Background

* This blog was last tested on OAC 105.8.0-133 (Version 5.8) + ADW 18c *

Dashboard Landing Navigation Pages (also known as start page, landing page, default page, default dashboard, home page) can be used to enhance the user experience. As the number of analytics artifacts grows, the catalog might become cluttered and menu drop-down lists can be laborious to scroll through. Dashboard Landing Navigation Pages are a simple way to structure related content and efficiently direct data consumers to the information they are seeking. They also provide a non-technical method to brand the interface and add some bling!

This blog walks through the steps to create the below Dashboard Landing Navigation Page.

Screen shots are taken from Oracle Analytics Cloud (OAC). The same steps can also be applied to Oracle Business Intelligence (OBI/OBIEE/OAS).

Click here for Oracle documentation on "Create Landing Pages in Oracle Analytics Cloud". 

 Create Home Dashboard

Create a New Folder - called "Landing Pages" (or preferred name). Within the folder create a Dashboard called "Home" (or preferred name).

 Map Layout of Home Dashboard Landing Navigation Page

Map out the layout of the Home Dashboard Landing Navigation Page. Use sections within columns to facilitate applying different permissions for each analytics category. This will allow for creating dynamic views of the Home dashboard based on assigned roles/groups.

 Add Header & Logo

If desired - add a header and logo.

Logo: Add Link or Image -> Select Image -> Upload Image -> OK

Header: Add Text -> Check "Contains HTML Markup" -> Preview

<font face='Arial' size=20 color='#CD0F18'> <b>Welcome to Oracle A-Team Analytics</b> </font>

The "Contains HTML Markup" text box is made available when the EnableSavingContentWithHTML element is set to True in the instanceconfig.xml file.

For Cloud +5.1 environments this modification is made from: Console -> Service Administration -> Configure System Settings -> Allow HTML Content = true -> Restart -> OK

For legacy Cloud OAC/BICS an SR may be required to configure HTML and restart.

Additionally, "Save Content with HTML Markup" Answers privilege must be granted.

 Optional: Remove Other Dashboards from Drop-Down Menu

Optional: Encourage consumers to use the Home Dashboard Landing Navigation Page, by removing all other dashboards from the Dashboards drop-down menu, leaving only the Home dashboard available to select.

In the catalog, at the same hierarchical level as the Dashboards green icon, create a new folder named Dashboards (or preferred name). Move the entire contents of the Dashboards icon into the Dashboards folder. This will remove it from the Dashboards drop-down menu.

Before:

After:

 Create Icons

Create icons to represent each section on the Home Dashboard Navigation Landing Page.

https://flaticons.net/ provides a good variety of free stock icons that can be color customized.

Online tools such as https://html-color-codes.info/colors-from-image/ can assist with formulating the color pallet.

 Arrange Icons

Arrange the icons on the Home dashboard, placing each icon it in it's own section to allow for different combinations of permissions to be set (if required).

Link each image to its corresponding Analysis or Dashboard.

Section Properties: Center, uncheck wrap text, set boarder position to none.

Uncheck Collapsible

Add descriptive text under each icon (optional).

Using Text, rather than the default icon caption, allows for the font style/size/color to be customized with HTML.

<font face='Arial' size=4 color='#7F7F7F'> <b>Transportation</b> </font>

 Optional: Create a Second Level Dashboard Landing Page

For environments with a large number of analytics artifacts it may be desirable to create multiple levels of Dashboard Landing Navigation Pages.

In this example, the Healthcare icon links to the Healthcare Dashboard Landing Navigation Page that lists several healthcare related sub-category dashboards.

A design that works well for Dashboard Landing Navigation Page level 2 is to list all the data artifacts under the logo. The links are created using the add "Link or Image" object.

 Set Starting Page on Login

Encourage consumers to set the Dashboard Landing Navigation Home Page as their Starting Page on login.

Top Right Menu Drop-down -> Signed In As -> Click on Username -> My Account ->  Preferences -> Starting Page = Home

 Want to Learn More?

Click here for Oracle documentation on "Create Landing Pages in Oracle Analytics Cloud"

Click here for more A-Team OAC Blogs

Click here for more A-Team BICS Blogs

Click here for more A-Team OBI Blogs

Click here for more info on HTML markup

 Summary

This blog describes how to create a Dashboard Landing Navigation Page in OAC and OBI/OBIEE/OAS.

Concepts covered include: Dashboards/Analyses, using logos, creating icons, applying HTML formatted text, adding links to dashboards, and editing user preferences.

Are you an Oracle Analytics customer or user?

We want to hear your story! 

Please voice your experience and provide feedback with quick product review for Oracle Analytics Cloud!