---
source_url: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/illuminate/dashboards/basics
title: About Dashboards
updated_at: 2026-06-02T11:32:48.032Z
---

> Documentation Index
> For a curated overview of PubNub documentation, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms.txt
> For the full list of all documentation pages, see: https://www.pubnub.com/docs/llms-full.txt


# About Dashboards

Illuminate lets you visualize metrics, decision actions, and results through charts on Dashboards.

You can observe trends in real time and refine your approach with data‑driven decisions.

## Dashboards

A Dashboard is a collection of charts that shows your metrics in one place.

For example, create a Dashboard with charts for all "Key Moments" in a watch party, such as:

* Count of participants who viewed a Key Moment (goal, penalty, red card).
* Sum of advertised items purchased during Key Moments.

:::note Data time zone
Data displayed on a chart is shown in your browser’s time zone.
:::

To create a Dashboard and a chart, go to **Dashboards** under **Illuminate** in the Admin Portal. Read [Create dashboards and charts](https://www.pubnub.com/docs/illuminate/dashboards/create-dashboards-and-charts) for details.

## Charts

A chart visualizes a metric for a Business Object. For example, show the sum of merchandise items (jerseys, scarves, hats) purchased during a Key Moment in a live event.

You can customize how metric data is displayed in a chart:

* Choose a time range (`30 minutes`, `1 hour`, or `Custom date`).
* Choose a chart type: bar (default), stacked bar, or line.

## Prerequisites and dependencies

To work effectively with Dashboards, keep the following in mind:

* Create a Dashboard before you add charts.
* To create a chart, first create a Business Object and add a metric.
* If the chart uses a Business Object in a Decision, you see a decision preview at the bottom of the chart. Use it to monitor when actions were triggered.
* To see data, make sure the Business Object for the metric is active.

## Home page

The **Dashboards** home page lists all charts and Dashboards you created.

Use the Ellipsis (...) button next to each chart to edit or delete it.

![Dashboards — Home page](https://www.pubnub.com/assets/images/dashboards-home-page-99d1b9c14a7aa593b5bb42700e926d1c.png)

## Settings

In a Dashboard view, you can edit or delete charts and Dashboards using the menu options.

![Dashboards — settings 1](https://www.pubnub.com/assets/images/dashboard-settings-65ada1b95ce9733179abf47d661325b8.png)

![Dashboards — settings 2](https://www.pubnub.com/assets/images/dashboard-settings-2-91b363d53afd4717e1791a32b6d21190.png)

In a chart view, switch between bar, stacked bar, and line chart types using the chart type icon. Use the width icon to set charts to full‑width or half‑width.

![Chart — settings](https://www.pubnub.com/assets/images/chart-settings-0f0795815d0c75db83f8ad544b24f83d.png)

#### Export chart data

* You can download the chart data in `.csv` format by clicking the download button in the upper-right corner of the chart.
* The chart data is downloaded as a `.zip` file that contains a `.csv` file with a maximum of 1 million rows. The export follows your selected date range and dimensions.

![Export chart data button](https://www.pubnub.com/assets/images/export-b20c839fd5672d3afc0c73aa1fdca073.png)