Using First Due Dashboards

Purpose Statement

First Due Dashboards provide pre-configured, role-specific dashboards that automatically appear in your account to help department personnel quickly access relevant information and reports. These dashboards serve as ready-to-use information hubs, customizable templates, or reference points for understanding how dashboards can enhance your department's operations and decision-making processes.

Background Information

First Due Dashboards are automatically provisioned dashboards built around specific user profiles such as Company Officer, Fire Inspector, and Finance Manager. They utilize widgets from First Due Reports with sharing settings aligned to appropriate user roles. These dashboards are easily identifiable by the [First Due Dashboard] tag at the beginning of their names in your Dashboard List. The initial release includes 14 dashboards covering most First Due product modules, with plans for future expansion to include additional product areas and user-level dynamic dashboards.

Required Permissions

• View Access: Users need permissions aligned with their assigned roles (Company Officer, Fire Inspector, Finance Manager, etc.)
• Administrative Access: FD Admin role provides visibility to all First Due Dashboards regardless of intended user profile
• Editing Access: Users can clone dashboards to create editable copies with full control over customization

Video

Video tutorial coming soon

Step-by-Step Guide

Accessing Your Dashboards

1. Navigate to the Dashboard section in First Due
2. Look for dashboards with the [First Due Dashboard] tag prefix in your Dashboard List
3. Click on any dashboard relevant to your role to view its contents
4. Review the pre-configured widgets and reports specific to your user profile

Customizing Dashboard Sharing

1. Open the dashboard you want to modify
2. Click the Edit button to access dashboard settings
3. Locate the "Override default roles..." toggle option
4. Toggle this option to replace default sharing with custom settings
5. Select your desired combination of Users, Ranks, or Roles for sharing
6. Save your changes to apply the new sharing configuration

Cloning Dashboards for Customization

1. Navigate to the dashboard you want to customize
2. Click the Clone option (similar to First Due Reports cloning)
3. Provide a name for your cloned dashboard
4. Access your new editable copy from the Dashboard List
5. Modify the layout, remove unwanted widgets, or add custom widgets
6. Save your customized dashboard for department use

Understanding Dashboard Widgets

1. Click on any widget within a First Due Dashboard
2. Access the underlying First Due Report to view data construction
3. Review Data Configuration and Criteria to understand calculations
4. Create clones of reports for further customization if needed
5. Replace widgets in cloned dashboards with your custom reports as desired
   

Best Practices

Utilize as Information Hubs: Use dashboards as centralized locations for role-specific information and quick access to relevant reports and data.

Leverage as Templates: Clone existing dashboards to create customized versions that better align with your department's specific operational needs and metrics.

Review Underlying Reports: Always examine the First Due Reports that power dashboard widgets to understand data sources and calculation methods.

Maintain Role Alignment: Keep sharing settings aligned with appropriate user roles to ensure personnel see relevant information without overwhelming them with unnecessary data.

Regular Review: Periodically assess dashboard effectiveness and make adjustments through cloning and customization to improve user experience.

Avoid Direct Editing: Remember that original First Due Dashboards cannot be directly edited - always use cloning for customization needs.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: Why doesn't a dashboard metric match how my agency measures something? A: First Due Reports use logic that applies broadly across Fire and EMS agencies. Open the underlying Ad Hoc report to review Data Configuration and Criteria, then clone the dashboard and replace widgets with custom reports that match your agency's definitions.

Q: I can't edit a First Due Dashboard directly. What should I do? A: First Due Dashboards are read-only to ensure automatic updates. Clone the dashboard to create an editable copy with full customization control.

Q: How do I share a dashboard with users who aren't in the default roles? A: Open the dashboard's Edit page, toggle "Override default roles...", and select your desired Users, Ranks, or Roles for sharing.

Q: Can I access dashboards that aren't assigned to my role? A: FD Admin users can view all First Due Dashboards regardless of intended user profile. Other users see only dashboards shared with their assigned roles.

Q: Will my customized dashboards receive automatic updates? A: No, cloned dashboards are independent copies that you control. Only original First Due Dashboards receive automatic updates from the First Due team.

Q: What if a link or embedded page doesn't work after I change sharing settings? A: Link and page embed permissions may change when you modify sharing settings. Ensure users have appropriate permissions for embedded content.