Introduction to Distill Dashboards

Introduction to Distill Dashboards

Data is only as good as your ability to understand it. Distill allows you to organise raw operational data by syncing forms, data sources, and docs into structured datasets that can be queried, analysed, and visualised through Dashboards directly inside Appenate.

Why Use Dashboards?

While your team is busy collecting data in the field, Dashboards work behind the scenes to provide:

  • Real-Time Visibility: Charts update automatically as new entries are submitted.
  • High-Level Summaries: Use Pie, Line, and Bar charts to spot trends instantly.
  • Granular Details: Combine visual widgets with Tables to see the “why” behind the numbers.

Use Case: Safety Incident Monitoring

Imagine your management team needs a pulse on site safety. Instead of manual reporting, you can build a live command center:

  • The Big Picture: A Pie Chart visualizes Incidents by Severity.
  • Regional Trends: Value & Label widgets track incident counts across North, South, East, and West regions.
  • Deep Dive: A Table widget displays the Latest Incident Reports, showing IDs and descriptions for immediate follow-up.

The Anatomy of Charts & Widgets

The Dashboard Designer gives you “pixel-perfect” control over how your data is displayed. Every component is managed through three core property sets:

Property SetWhat You Can Do
Basic & DatasetConnect to your tables. Apply filters, grouping, and summary logic to isolate specific metrics.
Layout & StylingCustomize color palettes, backgrounds, and chart types (like Doughnut or Rose charts) to match your brand.
InteractivityEnable tooltips, legends, and data labels so users can hover for deeper insights.

Tip: Use our Distill Query (AI) widget to ask natural language questions about your data and display the results instantly.

Publishing & Sharing Your Insights

Once your design is ready, you can move from creation to communication in two steps:

  1. Instant Preview: See exactly how your data tells its story before going live.
  2. Secure Share Keys: Generate unique keys within the dashboard settings. This allows you to control access—whether you need a private link for internal use or a public URL for a “Wallboard” display in the office.

Ready to build?

Check out these resources to get started:

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