It is the same MockupTiger application but now you don’t have to worry about installation and setup. Just login and start using.

When the customer approaches us for a dashboard requirement usually they have a spreadsheet and very little documentation on what is required on their dashboard.

During this initial conversation we ask for any kind of paper sketch that they can share with us so we can begin analyzing the data and requirements.

We would then build a quick dashboard and send screenshots. The customer then starts seeing how their data is getting painted and suddenly their imaginative juices starts flowing. They come back with suggestions and improvements on the screenshot we just sent.

This process was almost the same for each and every customer we built the dashboard for and became too time consuming and un-productive.

So slowly we started building a Mockup Tool just for Dashboards

MockupTiger is our new webbased wireframing application.

You can create website sketch or full dashboard prototype in minutes.

Focus. Focus. Focus

• Just focus on the dashboard structure and layout
• Use sample or test data to simulate the charts
• Use real website widgets
• Be more creative and flex with the options you want on your dashboard

Please visit MockupTiger for more details

Some tools are just PDF tutorials that tell you to build Excel templates and use Excel as dashboarding tool and some tools are way too expensive.

Download a Dashboard Tool and then what?

In order to better facilitate and break the inertia of learning any dashboard tool, we are offering “Free Dashboard development and Consultation”

Flash charts are beautiful and I wanted the simplicity of PHP as the backbone. Apart from this, there are so many wonderful open source tools that are being leveraged in this product namely jQuery for Ajax, jqGrid for Table portlets that it really helps to keep the cost down.

The best part is there will be a “publish to web” menu and a button in the InfoCaptor Desktop Dashboard Designer which will let users to simply publish to PHP based engine. I am also planning to include a light weight web server so that you will see the web dashboard in action everytime. No need to contact any IT person and if you keep your PC on, you may even forward the dashboard URL to your colleagues within your network (be sure that you are inside your VPN or network).

The look and feel will be different because the desktop version is Java based and it uses jFreechart engine for charting whereas for the web based we are using a Flash charting engine.

InfoCaptor has already expanded into the desktop market by channeling into documentation tools and small business dashboard solution. What do you do if you are just a 1 or 2 person company? You certainly don’t need a web server when you can view the reports and dashboards on your PC.

But as you grow, it makes sense to have a true web based version and this is what InfoCaptor web based version will allow you to achieve.

I am excited with this release as it opens up so many possibilities, joint ventures and dashboards as SaaS, and OEM Dashboards

So stay tuned, the big release is coming!

-Nilesh

Here is a brief process of how you build dashboard with Excel data

1. Open Excel File ( create as many connections to multiple excel files)
2. Visually join all worksheets or query single worksheet
3. Create parameters (pivot tables)
4. Launch the chart factory
5. Create as many charts
6. Repeat the process from step 2 to build another set of charts

Check this video

Visit Excel Dashboards . This is a dedicated website for Excel Dashboarding process.

Here is a brief flow of how the task can be accomplished.

1. Connect to the Database or Excel file
2. InfoCaptor presents a wizard that allows you to build a blank dashboard or build a query on existing dashboard
3. Once you have the dashboard created you launch the query builder, drag all the tables you need, join them accordingly and create a valid SQL query.
4. The above SQL query is now your starting point
5. You create a tabular portlet or Qlet
6. From this Qlet you add all the needed parameters
7. It is necessary to decide all your parameters because it updates the table query accordingly which will form the basis of all the Charts
8. Once you are ready, click on the Qlet title and launch the chart factory.
9. Pick a chart type
10. Pick the columns
11. Pick the aggregations
12. Click on create chart
13. This presents you with the chart editor and shows you how the chart SQL looks like. You can rename the chart title or change other properties you may wish at this point (you can leave it as it is and update them later)
14. Click Apply
15. You have your chart created.

Stay tuned for detailed steps with screenshots and videos

The second best enhancement is the ability to change the dataset that you get from your SQL query. You can use excel like cell,row or column operations to derive totally new data set.

Excel like operations

• Add rows
• Add columns
• Add cells
• Add blank rows
• Add blank columns

Transpose

• You can easily Pivot your data with the use of the transpose function

Grand Totals

• Add grand total for all numeric columns
• Add grand total for just single column
• Custom position for the total label
• custom name for the total label

Sub Totals

• Add subtotals on a column

Other enhancements

• Disable scrollbar
• provide update sql in javascript
• custom size and location of the dashboard browser
• Default date values for the date parameter. You can now use MONTH_BEGIN, MONTH_END, CURRENT
• Default null value for field type parameters

Current version is at 3.3.10 and includes the following enhancements

• PDF and HTML reporting of charts (powerful reporting engine – combine Text and graphs during your PDF export)
• Logos on dashboard (image objects or logos )
• SYS_PROP_ICLOGIN variable made available to identify the login person
• Duplicate or clone objects (right click any dashboard object and select duplicate)
• Plugin scripts during launch in desktop and plugin_script variable during viewer launch from server.

3.3.9 includes the following enhancements

• New Parameter types –
  • Button – Add buttons on the dashboard to call external programs or stored procedures (More.. )
  • Date – Add a date/calendar parameter
  • Field – Just an input text parameter
  • Static Text – Useful for sticky notes on the dashboard
• Bug fix for DateTime format
  • Custom date format for datetime is now fixed
• Drill from Bar chart or Pie Charts
  • This is experimental and includes drill through from Bar chart and Pie charts
• PDF reporting of Charts
  • Earlier the export from Tree browser included only the table objects but with this release charts are also included as part of the PDF export
• Excel button on Connection wizard to connect directly to excel files
  • Simplify the connection to Excel files. You can now browse the file directory and pick the Excel file to connect.

Version 3.3.8

• bubble chart
• scatter chart
• polar chart
• XY Series
• Time Series

Even though with all the dashboarding tools available in the market (including InfoCaptor) there is still considerable investment of time and resources required in order to create the dashboards in-house. There is a considerable learning curve for the new BI tool and allocating the appropriate developer resources in getting the dashboards up and running.

By leveraging this free service you cut down the initial time-investment required on your behalf to learn the tool and create the dashboards.

How does it work?

• You send us the data in Excel format
• Send us a document defining your requirements for dashboard
• We will begin the conversation and clarify the requirements
• We will start the development process and send you an update once it is ready for your review.
• We will also help you install the dashboard on your system through web-meeting.
• And all of the above service is absolutely free

If this sounds interesting and something that your firm can benefit then please read further on how to initiate the process.

We have made only 10 slots available and each unique client can request only one “Free Dashboard Service”

There is a $25 deposit fee which will go towards your purchase of the Dashboard Viewer ($197).

By paying only the $25 deposit you confirm your intention to leverage the free dashboard service.

Upon delivery of the completed dashboard, this $25 will be applied as a discount to the Dashboard viewer or appropriate Dashboard license.

Register your Free Dashboard Development slot Now by making a small deposit

Benefits of this approach

• Zero Risk – If you like the dashboard, you keep it and use it
• Zero Time investment
• No learning curve for Dashboard tool