---
title: Building Your First Dashboard
slug: building-your-first-dashboard
docTags: G8dmC6tNw9fak7qGrSH3Z,jO3e4ytWiZf9mM2gvAHhT,b-RUvvYJSAyhoa4qcA_nj
createdAt: 2025-07-10T10:20:48.704Z
---

Use this guide to familiarize yourself with the basics of building a dashboard and build the foundational knowledge you need to fully take advantage of dashboards and reporting in Ashby.

# Permissions & access

Custom Dashboards are available on the Plus, Enterprise, and Legacy Plus plans:

| Foundations | Legacy Plus | Plus | Enterprise |
| ----------- | ----------- | ---- | ---------- |
| ❌           | ✅           | ✅    | ✅          |

# Dashboards overview

Dashboards help to organize, present, and visualize your reports, allowing you to tailor your reports to ensure specific audiences get the most valuable information for them. You can add the same report across multiple dashboards. This ensures metrics are aligned and that team members speak the same recruiting data language.

# Create a dashboard

Before creating new reports or finding reports to add to a dashboard, you need to create a dashboard. To do this:

1. On the top navigation bar, click **Dashboard** and then select `Create Dashboard`
2. Click the pencil icon to the right of **New Report Dashboard** and enter a title

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/7SBlNf7M_B7URHPHa9RB9_enter-a-new-dashboard-name.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="3396" height="652" darkWidth="3396" darkHeight="652" showCaption="false" alt="Editing a dashboard name" indent="1"}

3. Click `Save Dashboard`

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/V3dNvffY8KQYnvd_y7fKj_save-dashboard-button.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="3396" height="700" darkWidth="3396" darkHeight="700" showCaption="false" alt="Saving a newly created dashboard" indent="1"}

4. When saving the dashboard, you have the option to enable **Access Control**. By default, dashboards are viewable by anyone in your organization. A private dashboard is only viewable by you, Organization Admins, and anyone who you specifically grant access to.
5. Click `Save`

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/0CGkJ0qCF-9ybcWNiWBjL_save-dashboard-access-control.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="1092" height="624" darkWidth="1092" darkHeight="624" showCaption="false" alt="The option to confirm the title and also set access controls (set to off in the screenshot)." indent="1"}

# Create and add a new report to your dashboard

Now you can build your first report for your dashboard. You can build a report using a template as a base or create one from scratch in **Build**. For some report ideas, take a look at our guides [Report Catalog: Templates](docId\:AurRQFzh1h8qgf6rh0VQi), [Report Catalog - Essentials](docId\:VOWdo_JJgdtwBzC4LIRMc), and [Report Catalog - Advanced](docId:24rONsZ2Xx5ToZdSakIq9).

## Creating a report from a template

The [Template Library](https://app.ashbyhq.com/reports/templates) is a repository of pre-built reports that you can apply filters and groupings to. Before you can add a template report to your dashboard, you need to generate a report. To build a report from a template:

1. Click on **Reports** in the top navigation bar, then **Report Builder**
2. Click on **Report Templates** or select a template from the collapsible list in the left sidebar

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/b1Wr-gjjnnwkqDEXBiIg6_report-builder-ashby-2026-07-13-at-105334-am.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="3400" height="1432" darkWidth="3400" darkHeight="1432" showCaption="false" alt="The report template options on the Report Builder page." indent="1"}

3. **Optional:** Add filters or groupings to the template report if needed
4. Click `Save Report` and set your report settings on the following pop-up, including any dashboards the report should be added to.
5. Click `Save Report`

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/GnWesB6cDF261Z4W6aOHn_report-builder-saving-a-report-template.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="1244" height="804" darkWidth="1244" darkHeight="804" showCaption="false" alt="Saving a report: adding a title, an optional note, set the report to private or add it to dashboards" indent="1"}

## Building a custom report

:::hint{type="info"}
You can find further details on building custom reports at [Custom Reports](docId\:lY-KegLNCudYF0ed41GAW).
:::

:::hint{type="info"}
Looking for information on our AI Report Builder? Check out [Report Builder & AI-Assisted Report Builder](docId\:kFMXauoRKZx6_EZbu32Po). Running into issues understanding your report results? Our AI Report Interpreter can generate a summary and insights. More on this at [AI Report Interpretation](docId\:r2SHcEUHaeo0ADH_Bm5ar).
:::

## Adding your report to your dashboard

You can also add a saved report to a dashboard when viewing it.

![Adding a report to a dashboard from the saved report page.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/_b8klSrsR-HLPylWT86r6_time-in-process-report-ashby-2026-07-13-at-110149-am.jpg)

After you save a report, the `Dashboard` button appears. To add the report to a dashboard:

1. Click `Dashboards`, then `+ Add to Dashboard`
2. Search for your dashboard and check the checkbox to the left of it
3. Click `Add Report to Dashboards`

The name of the dashboard you added the report to appears when you click the `Dashboards` button, and the number indicator updates accordingly.

# Add a saved report to a dashboard from the dashboard page

You can add saved reports to a dashboard from the dashboard page too. To do this:

1. Navigate to your dashboard at **Dashboards > Saved Dashboards**
2. Click `+ Add Item`, and select `Report`
3. Search for and select the report to add it to the dashboard

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/YTv67j9ojtzFbB7Dfm7U5_search-for-a-report-to-add.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="2260" height="1420" darkWidth="2260" darkHeight="1420" showCaption="false" alt="Searching for a report when adding it to a saved dashboard." indent="1"}

# Add a filter and connect it

[Dashboard Filters](docId:2v47WMLRQuDcNEEY2TAzp) reduce duplicative work, while also providing flexibility for the audience of the dashboard.

1. To add a filter, navigate to your dashboard, make sure you are on the dashboard's `Edit` view, and click `Add Filter`.
2. Find the field you would like to filter by. For filters attached to a user, use the **User** field. You can identify what user role you are filtering for at the report level.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/eWvvGzx1aDxmF4mperrBW_adding-a-filter.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="1444" height="930" darkWidth="1444" darkHeight="930" showCaption="false" alt="Searching for a field to use for your dashboard filter" indent="1"}

3. Connect the filter to each of the reports you want the filter to be applied to. When you click the filter icon on a report, Ashby prompts you to select or search for the field you want to attach the filter to. Pay attention to the subject the filter is anchored on. For example, a recruiter at the job level and the job consideration level could be different.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/HK5FPeK4Nz2qT6hxtBeCm_adding-dashboard-source-filter-to-a-report.jpg" size="100" isUploading="false" width="3394" height="1684" darkWidth="3394" darkHeight="1684" showCaption="false" alt="Connecting a filter to a report on your dashboard" indent="1"}

You can identify what reports have filters attached to them by the color of the dot next to the filter icon:

- **Green:** All dashboard filters apply to the report.
- **Grey:** Some dashboard filters apply to the report.
- **Red:** No dashboard filters apply to the report.

To require a filter on all reports on a dashboard, check the box next to `Require value`. You see the alert below if any reports aren't connected to the required filter.

![If you have a filter set with Require Value, your reports will not load until the value has been added to the filter and that the reports have been connected to the filter too.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/_U7FrFlAhMQxqpq99H_e5_a-required-value-without-a-connected-report.jpg)

:::hint{type="info"}
Dashboard filters apply in the dashboard view and do not change the filters of the underlying report.
:::

## Delete a filter

To delete a dashboard filter, select the Trash icon next to the filter and click `Delete`.

![The trash can to delete a filter](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/KbGAEIOfqaqUbkJgZicz1_deleting-a-dashboard-filter.jpg)

## Rename a filter

You can click on the pencil icon on your dashboard filter to rename it. Amend the filter name on the `Change Filter Name` pop-up, then click `Submit` to confirm.

![The pencil icon used to rename a filter](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/wd0Sxnex6DRmNHLpxRxYu_time-in-process-dashboard.jpg)

:::hint{type="info"}
This option allows you to customize filter names so users can clearly identify what each filter is used for. If you add multiple filters of the same type (for example, a User filter connected to the hiring manager field for a report and a User filter connected to the recruiter field of your report), this also allows you to clearly mark the difference between the two filters.
:::

# Navigate to a report vs drilling down

It is important to distinguish the difference between the way a report appears on a dashboard (especially a filtered dashboard), drill down reports, and the underlying report.

## View underlying report

To view or edit the underlying report, click the `Go to Report` icon, located at the top-right corner of each report.

If you apply filters at the dashboard level, the icon changes to `Go to Filtered Report`, meaning the unsaved dashboard filters apply when you view the report. You can click `Save` when viewing the filtered report to add the filter changes to your existing report. If you make any changes to the underlying report and save it, these changes appear on the dashboard.

If you need to view the underlying report without any dashboard filter context applied, use the action menu on any report tile (the three dots next to the `Go to Filtered Report` button) to go directly to the report via `Go to Report`.

::loom{url="https://www.loom.com/embed/aae1862dfe3547bb8c8e4af2f9681ffa"}

## Drill down reports

Many of the reports you build in Ashby have drill downs available. For more on these, check out [Report Drill Downs](docId:9QRM3K9cTAg4xyZorX4Qv).

# Organize and format

Reports appear on the dashboard as you add them. There are a couple ways you can organize and format your dashboard. If you are not able to make any changes, make sure you are in `Edit` mode.

## Resize reports

By default, Ashby adds reports at half size, but you can customize the size of any report on the dashboard.

To adjust the size of a report, click and drag the bottom right corner of any report. Make sure to save once you are done making your changes.

![Click and drag the bottom-right corner of a report to resize it](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/ASVNksQ-hE4jh8KZxnJHz_resizing-a-report-on-your-dashboard.jpg)

## Move reports

To move reports, click and drag the report to the location you would like it to be. Use the purple box that appears when you drag the report as a marker of where the report will be. Make sure to save once you are done making your changes.

## Change report view

To adjust how a report displays on your dashboard, click the three dots on the report and hover over **Report View** to see the display options.

![Adjusting the report view using the three dots](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/aveijEUcX8EHGvCDGtDtw_report-view.png)

## Add a text field

Along with adding reports and filters, you can add a text field to your dashboard. This can help with adding context, splitting your dashboard into sub-sections, and adding captions.

To add a text field:

1. Click `+ Add Item`
2. Select `Text`
3. Add your text and any formatting using the toolbar
4. Click and drag the textbox to move it on your dashboard and use the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the textbox to resize as needed

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/f6TlCoR23_ncUSGXnimEY_time-in-process-dashboard-ashby-2026-07-13-at-14320-pm.jpg" size="60" isUploading="false" width="1768" height="1572" darkWidth="1768" darkHeight="1572" showCaption="false" alt="An example of a text box above a report on a dashboard"}

:::hint{type="warning"}
You can't use text fields to add styling to dashboards. While the toolbar has code line and code block options, these just apply certain formatting to the added text.
:::

## Actions under 'More'

You can find the options below by clicking `More` on any dashboard.

- **Allow empty spaces:** Keep empty vertical space between tiles.
- **Export:** Download a dashboard as a PDF.
- **Access:** Manage who can view a dashboard.
- **Share:** Create a sharable link to the dashboard.
- **Copy:** Create a copy of a dashboard.
- **Archive:** Move the dashboard to the **Archived** folder.

![The More section with each of the options highlighted.](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/l29KwCpYX7VDlxWCKn9qh_time-in-process-dashboard-ashby-2026-07-13-at-114821-am.jpg)

# FAQs

### How often are reports and dashboards refreshed?

Report results refresh live when you open a report or dashboard. Ashby then caches the results for one hour. If report parameters or dashboard filters change within that hour, the report or dashboard refreshes.

You can refresh reports manually at any time on the dashboard or when reviewing a report on its own.

To refresh a report on a dashboard, click the three dots in the top-right corner of the report tile, then click `Refresh Report`.

Refreshing the page does not refresh a report.

### Can I add the same dashboard filter type to my dashboard twice?

You can! For example, if you want to filter results by hiring manager and by recruiter, you can add two **User** filters to your dashboard, then connect each filter to the appropriate field on each report accordingly. We recommend renaming any duplicate filters to avoid confusion. For more on renaming dashboard filters, see [Building Your First Dashboard](docId\:Q7A7CpFpyulmT6bd1qVYm).

Adding a value to both filters means only results that match both filters' requirements on connected reports show. For example, if you set your Hiring Manager **User** filter to only show results where the hiring manager on the job consideration is listed as Gemma, and set your Recruiter **User** filter to only show results on connected reports where Tim is listed as the recruiter, only the job considerations where both Gemma is listed as the hiring manager and Tim is listed as the recruiter display on reports connected to both filters.

### Can I export my dashboard?

You can, yes. Click `More`, then `Export`. Ashby exports your dashboard as a PDF.

### Can I view a full-screen version of my report from the dashboard view?

Yes. To expand your report while viewing it on a dashboard, click on the square icon to the right of the report title. You can click the `x` on the expanded report to return to the dashboard.

![The View Fullscreen option on a report](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/0p8tQ--ZZOxRtkVp6Qr-e/pHcc8CPLb9-O_kBfenb5p_view-fullscreen-option-on-a-report.png)