Once you know what your dashboard needs to show, planning the layout helps ensure those insights are easy to read, understand, and act on. A strong layout guides viewers through information in a clear, logical way.
This article focuses on how to arrange visuals and controls in a dashboard. It assumes you have already chosen your datasets, visuals, and aggregations.
Build from overview to detail
Effective dashboards usually follow a clear flow:
High-level summary
Start with KPIs or summary visuals that show the most important metrics at a glance.Analysis and trends
Use charts to compare categories or show changes over time.Detailed views
Include tables or secondary visuals that allow users to explore underlying data.
This structure helps users understand context before diving into details.
Group related visuals together
Place visuals that answer related questions near each other. This reduces cognitive load and makes dashboards easier to scan.
Avoid scattering similar metrics across the page, which can make dashboards feel disjointed.
Place filters intentionally
When planning layout, decide:
Which filters should apply to the entire dashboard
Which filters apply to specific visuals
Where filters should appear so they’re easy to find and use
Filters should support exploration without interrupting the flow of the dashboard.
Use consistent formatting
Consistency improves readability and accessibility.
Use the Properties panel to:
Add clear titles and subtitles
Use consistent colors and labels across visuals
Align spacing and padding
Enable data labels where they add clarity
Add alt text to support accessibility requirements
Small formatting choices make a big difference in how dashboards are interpreted.
Design for how dashboards are read
Most viewers scan dashboards from top to bottom and left to right.
Keep this in mind when placing visuals:
Put the most important insights first
Avoid overcrowding the top of the dashboard
Leave enough white space so visuals don’t compete for attention
Validate the layout before publishing
Before publishing, review the dashboard layout—not the underlying calculations.
As a layout check:
Read the dashboard from top to bottom
Confirm the visual order tells a clear story
Ensure titles, labels, and filters are easy to understand
View the dashboard in Reader mode to confirm it’s easy to follow
If the layout feels confusing, adjust placement or simplify before publishing.