In Oracle Primavera Cloud, dashboards give you a visual representation of your project, portfolio, program, or workspace data. Dashboards give organizational data a face, which can be crucial when monitoring and sharing project data. OPC allows you to create multiple dashboards at different object levels. This allows users to create as many dashboards as needed for each project, portfolio, program, and workspace in the cloud database. Each dashboard can be catered to different audiences that need access to project data. For example, application administrators, project stakeholders, or organizational executives.

In this article, you will learn how to create, view, and use dashboards in Oracle Primavera Cloud.

It is important to note that you will need to have required permissions to create and view dashboard data. You can do this at each object level. For example, to create dashboards, you will need to be assigned a workspace permission set that lets you create and edit workspace dashboards. For help with adjusting user permissions, refer to this article.

Any security permissions applied to users will apply to dashboards as well. For example, if you are a user that does not have access to view cost data for projects, you would not be able to view cost data on the project’s dashboard.

Using Dashboards

To view, access, and create dashboards, you will first open the object that you would like to create a dashboard for. You can create dashboards at the project, program, portfolio, or workspace level. You can make project, program, and portfolio dashboards by opening an individual project, program, or portfolio. At the workspace level, you can create dashboards for the workspace. You can also create dashboards for any project, program, or portfolio within that workspace.

First, open the desired object by selecting the Object Selector and choosing either a project, program, portfolio, or workspace.

Within whichever object type you opened, select the Dashboards app from the toolbar.

This will open the Dashboard List. The Dashboard List will display any dashboards already created for the open object. All objects will have a default dashboard already created called the Overview Dashboard. You cannot edit or delete the Overview Dashboard, but you can remove it from the Dashboard List. Additional dashboards will display as tabs at the top of the screen. This allows users to switch between dashboard views for the open object.

Using this Overview Dashboard, we can see the typical dashboard display. Oracle Primavera Cloud dashboards are created through the organization of different tiles. These tiles are used to display information about the open object. For the workspace, the dashboard provides information about other data types within the workspace. For example, how many projects, portfolios, and workspaces there are.

Tiles can be expanded, if needed, by selecting the Maximize button.

This will expand the tile to fill the screen, possibly displaying more information than available from the minimized tile. To exit out of the maximized tile and return to the dashboard, select the Maximize button again.

Certain dashboard tiles also provide a link to quickly jump to related pages. For example, the Projects tile features a More button at the bottom of the tile.

Selecting More will open the Projects list for the Workspace. This will display all of the projects that were counted in the Project Count tile.

Dashboard tiles will update in real time. As any data is adjusted, the related tiles will adjust as well. If you add additional projects to this workspace, the Projects tile will adjust its account accordingly

Creating Dashboards

To create a new dashboard, hover your mouse over the Dashboards app and select Manage Dashboards.

Here, you can create a new dashboard for the open objects. If you currently have a workspace open, you can also create new project, portfolio, or program workspaces. You can then apply these to projects, portfolios, and programs within the open workspace. Select the tab for the type of dashboard you want to create and select Add.

You will automatically be taken to the Edit page, where you can customize your dashboard using the toolbar on the left side of the screen.

First, set a Name and Title for the dashboard. The Name needs to be unique from other dashboards in the cloud, while the Title does not. The title will appear in the Dashboard List – this is what the dashboard will be referred to as. You can also add a Description, but this is optional.

You can also choose if you want the dashboard to Display In Viewer. With this option checked, the dashboard will automatically display in the Dashboard List for the project.

Under Available Tiles, you will find all tiles available for the dashboard listed. Tile types available will depend on the type of dashboard you are creating. For example, project dashboards allow you to use different tiles than portfolio dashboards do. There is also a Search and a Filter field here, allowing you to search for and filter different tile types.

To create the dashboard data, drag and drop tiles from the settings panel to the main dashboard space.

With a tile added to the dashboard, the settings panel will adjust to display settings for the added tile. Depending on the tile type, there are different settings that you can adjust. However, all tile types allow you to give the tile a new title, choose whether the title is displayed on the tile, and adjust the tile’s width and height.

You can adjust tile sizes manually by clicking and dragging the lower right hand corner of the tile. As you add more tiles, different tiles can be displayed on the dashboard with different sizes.

To add additional tiles to the dashboard, select anywhere within the main dashboard area. This will take you back to the Dashboard settings panel, where you can add more tiles in the same way.

After making the desired changes to the dashboard, select Save.

The created dashboard will then be available from the Manage Dashboards page.

If you choose to have the created dashboard Display in Viewer, the dashboard will also be visible from the Dashboards List.

Tile Types Available for Dashboards

Again, the tile types that are available to add to a dashboard will be determined by the type of dashboard that you are creating. Here are each of the tile types available to use with Oracle Primavera Cloud dashboards:

Overview

Overview tiles give general information about the object the dashboard is created for. Workspace dashboards will display the workspace’s name, ID and description. Project dashboards will display the project’s name, ID, description, status, location, and manager. You can use Overview tiles for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards. 

Gantt

Gantt tiles give you a visual representation of the dates and durations for each project within a workspace or portfolio. Through this Gantt chart tile, users can view each project’s start, finish, and duration on a timeline. Gantt tiles are available for workspaces and portfolios. You can only use the to display overall project dates. If you need to view dates and durations for individual activities within a project, you will want to use the Schedule Activities page.

When editing Gantt tiles, you can choose which dates display for the start and finish of each project using the Gantt Bar field.

You can also filter out specific project types using the Status field. By default, this tile will display dates for all projects. However, you can remove Planned, Active, Inactive or Complete projects from the tile as needed.

Map Viewer

The Map Viewer tile gives a map view of any locations specified for the object type. For workspaces and portfolios, the map will display all of the locations of all projects within them. For projects, the map will display the project’s location. Map Viewer tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards.

When editing Map Viewer tiles, you can choose to add additional data to display on the map pin. By default, the pin will only display the Project Name. However,  you can also add variables such as Project ID, Project Start, and Project Finish.

Photo

The Photo tile allows you to add any image from your computer to the dashboard. You can use it to display images such as the project’s worksite, or the workspace’s organizational headquarters. Photo tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards.

When editing Photo tiles, you’ll be prompted to choose an image to display in the tile. Select the Edit Thumbnail button to choose a photo.

You can either upload an image from your desktop or choose a photo that has already been uploaded to the cloud database.

Under Image Sizing, you can choose how the image fits within the tile. Fit will adjust the images size to match the size the tile is set to. Fill will use the images original sizing, and fill the entire tile. Center will use the image’s original sizing and center it within the tile.

Text

The Text tile allows you to display any custom text. This tile can be used to provide additional text information. For example, work specifications for the program or the original contract for the project. Text tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards.

When editing Text tiles, you can enter in text using the Enter Text button.

Here, you can enter in the desired text, add links, and adjust the font type, style, and size.

List

The List tiles provide lists of data within the object type. For most objects, several list tiles are available. For workspace dashboards, there are List tiles for the top ten lists of projects, programs, and child workspaces in the workspace. For project dashboards, there are List tiles for the top ten lists of activities, risks, scope assignments, work packages, activities starting this week, and activities finishing this week. List tiles don’t allow you to choose which items display in the list, but you can choose how to organize the data from the list. List tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards.

When editing List tiles, you can choose how the list is organized. You cannot choose which projects display in the Top 10 Projects list. However, you can choose a variable to sort this data in the Sort By field. For example, if you choose Project Start, the top 10 projects list would display the 10 projects starting earliest in the workspace.

Count

The Count tiles display a total number of specific data types within a workspace, project, program or portfolio. For example, they display the total number of projects within the open workspace. There are Count tiles for reports, projects, programs, resources, roles, portfolios, and strategies. Count tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio, and program dashboards

External Content

The External Content tile lets you display another website’s content in your dashboard. This tile will also automatically link you to the website. This allows you to quickly navigate to that URL within a new window from the dashboard view. External content tiles are available for workspace, project, portfolio and program dashboards.

When editing External Content tiles, you can enter in the desired URL in the URL field. A preview of the linked website will display in the Preview window.

Cost Summary

The Cost Summary tile will display information about the Costs & Funds for projects and programs. The tile will show any entered Approved Manual Current Budget, Approved Original Manual Budget, Approved Manual Budget Changes, Approved Manual Budget Transfers, Pending Original Manual Budget, Pending Manual Budget Changes, and Pending Manual Budget Transfers. Cost Summary tiles are available for project and program dashboards.

Measure

The Measure tile will display pre-configured measures for a project or portfolio. For example, in project dashboards, you can use this tile to display a number or percentage of critical activities within the project. Measure tiles are available for project and portfolio dashboards.

Chart

The Chart tile will display any created charts. These are visual representations of data that you can create in the Charts page of the Dashboards app. In order to add a chart to the dashboard, the you will first need to create the chart. There are a variety of different chart types that you can create to display different types of data for the open object. For workspace dashboards, for example, you could create a pie chart to view how many projects each project manager has been assigned to. For a project dashboard, you could create a line chart to compare the durations of different activities within the schedule. For more information about creating charts within Oracle Primavera Cloud, refer to this article.

When editing Chart tiles, you’ll be prompted to choose a created chart to apply to the tile from the Chart field. All of your configured and saved charts will be listed for use here. If you haven’t created a chart yet, you can quickly jump to the Chart creation page by selecting Create Chart. You can also choose to Enable Drill Down, which allows areas of charts to be “drilled down” to a configured sub-chart to display multiple layers of data.

Organizing Dashboards

With your dashboards created, you can then adjust which dashboards appear in the Dashboard List and the order they’re presented. This can be done back on the Manage Dashboards page.

To adjust the order of the dashboards that appear, use the Context menu gear next to any of the selected dashboards to move it up or down in the hierarchy.

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You can also use this page to turn dashboards on or off by selecting or deselecting the Display checkbox. With your own custom dashboards created, you can choose to deselect Display for the Overview dashboard. After pressing Save, any changes made will automatically apply to the Dashboards List.

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Lauren Hecker is an Oracle Primavera Cloud Instructor and teaches onsite and virtual Oracle Primavera Cloudcourses. To see her next open enrollment course, please visit our calendar. To schedule an onsite or custom course, please contact us!