If you come from Salesforce background, Einstein Analytics offers a more interactive dashboard with better performance compared to Salesforce standard dashboard. Faceting in Einstein Analytics dashboard offers users a better experience to analyze, and drilling down data is much easier.
In addition to charts widget, adding a table widget into the dashboard to show record-level details is very useful for users in exploring data. Data in the table will automatically be filtered when selection is made on the charts. Users can make a selection on multiple charts. This will filter the whole dashboard further; you also can configure the chart to enable on multiple selections. When users select multiple charts, by default, it will broadcast to filter other widgets. “AND” is the filter logic for multiple charts selection, while “OR” is the filter logic when the user selects multiple selections in an individual chart. We will see the sample later in this chapter.
Before exploring dashboards, as admin, we will look into how to inspect a dashboard for better performance; this will include detailed information for each step in the dashboard and advise to improve dashboard performance.
Dashboard Inspector
Set notification on the widget
Make annotation on the dashboard
Sharing widget
Embed dashboard to Lightning page
Dashboard Inspector
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio, and open Global Accounts dashboard built in the previous chapter.
- 2.
Click … (ellipsis) button at the top right corner.
- 3.
Select “Dashboard Inspector.”
- 4.
You will notice two tabs in the Dashboard Inspector, which are Steps and Performance (see Figure 7-1).
- 5.At the Steps tab, there will be four columns:
- a.
Step: All steps added to the dashboard will be shown here.
- b.
# Runs: How many times the step has been run; we can keep the panel open when exploring the dashboard.
- c.
First (ms): Time needed for initial step run.
- d.
Max (ms): Max time needed to run the step.
- a.
- 6.You can sort the table by clicking the header. Select a step, and you will get more info about the step; the value will be updated when you explore the dashboard.
- a.
Datasets: Dataset name and when was the data last refreshed.
- b.
Filters: All filters that impacted that step, including global filters.
- c.
Dimensions: All fields used related to the step.
- d.
Measures: All fields used and the aggregation, such as sum, count, and so on.
- e.
Last run metrics (ms), including metadata, waiting, and query in milliseconds.
This is the same by selecting “Show Details” from a widget. Additionally, there are two more icons at the right:View performance details: This will tell the dashboard builder if any data manipulation was not optimal.
View more details: Use this feature if you would need to debug the step which contains
Original Query
Final Query
Result
- In this window, we see how compact form query is translated into SAQL, and what is the result from the query.
Figure 7-1Analyze step with Dashboard Inspector
- a.
- 7.
Select the “Performance ” tab; click “Run Performance Check.”
- 8.In a few seconds, you should get the result. This will tell you
- a.
Initial load time
- b.
Initial # of queries
- c.
Performance factors: This will tell us if we have too many steps in the dashboard, steps that fire multiple queries, and redundant steps. With this info, we can fix the step to improve dashboard performance.
- a.
Set Notifications
This function is useful for users to get notification from Einstein Analytics widget when certain criteria are met. With notifications, you can get Einstein Analytics work for you, select a widget and define the criteria, set if the notification should notify you only once, or always, then set the schedule for notification to run.
Each user can set up to ten notifications, because of this limit, you should set notifications only for items important to you and delete notifications no longer valid. You can see the notifications in Analytics Studio, Lightning Experience notification, Analytics mobile app for iOS, and e-mail; see Figure 7-4 for sample of notification in Lightning experience.
You can set notification from chart, table, and number widget. Make sure “Show widget actions” is enabled for the widget; otherwise, the arrow handler will not be shown. You only can set notifications from view mode, not in build/edit mode.
When you have added notification from a dashboard, click “bell” (show notification) icon next to … (ellipsis) icon; this will show all notifications have been added to that dashboard. Or, you can check all notifications added from Analytics Studio or from the Analytics tab and look for the Notifications menu on the left panel.
Hands-On Notifications
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio, and open Global Accounts dashboard built in the previous chapter.
- 2.
Edit Global Accounts dashboard; click a number or chart widget, and under Widget properties at the left panel, make sure “Show widget actions” is enabled.
- 3.
Save the dashboard, and exit from edit mode.
- 4.
Hover your mouse over the widget edited in step 2, click arrow icon, then click “Set Notification.”
- 5.
Depending on the operator used for that widget, for example, count, sum, average, and so on, it will be used as the criteria, then select the operator, and value threshold (see Figure 7-2).
- 6.
Next, you should be notified only once if the threshold value meets, or every time when the schedule runs.
- 7.
Schedule when the notification should run, from weekday, daily, weekly, and time.
- 8.
Click Save and Run button.
- 9.Once added, notice a number in a blue square appears when you have Notifications panel open.
Figure 7-2Set notification to a number widget
- 10.
The notification details from status, last modified, and criteria will be shown in that panel.
- 11.
Now click the Analytics Studio tab, notice Notifications tab, click the tab, and you will see all notifications that you have set up from all dashboards and status if the criteria have been met (see Figure 7-3).
Monitor all notifications
Note
For widget built on step contain binding for dynamic chart, the user will be not able to set notification on that widget. For notification on value table, you can select any measure column added to the table.
Notifications will appear in Lightning as well as e-mail and Salesforce mobile app
Annotations
With annotation feature, you can annotate dashboard widgets with comments posted in the dashboard and in chatter. You can hold conversations about the widget, including posting a screenshot of the whole dashboard. Similar to chatter, you can mention someone to get his or her attention on the post, and that person can comment on the annotation.
Once the issue is resolved, you can select Resolve from annotation post, the annotation will be moved under the Resolved tab. Also, reopen back the annotations when needed. You can add many annotations for a widget in the dashboard.
Same as notification, annotations are only available for chart, table, and number widget, and you should enable “Show widget actions”; otherwise the menu will not appear when you hover mouse over the widget.
Enabling Annotations
Annotations are not enabled by default, you need to reach out to your Salesforce admin to enable this from setup, search for Feed Tracking in Quick Find box, look for Analytics Asset, and select Enable Feed Tracking.
Once enabled, open a dashboard, notice Annotations icon appears next to the … (ellipsis) icon. All annotations added to the dashboard will appear here, including open and resolve annotations.
Hands-On Annotations
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio and then Global Accounts dashboard built in the previous chapter.
- 2.
Edit Global Accounts dashboard; click a number or chart widget, and under Widget properties at the left panel, make sure “Show widget actions” is enabled.
- 3.
Save the dashboard, and exit from dashboard designer.
- 4.
Hover your mouse over the widget edited in step 2, click arrow icon, then select “Annotate” (see Figure 7-5).
- 5.
To share an update and notify users; you can mention the user name by typing @ user name.
- 6.
Select “Attach current screenshot.”
- 7.
Click the Share button.
- 8.Verify the annotation created under Open tab in All Annotations panel and also in chatter feed.
Figure 7-5Adding annotation to the widget
- 9.
Click the arrow, and select Resolve to move the annotation from Open to Resolved tab.
Similar to chatter in a record, when you follow a dashboard, you will get a notification if someone annotates the dashboard.
Share Widget
Access Share action from the drop-down menu
There are two main tabs under Share action: Post to Feed and Download (see Figure 7-7).
Post to Feed
User can share the widget as chatter post to user feed or to a chatter group.
Add comment for the post (this is optional).
The widget will be shared as an image.
Download
Image (PNG format)
Excel format
- CSV format, this is useful when need to download raw data from a dataset from a table widget.
Figure 7-7Share widget as feed or download
Show Details
Show Details action will show detail info of a widget, from dataset used, filters applied, dimensions and measures field, and last run metrics (ms). In the Dashboard Inspector, it shows all steps available in the dashboard, and when we click a step, the details of the step will be shown.
While Show Details action shows the same information as if we click step from Dashboard Inspector, however, we do not easily know a step is related to which widgets. So, by clicking “Show Details” from a widget, this will guide us exactly what is the step name that powers the widget, including all information related to the widget.
This action is most useful for dashboard explorer to analyze data shown in the widget, including dashboard builder to make sure the widget is showing the correct data, for example, not using wrong dataset, wrong filters, and and so on (see Figure 7-8).
Information from Show Details of a widget
Explore
Same as previous actions, explore action is only available for chart, table, and number widget. But in addition to enabling “Show widget action,” “Show explore action” also must be enabled too. In some cases, you may need to disable explore action, so users will be not able to explore and see raw data.
When exploring a widget, Einstein Analytics will create a new lens, and the user can do analysis from here, including to change chart type, table mode, filter, until editing with SAQL. If users need to store the lens modified, they can store it in their private app or public app if the user has editor or manager permission for the app. As mentioned in earlier chapter, this is a difference with standard Salesforce reporting; the lens created will not impact the dashboard or widget in the dashboard.
Hands-On Explore Widget
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio, and open Global Accounts dashboard built in the previous chapter.
- 2.
Edit Global Accounts dashboard; click a number or chart widget, and under Widget properties at the left panel, make sure “Show widget actions” is enabled, and “Show explore action” is also enabled.
- 3.
Save the dashboard and exit from edit mode.
- 4.Hover your mouse over the widget edited in step 2, click arrow icon, then click “Explore” action (see Figure 7-9).
Figure 7-9Exploring a widget
- 5.
This will open the widget as a new lens. By default, it would be the same chart type or table with the widget; except for number widget, it would be a bar chart without grouping. Filter added to the dashboard, and widget will be applied.
- 6.
If it is a bar chart, you can change the grouping by changing the fields under bar, or you can add another level of grouping too.
- 7.
Optionally, you can save the lens to your private app or to a public app to be shared with your team.
- 8.
You can perform all features offered by lens, such as Clip to Designer, present, save, share, and clone. We have discussed this in Chapter 5.
In case if you need to export data to Excel or CSV file, you can use the same method as shared in Chapter 5; open the widget as lens, change the format to the table (if necessary), click Share, Download, then select to download as Excel or CSV format.
Widget Built with SAQL
For dashboard builder, edit the dashboard, and click pencil icon “Edit Step and Widget” at the bottom; you will find that you cannot edit the values such as bar length, filter, query limit, and so on.
For dashboard user, click “Show Details” action, then “View more details” button, select “Original Query”; SAQL powered step will show SAQL here, while a non-SAQL step will show JSON format compact form.
When you use a binding in compact form (non-SAQL) in the dashboard widget, you will not be able to edit the widget. However, you can go to the JSON mode and edit the step/widget as your needs.
Embedding Einstein Analytics Dashboard to Salesforce Page
As discussed in the previous chapter, to explore Einstein Analytics dashboard from Salesforce, users just need to click the Analytics tab and find the dashboard to explore. However, for some scenarios, it would be greater if the user is able to access right in Lightning record page, app page, and Home page.
Same as viewing dashboard from Analytics tab or Analytics Studio, the user still needs the same licensing to view dashboard from the Lightning page.
When you embed a dashboard, the whole dashboard will be shown; you cannot just show a widget. To enable sharing option, in Lightning, the component needs to be with minimum frame size 800 x 612 pixel. If the widget has explore action enabled, users will be able to explore the widget from Lightning too. Explore will open Analytics Studio and create a new lens. Faceting and filtering will work as per normal.
Dashboard name: List of Einstein Analytics dashboard will be shown here, make sure the dashboards selected are in the app accessible by our users.
Height: Component height in pixel.
Filter: This is optional, most useful when we need to auto filter the dashboard based on record Id.
Show Sharing icon: Only can be enabled when the component frame size is more than 800 x 612 pixels.
Show tile: To show/hide dashboard title.
Show Header: To show/hide header, which includes title, dataset last refresh, and Analytics Studio icon.
Open Links in New Windows: If there is a link in the dashboard, clicking this will open the target as a new window.
Hide on Error: To show/hide if an error occurred in the dashboard.
Set Component visibility: This is standard lightning component features if we want to show the component just for a group of users, such as profile or record values.
Hands-On Adding Dashboard to Home Page
Scenario: To add an interactive dashboard using Einstein Analytics to show all open and closed Opportunities for current quarter and next quarter in the Lightning Home page.
A dataflow pulls data from Account, Opportunity, and User objects
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio.
- 2.
Create a new dashboard.
- 3.I’ll not go through step by step on creating a dashboard, as we already covered in Chapter 6. Here is the dashboard created; you can create your own Opportunity dashboard, but make sure the fields mentioned earlier are included in the dataset. I’ll name my dashboard as “Current & Next Quarter Opportunity” (see Figure 7-11).
Figure 7-11A dashboard built with a dataset extract from Account, Opportunity, and User objects
- 4.
Let’s embed the dashboard into Lightning Home page, navigate to Lightning Home page, and click “Edit Page” under the gear icon at the top right screen.
- 5.
Drag “Einstein Analytics Dashboard” component above the Quarterly Performance component.
- 6.Select the component, and enter the following in the properties:
Dashboard: Current & Next Quarter Opportunity
Height: 500
Show title: Check
- 7.
Click Save button then Back button.
- 8.You should be able to filter and facet the dashboard as you are opening the dashboard from the Analytics tab, but note that Shared action will not available here (see Figure 7-12).
Figure 7-12Einstein Analytics dashboard embedded as Lightning Home page
Hands-On Adding Dashboard to Record Page
Scenario: To add an interactive dashboard using Einstein Analytics into Account record to show all Opportunities related to that Account.
Building Dashboard
- 1.
Open Analytics Studio.
- 2.
Clone “Current & Next Quarter Opportunity” dashboard as “Opportunities of Account.”
- 3.Modify the dashboard accordingly; for this dashboard I’ll remove all filters as it supposed to be filtered to a related Account (see Figure 7-13).
Figure 7-13Modified dashboard without filters
- 4.
Open an Account record where you want to embed the dashboard, then click “Edit Page” under the gear icon at the top right screen.
- 5.
Drag “Einstein Analytics Dashboard” component above Activity/Chatter tab component.
- 6.Select the component, and enter the following in the properties:
Dashboard: “Opportunities of Account”
Height: 400
Untick all check boxes
- 7.Make sure “Filter Builder” is selected, then click the “+ Add Dashboard Filter” button:
Select the dataset
Dataset field: Account ID
Operator: Equals
Object field: Account > Id
- 8.Click the OK button, click the Save button, then Back button; the result shows as in Figure 7-14.
Figure 7-14Account lightning page embedded with Einstein Analytics dashboard
In the same way, you can embed the Einstein Analytics dashboard to any other Lightning record pages without the need to write any script.
In the last option, you also can embed Einstein Analytics dashboard to Lightning App page, where the app page can be worked in both web browser and mobile app.
Summary
In this chapter, we discussed everything in exploring a dashboard. We start with using Dashboard Inspector; this tool can not only be used by dashboard explorer but also dashboard builder to debug the dashboard widgets, to analyze steps, and to optimize dashboard performance.
Next, we learn how to set notifications action on widgets; this notification is personal and will not impact other users; we’ll get notifications once all the criteria defined are met. Annotation is the next action; we can use it to collaborate with our team in discussing a business metrics show in a widget. Annotation directly integrates with chatter; users can set the annotation as resolved so it will not appear as Open tab.
We discuss the next action which is sharing widget as chatter feed or by downloading the widget as an image or Excel file or CSV file. Explore action, as it is named, is very useful for users to explore dataset as a lens; all existing filters from the dashboard will be automatically added.
Embedded Einstein Analytics dashboard to Salesforce Lightning page is another further step to bring the dashboard easily access by users from Lightning Home, record, and app page.
Next, in Chapter 8, we will learn how to set security to the dashboard and the data, so stay tuned!