Creating Personalized Dashboards in NetSuite

Dashboards provide NetSuite users with easy and efficient real-time data in a centralized location. Custom dashboards can be developed for specific roles within the company and published to employees who have access to that specific role, therefore standardizing reporting throughout the organization.

Once the custom dashboards have been published to the roles and the associated employee, the employee then has the ability to rearrange the layout of the dashboard and add/remove information displayed on the dashboard. Please note, permissions to edit or adjust the published dashboard can be limited to managers if desired.

What’s in a Dashboard?

When users log in and select the role they would like to work in, they are directed to the home dashboard page (image below). Dashboards are located on each of the header tabs within NetSuite.

The dashboard page is comprised of what are known as “portlets”. You can see in the image above that we are showing five portlets (Reminders, Top 5 Items By Qty Sold, Quick Search, New Releases, and Key Performance Indicators). These portlets can be configured to provide various information, which can be displayed in a variety of ways. Next, let’s take a look at how to customize a dashboard.

Creating a Personalized Dashboard

From the home page (image above), navigate to the upper right-hand corner of the page to begin the customization process.

Select a Layout

Navigate to the upper right-hand side of the homepage and click “Layout”. The user will see a drop down list appear with the various layouts that can be applied to the dashboard (image below), which determines how the various portlets can be displayed on the user’s dashboard.

Choose Your Content

To add/remove various portlets to the dashboard, navigate to the upper right-hand side of the homepage and click “Personalize”.  A drop down area will appear (image below).

The left-hand side of the drop down area shows the various types of portlets that can be added to the dashboard:

1. Standard Content - Allows users to add the following (partial listing):
   • Calendars - Calendar that shows CRM based activities
   • Custom Search – Displays custom saved searches on dashboard
   • Key Performance Indicators – Provides data comparison for specific increments of time
   • KPI Meter – Graphical tool for specific KPI
   • KPI Scorecard – Comparison of multiple KPI’s
   • Reminders
2. Report Snapshots – Displays a graphical chart of specific associated reports
3. Trend Graphs – Displays a chart of selected KPI data over time
4. Currently Used – Portlets in place on the current dashboard

To add the desired portlets, hover over the portlet you would like to add in the drop down area.  When hovering over the portlet, a green plus icon will appear.

The portlets can be added to the dashboard using drag and drop functionality.  After the portlets have been added to the dashboard they can be rearranged on the dashboard using this same drag and drop functionality.  To move the existing portlets, click and hold the blue header bar on the portlet (image in red box below).  Remember, the layout selected previously will impact the arrangement of the portlets.  To minimize a portlet, simply click the header title bar of the portlet.

Please note:  Numerous portlets exist on the dashboard upon first use of NetSuite, including the Settings portlet.  It is recommended that the settings portlet remains on the dashboard so that you can perform essential processes such as password resets.

Now that we know how to add the portlets, we will next discuss the configuration of the portlets.

1. Standard Content Portlet Configuration

The standard content section contains a number of dashboard portlets. After each is added to the portlet, you will have to perform the portlet setup.  Configuration will vary based on the portlet selected.

To setup a portlet, hover over it until you see these two icons .  The first icon is the portlet refresh button and can be used to refresh the specific portlet, this is quicker than reloading all portlets on the dashboard. The second icon is used to both setup and remove the portlets when hovered over.

Click Set Up and review the various portlet set up options.  To reiterate, each portlet (Example: Calendar vs KPI) will have different configuration options.

Please note that each portlet can be added multiple times if it is available in the personalize dashboard drop down area (example: Users can add five calendars, below image).

2. Report Snapshot Portlet Configuration

Report snapshots graphically display a report that is linked to the portlet.  When the snap shot is hovered over it will display the underlying data.

Example Report Snapshot Image

Hover over the upper right-hand side of the portlet to expose the drop downs, then click Set Up. Once set up is selected a number of fields will appear and require configuration.

• • Snapshot Field: Field where you can select the report that the snapshot is based upon.

• • Default Chart Type: Determine the type of chart displayed (line, bar, column, or pie).  Please note this is only the default and it can be adjusted later on the face of the portlet without navigating to the setup area (see image and note below the printing section).

• • Date Range: Set the date range for the report to run.  This can also be updated for ALL the portlets via the “viewing: portlet date settings” discussed later in this document.  Please note the date range set in the setup area is only a default.  The date can be adjusted later on the face of the portlet without navigating to the setup area (see the image and note below the printing section).

• • Display Type: List vs graphical presentation.

• • Display Order: Values include: Top (greatest value at top or left) or Bottom (Lowest value at the top or left).

• • How Many: The number of values from the report to show (5, 10, 15, etc.).

• • Chart Theme: Global theme, basic, colorful, match color theme – bold, match color theme – light.  The theme can be selected in set preference under the home icon.

• • Custom Series Color: Further color refinement options, select color from a pallet.

• • Background Type: Global background, lines, bands, or grid.  This impacts the background of the report for review and ease of analysis.

The drop down menu that displays when you hover over the portlet also includes other options like View Report which shows the underlying linked report.

The Printing & Downloading Snapshots provide the ability to print the report or download it in various formats (PNG, JPG, SVG, or PDF).

Please note: The user can also change the date range of the snapshot and the chart type on the face of the portlet and without having to go back into Set Up to change this information.  This is shown in the image below, “This fiscal Quarter”.

3. Trend Graphs Configuration

Trend Graphs are used to display a chart of selected KPI data over time. When you hover over the graph it will display the underlying data points (date and value).  Trend graphs can be set up as its own portlet and accessed via the KPI portlet (image below - available from the standard content section) by clicking the graph icon.  This section will discuss set up of the portlet for trend graphs.

Example Trend Graph Image

Hover over the upper right-hand side of the portlet to expose the drop downs, then click Set Up.

• Default Chart Type: This is where you can define how the chart is displayed. The options are area, line, bar, or column.  Please note this is only the default, and can be adjusted later on the face of the portlet without navigating to the set up area (see image and note below the printing section)

• KPI: Field where the user can select the KPI that the trend graph is based upon

• Trend Type: Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly

• Show Moving Average: If checked, trend graphs display a dotted line representing the rolling average of KPI data values. This option is enabled by default.

• Period to Calculate Moving Average: Enter the number that represents the window of data you want to average based on the time increment selected. For example, if you select Monthly, and enter 3 as your window, each data point on your Y-axis represents a 3 month average.

• Show Last Data Point: If checked, trend graphs display the most recent KPI data point. The last point may not provide complete data, therefore you may want to exclude this point from the graph to avoid a misleading display. This option is enabled by default.

• Include Zero on Y-axis: If checked, the first y-axis value for all popup trend graphs is set to zero, rather than the initial KPI data point. This option is disabled by default, to avoid showing misleadingly dramatic increases in initial trend graph data.

• Chart Theme: Global theme, basic, colorful, match color theme – bold, match color theme – light. This theme is selected in set preference under the home icon.

• Custom Series Color: Further color refinement option, select color from a pallet.

• Background Type: Global background, lines, bands, or grid. This impacts the background of the report for review and ease of analysis.

Back to the drop-down menu that displays when you hover over the portlet – there are additional options such as Printing & Downloading Snapshots. Here you can print the chart, export or download it in various formats.

Please Note: The user can also change the date range of the trend graph and the chart type on the face of the portlet.  This is helpful as it eliminates the need to go back into the set up area to toggle this information.

4. Currently Used

Under the Currently Used section of the personalized dashboard, you can see the portlets currently set on the dashboard.

Determine the Date Range

This setting is on the upper right-hand side of the dashboard and is used to adjust the date setting applied to all the portlets on your dashboard.

Create Dashboards for each Center Tab

Center tabs are the selections at the top header ribbon. Examples – Activities, Payments, Transactions, Etc.  You can create a dashboard for each tab within a center.  For example, you can add one set of portlets under the activities tab and have another set of portlets under the payments tab.  This will be performed using the same personalize dashboard link discussed above.

Center tabs can be added to specific dashboards and roles.  This is performed by an administrator by navigating to Customization>>Centers and Tabs.

What’s Next?

Once you have identified the information that you would like displayed on your customized dashboards, the next step is to publish them. During the publishing process, you can control who has access to the dashboards and whether or not they can make changes to it.

Need additional support with customizing your NetSuite solution to reach its full potential? Our team of experienced consultants will work with you to ensure your processes are as efficient as possible and that you have access to the data you need to make informed decisions.

Contact our team today for a consultation.