We've been using WebFOCUS 7.6 for just over a year. We've 6-8 dashboards in production, with several more on their way. Our customers have starting making comments like "it's cumbersome to move between dashboards", "there's too many key strokes" etc. I'm curious what others out there are doing.

Of the 6-8 dashboards, executives have access to all 8. Directors and managers to different subsets of 3 or 4 depending on their business area. The issue is that an executive logs onto one of the 8 dashboards, views whatever, then wants to go to another dashboard, Using VIEWS on the toolbar displays a list of ONLY the dashboards they have access to and they can then click on one and go directly there without a logon screen (we're working in 7.6.4 in test and attempting to get single sign on working). So it's a minimum of 2 clicks to get to another dashboard - which I personally don't this is bad, but executives really want to conserve those clicks.

What have someone you out there done to LINK mutiple dashboards together? I'm been thinking of setting up a MYVIEW for each of the executives. I just dread the maintenance when new dashboards are released. Each user's view would need to be edited. Has anyone done this, and what's your experience been?

Laure,

Can you not achieve this via Domains rather than many separate instances of a BID?

T

We do have several domains, a few with multiple BIDS. As we understand it, the security is tied to the domain, and while the execs have access to everything, the others done't get all the domains.

Without another BID (or MYVIEW) I don't see how to make all BIDs available to execs and only select to the managers.

Perhaps we're missing something on how the security with domains works?

I need to understand what you consider "a dashboard" (the age old problem!).

The BID is the Business Intelligence Dashboard that is displayed when you login to the webpage rendered from the URL http://[your servername]/ibi_apps/bid_login? The view that is given to the end user allows then access to their permitted domains according to the local set-up.

What some people call a dashboard is a page containing many "reports" whether they be graphs or tabular reports from where an end user can discern a quick overview of business performance.

Do you mean the first or second type - or a different one?

You might be better off getting your local IB Proffessional Services to do a few hours with you to identify the best usage for your site.

T

Laure,

Try building a frame that contains all of the links in the users VIEWS. This way the links are right on the screen and only one click is necessary.

Fernando

Tony,
We are using the delivered BID. But your comment "the view that is given to the end user allows then access to their permitted domains according to the local set-up." makes me wonder if there is something we've not set up. This URL would take them directly to their MYVIEW BID, but if one is not established they see a blank BID. Our users are directed to a URL that is a LAUNCH page.... a list of serveral URLS to individual BIDs. Is there another way? Your comment makes me think there might be.


Fernando,
thanks for the suggestion. I'll have to consider it and the maintenance to maintain it.

Laure,

You said this earlier.

quote:

Using VIEWS on the toolbar displays a list of ONLY the dashboards they have access to and they can then click on one and go directly there without a logon screen

The Views on the tool calls javascript or a jsp. Either way you can call the same javascript/jsp from this new frame.

Fernando

The way I look at it...

We have many groups that relate users to domains.
Each domain can be in many groups.

• Exec Group - all domains - only Executive Users
  
• HR Manager Group - all HR Domains - only HR Manager
  
• Payroll Group - Payroll Domain - payroll staff
  
• Sales Manager Group - Sales Domain - Only Sales Managers
  

So yes, you may create one dashboard for each group, but the "group" dashboard has all of the contents applicable for those users so that don't have to navigate to other dashboards.

If you had one domain that contained generally available reports for all staff(consider them public reports), that domain could be included in each group.

I hope that helps a little.

Not to mention ROLES .....

T

Thanks KP, This is what I was expecting. Just researching alternatives.
Thanks for the reply.