Dundas Dashboard: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can use Dundas Dashboard?

A: Business analysts, developers, executives, line managers, DB managers, KPI designers, end users - anyone can use it! Dundas Dashboard is designed to help you create a dashboard project for better understanding of your data and helping you make more informed decisions.

Q: I'm a developer, what can I do with this platform?

A: Developers can extend features through code, write custom viewers, create interactions - there's a lot that developers can do to add even more functionality for end users.

Q: Do I need my own security on top of this or does Dundas Dashboard provide security?

A: We use Windows integrated LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) security so your security needs are met. We've set it up for straight-forward administration, so groups of users (e.g., the front-level sales staff) don't get to see metrics created for senior management. It's all based on "who gets to see what?" and it's all configurable. If you want, you can have a dashboard that hides data for everyone but the CEO!

Q: How are end users licensed - do I need a license for everyone who is viewing dashboards?

A: Dundas offers several flexible licensing options, including "viewer access licensing," which is designed just for end users who view the dashboards. These are floating/concurrent licenses, so you don't have to name all the users. All you have to do is determine how many users you need to access the system at any one time.

Q: If we initially deploy on a small scale, and decide to make it company-wide, how easy is that to do?

A: We make it as simple as it should be. As your demand grows, you simply purchase more licenses. All you have to do is visit our webpage or contact us

Q: If a new version comes out, how easy is it to get it deployed within our organization?

A: The client-server architecture of Dundas Dashboard ensures that issues pertaining to upgrades and maintenance are limited to the server side - with no work on the client side. Our rigorous testing will ensure that updating to new versions is smooth and will persist settings and files created in older versions of the product.

Q: Does Dundas Dashboard support data caching?

A: Yes, if you have an enormous query, you don't want to run it every time you use the dashboard! Dundas Dashboard supports data caching. You can use a scheduler to run that query every, say, Friday night at 2 a.m. (or whenever) - and cache that data, so dashboards can display the data quickly.

Q: Does Dundas Dashboard support real-time data?

A: Yes, you can choose your interval. So if you want it to update every few seconds, every minute, every hour, whatever, it's all possible.

Q: Can I customize the appearance of my dashboard?

A: Absolutely. You have a wealth of customization options with Dundas Dashboard, including changing fonts, colors, images, styles and much more.

Q: How difficult is it to modify existing dashboards?

A: Once IT has installed and configured the framework, you're free to build, edit and use your dashboards.

Q: What types of data visualizations are available?

A: A wide variety - your dashboard project can include many different types of charts, gauges, state indicators, legends, grids, custom components, as well as general-purpose controls.

Q: Can I bring in my own controls?

A: You can get this done in conjunction with our professional services group. If you've created another Silverlight control that you want to use in a dashboard, we can work with your team to get it integrated. Dundas Dashboard has a plug-in system that allows developers to wrap their own controls and bring them into our framework. So if you have your own, say grid control - or you prefer one from a Dundas competitor - you can still use it in Dundas Dashboard.

Q: Do I have to view dashboards within Dundas Dashboard?

A: No, you can quickly embed the Dundas Dashboard viewer control into other applications. We designed the dashboard's viewer to be portable, so if you're working with an existing reporting framework - or if you want to bring it into SharePoint or a web site - you can simply embed the viewer controls wherever you like.

Q: How does the product handle drill down?

A: Dundas Dashboard's design supports drill down in a number of ways. Its data model allows users to create and link dimensions hierarchically resulting in immediate fixed-path drill-down capability. For less tightly-coupled data relationships, it allows linking between visualization elements and entire dashboards to facilitate delivery of in-depth data.