Simulate Drill-Down in Bold BI Grid Widget Using Linking
Overview
Drill-down functionality is a powerful feature that allows users to navigate through layers of data for in-depth analysis. While some widgets in Bold BI, such as charts, support drill-down capabilities, the grid widget does not have built-in drill-down support. However, users can simulate drill-down behavior in a grid widget by utilizing the linking feature in Bold BI. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to achieve drill-down-like functionality using linking.
Steps to Simulate Drill-Down in Grid Widget
1. Create the Main Grid Widget
First, create a grid widget on your main dashboard. For instance, if you want to view “Shipping” details by country and then drill down to see shipment details by city, set up your grid widget to display the country-wise shipping data.
2. Set Up a Secondary Dashboard
Next, create a secondary dashboard that will display the detailed data you want to see when you drill down. Add a grid widget to this dashboard and configure it with the necessary fields to show the city-wise shipment details.
3. Configure Linking in the Main Dashboard
On your main dashboard, select the grid widget and go to the properties panel. Here, you will find a linking section where you can enter the URL of the secondary dashboard.
4. Apply Filter Parameters in the Linking URL
Modify the linking URL by adding filter parameters. This ensures that when you click on a country in the main dashboard, the secondary dashboard will display data filtered for that specific country. An example of how to set up the URL with filter parameters can be seen in the screenshot below.
Note: In the Bold BI grid widget, the feature of row-level linking enables users to link entire rows to another dashboard or report by simply clicking on any part of the row. Furthermore, column-level linking allows for the linking of individual columns to a specific target, which can be activated by clicking on specific cells.
In this demonstration, we are utilizing row-level linking as an illustrative example. However, users have the flexibility to choose between row or column linking based on their specific needs and preferences.
5. Publish the Main Dashboard
Once you have configured the linking and filter parameters, publish the main dashboard to make it accessible to users.
6. Use the Link to Drill Down
Now, when viewing the published main dashboard, users can click on the “link” option for a country to drill down into more detailed data.
Clicking the link will open the secondary dashboard in a popup, displaying the city-wise shipment details for the selected country.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can effectively simulate drill-down functionality in Bold BI’s grid widget using the linking feature. This approach allows users to navigate from high-level data to more granular information without the need for built-in drill-down capabilities in the grid widget.
