Each tab in a dashboard hosts a canvas. The canvas has many functionalities, all of which are described below.

Canvas Toolbar Functionality

Canvas elements are hosted in the canvas toolbar, and can be used to create interactive dashboards.

Select

Selecting this returns the user to select mode, and therefore de-selects any element previously selected in the canvas toolbar.

Insert Widget

Add any chart or table to the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, a widget can be drawn onto the canvas.

Insert Canvas Filter

Add any filter to the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, a filter can be drawn onto the canvas.

Once drawn onto the canvas, the global filter can filter the underlying data of all widgets on a tab. Users without editing rights are not allowed to create new filters, and can only filter data through created objects with pre-set parameters.

There are multiple types of filters that differ in a way they displayed on the canvas:

Dropdown: Single-choice dropdown functionality allows users to set one filtering parameter. Dropdown is available for numeric, boolean and text column types.
Multiselect: Multiple-choice dropdown functionality allows users to select more than one filtering parameter. Multiselect is available for numeric, boolean and text column types.
Advanced Filter: Filtering functionality that allows for custom filtering options, based on the choice of an operator and specified value. Advanced Filter is available for all column types, including numeric, text, boolean, dates. Depending on the column type, there are different operators available:
- Text
  - Is equal
  - Is not equal
  - Is one of
  - Is none of
  - Starts with
  - Ends with
  - Contains
  - Not contains
  - Is empty
  - Is not empty
- Numeric
  - Is equal
  - Is not equal
  - Is one of
  - Is none of
  - Is less that
  - Is greater than
  - Is between
  - Is empty
  - Is not empty
- Date
  - Is between
  - Is before
  - Is after
  - Is empty
  - Is not empty
  - Is equal
Date: Filtering functionality for columns of a date type. Users are able to filter in absolute date terms (e.g., between two dates), and in relative date terms (e.g., from 5 days ago).

Filter Settings Window

Setting up a global filter requires users to use the filter settings window. The actions required by the window can depend on the type of filter used. The overarching functionalities are:

Selecting a table: To apply filters, users first have to choose a table from which the column that they will filter by will be selected. The Settings Window shows only tables that are used as the underlying data for the widgets in that tab.
Selecting a column: After selecting a table, users have to choose a column from which the filtering values will be taken. All types of columns are available: numeric, text, boolean and dates.
Choosing a filter type: Depending on the column type, different filter types described above are available.

The settings window of the Dropdown and Multiselect filters also contains the ability to choose the values that will appear in the filter. The first 10 unique values from the column are displayed, and additional values can be added manually.

Insert Shape

Add a shape to the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select a shape to draw, and then draw on the canvas.

Hold the Shift key when resizing a shape to lock the aspect ratio.

Insert Text

Add text to a dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select a specific location on the canvas and a text box will appear.

All text within a text box must be of the same style (size, font, and color).

The text box will auto-delete if there is no text inside it.

Draw

Draw lines onto the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select a line size and then draw on the canvas.

Upload Image

Add any image to the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select an image from your computer, resize and crop the image as desired, and then place the image by selecting a specific location on the canvas.

Hold the Shift key when resizing an image to lock the aspect ratio.

Insert Sticky Note

Add a sticky note to a dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select a specific location on the canvas and a sticky note will appear.

All text within a sticky note must be of the same style (size, font, and color).

Insert Attention Node

Add an attention node to the dashboard tab to draw attention to a widget or area of the tab. Once this element is selected, select a specific location on the canvas and an attention node will appear.

If the attention node is placed within a widget, it will attach itself to the widget. In order to remove the attention node from the widget, drag the node away from the widget.

Comment

Commenting is not yet available on Y42 - coming soon!

Insert Emoji

Add an emoji to the dashboard tab. Once this element is selected, select an emoji, then select a specific location on the canvas and the emoji will appear.

Emojis cannot be resized.

Show/ Hide Grid

Show or hide the canvas grid.

Snap Objects

When Snap Objects is turned on, canvas elements will interact in the following ways:

Edge and Center Snapping:

X-axis: When the edge or center of a canvas element reaches the same x-co-ordinate as the edge or center of another canvas element, a line will be drawn between the two elements, and the user will encounter ‘resistance’ temporarily preventing them from moving beyond the edge or center of the other element.
Y-axis: When the edge or center of a canvas element reaches the same y-co-ordinate as the edge or center of another canvas element, a line will be drawn between the two elements, and the user will encounter ‘resistance’ temporarily preventing them from moving beyond the edge or center of the other element.

Canvas Element Functionality