

### Individual Panels

From a panel’s **More (⋯)** menu, you can export:

* **CSV**
* **JSON**
* **PDF**
* **PNG** *(chart panels only)*
* **JPG** *(chart panels only)*

These export options help teams share insights while preserving the original data and visual context.

## Auto-Refresh Behavior

Dashboards support auto-refresh, but dashboard data is still cached.

<Tip>
  <strong>Auto-refresh is not real-time.</strong><br />
  Changes to underlying data may take 15–20 minutes to appear due to caching and refresh intervals.
</Tip>

## Deleting Dashboards

To delete a dashboard:

1. Navigate to **Metrics**
2. Open the dashboard’s **⋯** menu
3. Select **Delete**

<Warning>
  <strong>Deletion is not user-recoverable.</strong><br />
  Dashboards use soft deletion internally, but there is no self-serve restore flow. Duplicate important dashboards before deleting them.
</Warning>

## Best Practices

Well-designed dashboards improve operational clarity, not just reporting.

### Separate Strategic and Tactical Dashboards

Use different dashboards for different purposes.

* **Tactical dashboards** usually use short date ranges and higher granularity
* **Strategic dashboards** usually use monthly or quarterly grouping for trends

Avoid mixing both use cases into a single dashboard.

### Limit Panel Density

Too many panels reduce clarity.

Instead:

* Create multiple focused dashboards
* Duplicate and specialize dashboards for different audiences
* Use descriptive naming conventions

For example:

* 🚨 Critical Incidents — Last 30 Days
* 📈 Reliability Trends — Quarterly

### Use Organization Dashboards for Standardization

If a dashboard is referenced in:

* Weekly reviews
* Executive reporting
* Post-incident retrospectives

It should likely be an **Organization dashboard**.

### Configure Public Links Intentionally

Public dashboards are powerful, but they should be shared carefully.

Before sharing externally:

* Confirm no sensitive data is exposed
* Verify the intended filters and time ranges
* Review the dashboard as an external viewer would see it

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why must dashboard names be unique?" icon="heading">
    Dashboard names must be unique within your team, excluding deleted dashboards. This helps prevent confusion and keeps shared reporting environments easier to manage.

    If you receive a validation error, choose a different name.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I restrict who edits panels but still allow viewing?" icon="pen">
    Yes. Assign users as <strong>Viewers</strong> to give them read-only access. Only Editors and Managers can modify dashboard panels.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does duplicating a dashboard copy sharing permissions?" icon="copy">
    No. A duplicated dashboard is created as a new Personal dashboard owned by the user who duplicated it. Sharing permissions must be configured separately.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many default dashboards can I have?" icon="chart-line">
    Each user can have one default dashboard per team. Setting a new default replaces your previous default for that team.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why can’t I remove or downgrade the last Manager?" icon="trash">
    Every dashboard must have at least one Manager. If you need to remove or downgrade the current Manager, assign another user or team as Manager first.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens if I enable auto-refresh?" icon="toggle-on">
    The dashboard refreshes automatically at the configured interval, but the underlying data may still be delayed because of caching. In practice, changes can take around 15–20 minutes to appear.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Dashboards are most effective when they reflect how your organization thinks about reliability. Design them intentionally, share them responsibly, and revisit them as your operational needs evolve.