Blocks

Blocks are reusable visualization components that display data from Datasets. Blocks can be charts, metrics, or text elements that are arranged on dashboards to create reports and analytics views.

Overview

The Blocks module provides:

• Multiple Chart Types - Bar, line, pie, area, funnel, and mini charts
• Text Fields - Static or dynamic text content
• Dataset Integration - Connect to any dataset for data
• Customization - Colors, formatting, and display options
• Filtering - Block-level filters that refine displayed data
• Drillthrough - Click actions to view underlying data details
• Reusability - Use the same block across multiple dashboards

Note

Blocks consume data from Datasets and are displayed on Dashboards. See Datasets for data source configuration and Analytics for dashboard creation.

Accessing Blocks

Navigate to Settings > Data Management > Blocks to view and manage blocks.

Blocks List

The main view displays all blocks in your company.

Table Columns

Column	Description
Name	Block name (click to edit)
Description	Block description
Block Type	The visualization type (Bar Chart, Line Chart, etc.)
Dataset	The dataset that provides data for this block

Filtering Blocks

Use the Filter button to narrow the list by block type.

Block Types

Type	Value	Description
Bar Chart	chart-bar	Vertical bars for comparing values across categories
Line Chart	chart-line	Connected points showing trends over time
Pie Chart	chart-pie	Circular segments showing proportions of a whole
Area Chart	chart-area	Filled line chart for cumulative or stacked data
Funnel Chart	chart-funnel	Progressive stages with conversion rates
Mini Bar Charts	mini-chart-bar	Compact multi-metric comparison cards
Text Field	text-field	Static or dynamic text content

Creating a Block

1. Click the Add button in the header
2. Select a block type from the dropdown
3. Enter a name and description
4. Select a dataset and configure data mapping
5. Customize appearance and filters
6. Click Save

Block Configuration Tabs

Block editing is organized into five tabs: General, Data, Customize, Filters, and Drillthrough.

Note

Text field blocks do not display tabs. When you select “Text Field” as the block type, the editor shows a simplified view with only the general settings and text content editor.

General Tab

Basic block information applicable to all block types.

Field	Required	Description
Block Type	Yes	Chart type or text field
Block Name	Yes	Display name for the block
Description	No	Optional description of the block’s purpose

Data Tab

Configure the data source and axis mapping. Options vary by chart type.

Dataset Selection

Field	Description
Dataset	Select the dataset that provides data for this block
Edit	Open the dataset editor to modify the query

Tip

Click Edit next to the dataset selector to modify the dataset query inline. Use Save As to create a modified copy without affecting other blocks.

Bar Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
X-Axis	Yes	Category field for bar groupings
Metrics	Yes	Numeric fields to display as bars
Aggregation	No	SUM, COUNT, AVG, MIN, MAX
Stacked	No	Stack multiple metrics in each bar
Show Legend	No	Display legend for metrics

Line Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
X-Axis	Yes	Time or category field
Metrics	Yes	Numeric fields to plot as lines
Has Dots	No	Show data points on lines
Number of Points	No	Limit displayed data points

Pie Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
Category	Yes	Field for pie segments
Value	Yes	Numeric field for segment size

Area Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
X-Axis	Yes	Time or category field
Metrics	Yes	Numeric fields for area fill
Stacked	No	Stack areas on top of each other

Funnel Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
Stages	Yes	Field defining funnel stages
Value	Yes	Numeric field for stage values

Mini Chart Configuration

Field	Required	Description
X-Axis	Yes	Category or time field
Metrics	Yes	Multiple metrics shown as mini bars
KPI Period	No	Time period for KPI display

Customize Tab

Configure the visual appearance and color scheme for your chart.

Chart Color Palette

Select a predefined color palette to apply to the entire chart. The palette determines the colors used for bars, lines, pie segments, and other chart elements.

Option	Description
Palette Selector	Choose from available color schemes
Preview	See how colors will appear on your chart

Custom Colors

For fine-grained control over chart colors, click Customize Colors to assign specific colors to individual data points.

Feature	Description
Data Point List	Shows each unique value from your x-axis or pivot field
Color Picker	Assign a custom color to each data point
Reset to Default	Revert to the selected palette colors

Tip

Custom colors are useful when you want specific data values to always appear in the same color across multiple blocks, such as using green for “Completed” status and red for “Overdue”.

Filters Tab

The Filters tab contains two sections for controlling how data is filtered in your block.

Cross Filters

Cross filters determine which dashboard-level filters affect this block. When a user applies a filter on the dashboard, only blocks with that filter type enabled will respond.

Click Add Filter to select from available cross filter types:

Category	Filter Types
Task & Workflow	Assignee, Labels, Priority, Status, Task Type, Team, Workflow
Organization	Departments, Organization, Service Areas
Sales & CRM	Brand, Lead Owner, Lead Rating, Lead Source, Lead Status, Opportunity Lead Source, Order Status, Product, Sales Rep
Dispatch	Dispatch Billing Profile, Dispatch Team, Dispatch Units
Operations	Tank Status
Date Fields	Due Date, plus auto-detected date columns from your dataset

Note

Only enabled cross filters will affect the block when applied at the dashboard level. Filters that are not enabled are ignored, allowing you to create blocks that remain static regardless of dashboard filter selections.

Block Filters

Block filters are static filters that always apply to this block’s data, regardless of dashboard filter settings. Use block filters to create focused views that show a specific subset of data.

Block filters differ from dashboard filters:

• Dashboard filters - Applied by users when viewing the dashboard; can be changed
• Block filters - Always applied; defined during block configuration and cannot be changed by viewers

Adding Block Filters:

1. Click Add Filter in the Block Filters section
2. Select a column from the dataset
3. Choose an operator:
   • is / is not - Exact match
   • contains / does not contain - Partial text match
   • is greater than / is less than - Numeric comparison
4. Enter the filter value(s)
5. Add multiple filters as needed (filters are combined with AND logic)

Drillthrough Tab

Configure click actions that allow users to explore underlying data when they click on chart elements.

Drillthrough Target Configuration

The top section configures where drillthrough actions navigate to:

Field	Required	Description
Field for Drillthrough	Yes	Select which x-axis or category field triggers the drillthrough action
Target Drillthrough Table	Yes	The entity type to navigate to (task, tank, customer, order, etc.)

Note

When Target Drillthrough Table is set to “task” or “tank”, the system uses built-in detail views. For other entity types, you can configure a custom sheet layout below.

Custom Sheet Layout

For entity types other than “task” or “tank”, configure a custom drillthrough sheet:

Field	Description
Title	Header text displayed at the top of the drillthrough sheet
Max Rows	Maximum number of rows to display in the drillthrough results

Triggers

Define which chart elements trigger drillthrough and how they link to entity records:

Field	Description
Field Path	Data field that triggers the drillthrough action when clicked
Trigger ID Field	Field in the dataset containing the entity ID to navigate to
Display Type	How to format the field value (text, badge, currency, date, avatar, progress bar)
Detail Sheet	Target entity detail panel to open

Sheet Layout

Configure the appearance of the drillthrough sheet:

Option	Description
Lines	Define rows with left and right field placements
Density	Choose compact, normal, or comfortable spacing
Show Avatar	Display user avatars where applicable

Text Field Blocks

Text field blocks display static or formatted text content.

Field	Description
Block Name	Name for the block
Description	Optional description
Text Content	Rich text editor for content

Text fields are useful for:

• Dashboard headers and descriptions
• Instructions or notes
• Dividers between chart sections

Editing a Block

Click a block name to open the edit panel.

Live Preview

As you configure the block, a live preview shows how it will appear:

• Updates automatically as you change settings
• Shows actual data from the selected dataset
• Reflects filter and customization changes

Validation

The system validates your configuration:

• Required fields must be completed
• Selected columns must exist in the dataset
• Invalid configurations show amber highlights

Deleting a Block

1. Open the block for editing
2. Navigate to the General tab
3. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
4. Confirm the deletion

Caution

Deleting a block removes it from all dashboards that display it. Review dashboard dependencies before deleting.

Block Relationships

Block
    ├── Uses → Dataset (required)
    │       └── SQL Query → Database
    ├── Displayed on → Dashboard(s)
    ├── Cross Filters → Global Lookups
    ├── Block Filters → Static Filters
    └── Drillthrough → Entity Details

Best Practices

Block Design

• Single purpose - Each block should answer one question
• Clear titles - Use descriptive names that explain what the block shows
• Appropriate chart type - Match visualization to data type:
  • Bar charts for comparisons
  • Line charts for trends
  • Pie charts for proportions (use sparingly)
  • Funnels for conversion stages

Data Configuration

• Limit metrics - 3-4 metrics per chart for readability
• Order meaningfully - Sort by value or logical sequence
• Use aggregation - Summarize data at the appropriate level
• Filter appropriately - Apply block filters for focused views

Cross Filter Selection

• Select relevant filters - Only enable filters that make sense for the data
• Consider user needs - Think about how users will filter the dashboard
• Date fields - Enable date filtering for time-series data
• Organization - Enable for multi-tenant/multi-branch scenarios

Drillthrough Design

• Limit columns - Show only essential fields
• Order by importance - Put key information first
• Link to entities - Enable navigation to full detail views
• Set reasonable limits - Use Max Rows to prevent overwhelming users

Troubleshooting

Block Display Issues

Issue	Solution
Block shows “No data”	Verify dataset returns results
Chart is empty	Check that X-axis and metrics are configured
Wrong data displayed	Review dataset query and column mappings
Colors incorrect	Check Customize tab settings

Configuration Errors

Error	Solution
”Block type is required”	Select a block type on the General tab
Amber highlighted fields	Column no longer exists in dataset; update mapping
”Dataset required”	Select a dataset on the Data tab
Preview not loading	Check for dataset query errors

Filter Issues

Issue	Solution
Dashboard filter not affecting block	Enable the filter type in Cross Filters
Block always shows filtered data	Check for block-level filters
Filter has no effect	Verify the filter column exists in the dataset

Drillthrough Issues

Issue	Solution
Click does nothing	Configure triggers on the Drillthrough tab
Wrong entity opens	Check Trigger ID Field mapping
Empty drillthrough sheet	Verify Sheet Layout configuration
Too many rows	Set Max Rows limit