Analytics, custom dashboard — FAQs and Troubleshooting

Use this page for customer questions and troubleshooting related to Analytics cubes, Custom Dashboards, filters, saved reports, cube refresh, and data visualization in Yarken.

Analytics cubes

Q: How do I choose the right cube for my analysis?

A: Match your question to the cube:

If unsure, start with the Spend cube — it covers the broadest range of dimensions. When using Analytics, the Filters panel opens by default with the current year and current month pre-selected.

Q: Can I compare models within Analytics?

A: Yes. When custom models are defined, dynamic measures are automatically created in the Spend cube. You can compare default models (Spend, Budget, Forecast) with custom models using auto-generated measures.

Saved reports

Q: How do I save a report in Analytics?

A: After configuring your analysis (cube, dimensions, measures, filters, chart type):

1. Click Save in Analytics

2. Enter a report name and optional description

3. The saved report preserves your selected dimensions, measures, filters, and visualization type

Saved reports serve as the foundation for:

• Custom Dashboard widgets — Custom Dashboards use saved reports as data sources

• Chargeback definitions — The chargeback definition report is a protected saved report

Important: The default chargeback definition report cannot be deleted from Saved Reports. If a user attempts to delete it, a popup prevents the action.

Q: How do permissions work for shared reports?

A: Shared reports support separate View and Edit permissions:

• View access allows users to open and interact with a report for ad-hoc analysis, but they cannot overwrite the original report. To preserve changes, use Save As to create a personal copy.

• Edit access allows users to modify and overwrite the shared report using Save.

Q: Why is the Save button missing when I open a shared report?

A: The Save button is hidden when you have View-only access. Use Save As to create a personal copy with your changes. Contact the report owner if you need permission to update the original report.

Custom Dashboards

Q: How do I create a Custom Dashboard?

A: Custom Dashboards allow you to create tailored views for recurring analysis:

1. Navigate to Custom Dashboards

2. Click Create New Dashboard

3. Add widgets — each widget references a saved report from Analytics

4. Configure widget visualization type (chart, table, KPI, pivot table)

5. Apply widget-level and dashboard-level filters

6. Arrange and resize widgets using drag-and-drop

7. Save the dashboard

Custom Dashboards support:

• Multiple widget types (charts, tables, pivot tables, KPIs, Sankey charts, text widgets)

• Dashboard-level and widget-level filters

• Links to other dashboards (both custom and standard) via widget configuration

• Hyperlinks in text widgets to external URLs

• Graph Explanation Copilot on supported chart types

Q: Can I link Custom Dashboards to other dashboards?

A: Yes. You can configure a Dashboard Shortcut widget to navigate to another dashboard.

1. Open the required Custom Dashboard in Edit mode.

2. Add or select a Dashboard Shortcut widget.

3. Under Shortcuts, turn on Enable Link.

4. Under Link Type, select Default or Custom.

5. Choose the required Dashboard.

6. Save your dashboard changes.

A toggle switch is available to activate or deactivate the link without removing the configuration. Dashboard titles can be renamed and text formatting can be adjusted. Additionally, text widgets support hyperlinks to external websites or internal resources.

Users can select the configured shortcut to open the destination dashboard.

For detailed instructions, see Configure Dashboard Shortcuts.

Q: Can Dashboard Shortcuts link to other Yarken applications?

A: Yes. Dashboard Shortcuts support an App link type in addition to default and Custom Dashboards.

To configure an application shortcut, select App under Link Type, then choose a supported destination from App Links.

The current implementation includes supported AI Studio pages and actions.

Application shortcuts use predefined destinations. They do not support arbitrary URLs or direct links to individual Specialist or Outcome records.

For configuration instructions, see Configure Dashboard Shortcuts.

Q: Why can't a user open an application shortcut?

A: Dashboard Shortcuts respect the user's existing Yarken permissions.

If a user does not have permission to access AI Studio, the shortcut remains visible but cannot be opened.

Review the user's permissions for the linked application. Configuring a Dashboard Shortcut does not grant additional access.

Q: What chart types are supported in Custom Dashboards?

A: Custom Dashboards support all standard chart types available in Analytics.

Q: Can I animate a Scatter Chart in a Custom Dashboard?

A: Yes. Scatter Charts in Custom Dashboards support month-by-month animation through the current year. To enable it:

1. Edit the required Scatter Chart widget.

2. Open Customize Widget > Animation.

3. Turn on Enable Animation.

4. Set Playback Speed (seconds) and save the dashboard changes.

5. Open the dashboard and select Play to view the animation.

For detailed steps, see Configure chart and table widgets.

Q: What does Scatter Chart animation show?

A: The animation displays how data points move across the months of the current year. Each point's position is determined by the configured X Axis Measure and Y Axis Measure. As the month advances, you can compare how their relationship changes. For example, a Scatter Chart comparing Spend and Budget can show how cost pools move over time.

Q: Why can't I see animation controls on my Scatter Chart?

A: Check that:

• The widget uses Scatter Chart in a Custom Dashboard.

• Enable Animation is on under Customize Widget > Animation.

• The chart has the required Point Label, X Axis Measure, and Y Axis Measure fields.

If the chart does not show meaningful movement, review the available data and reporting context for the selected measures.

Q: Can I change the grouping dimension in a Custom Dashboard widget?

A: Yes. Dimension Switcher lets you select a grouping dimension directly from supported Proportional Bar and Data Table widgets. Dashboard designers can configure up to four dimensions. The first dimension is selected by default, and only one dimension is active at a time. Selecting a different dimension refreshes the widget without changing its configured title.

To configure it, add dimensions under Dimension Switcher in the widget's field settings, then turn on Customize Widget > Appearance > Dimension Switcher. For full instructions, see Configure chart and table widgets.

Q: Why can't I see Dimension Switcher in my Custom Dashboard widget?

A: Confirm that:

• The widget uses Proportional Bar or Data Table. Other chart types are not currently supported.

• Up to four fields have been added under Dimension Switcher in the widget's field configuration.

• Dimension Switcher is turned on under Customize Widget > Appearance.

Break down by and Group by are not supported for Proportional Bar or Data Table. Use Dimension Switcher to configure the selectable grouping dimensions.

Q: Why is my widget grouped by a different dimension than expected?

A: Dimension Switcher initially uses the first configured dimension. Check which option is selected on the widget. Switching to another option refreshes the widget using that dimension, while the widget title remains unchanged.

Q: How do I hide the Expenses Bar in a Proportional Bar?

A: Edit the Proportional Bar widget, open Customize Widget > Appearance, and turn off Expenses Bar. This setting is available for Proportional Bar widgets only.

Q: Can I use Z-Score upper and lower bounds in Custom Dashboards?

A: Yes. Z-Score Upper and Lower Bounds are available for supported line chart widgets in Custom Dashboards. The same prerequisites and settings apply as in Analytics.

Use Z-Score bounds to compare current values with a statistical range calculated from historical data. They provide a visual comparison and do not create Insights or forecast future values.

Q: Why is Grand Total hidden in my Custom Dashboard Data Table?

A: Grand Total is unavailable while a local table filter is active. Local table filters do not trigger another server query, so the existing Grand Total would continue to represent the complete dataset rather than only the filtered rows.

To prevent a misleading total, Yarken hides Grand Total while a local table filter is applied. Clear the local table filter to display Grand Total again.

Q: Why are Contract actions unavailable in my Data Table?

A: To enable the Contract actions, add all three required fields under Values:

• Contract Number

• Is Published

• Extraction Contract Id

The Ask, View, and Download actions are enabled automatically when all three fields are included. You do not need to enable them manually. The Actions settings identify any missing fields.

Filters, including Is Published and Vendor Name, are optional. Applying a filter does not replace adding the required fields under Values.

Q: Why do Contract action icons not appear while I am editing the widget?

A: The Contract action icons appear in the saved dashboard view, not in widget Edit mode. Save your dashboard changes, then open the Data Table in dashboard view to use the actions.

Q: Why are Contract action icons missing from my saved dashboard?

A: In Customize Widget > Layout Settings, check the Grid Panels option. When List View is selected, Contract action icons are intentionally hidden. Select another supported layout to display them.

Also confirm that the three required Contract fields are under Values, the Contract is published, and you have the appropriate Contract access permissions.

Q: Why doesn't a Contract appear in my dashboard table?

A: Check that the Contract is published and you have permission to access it. Review dashboard-level and widget-level filters, including any filters on Is Published, Vendor Name, or other Contract fields. Verify that the selected Analytics cube includes the required Contract data.

For full setup instructions, see Configure chart and table widgets.

Filters

Q: How do filters work across dashboards and Analytics?

A: Yarken uses two levels of filters:

Q: What does Persist Filter do in a Custom Dashboard?

A: Persist Filter controls whether a widget-level filter remains active when a corresponding global dashboard filter is applied. When it is on, Yarken retains and combines both filters; when it is off, the global filter takes precedence. If no corresponding global filter applies, the widget-level filter still works in either setting.

For the detailed rules, examples, and setup procedure, see Configure dashboard filters.

Q: How do I enable or disable Persist Filter?

A: Edit the Custom Dashboard, select a widget, and open its Filters tab. Add or select a widget-level filter, choose its field, operator, and value, and turn Persist Filter on or off. Apply the filter and save your dashboard changes.

Q: How does Persist Filter combine widget and global filter operators?

A: When Persist Filter is on and both filters apply, Yarken combines matching operators using OR and different operators using AND. For example, Category = Cloud and Category = Hardware are combined with OR; Category ≠ Cloud and Category = Hardware are combined with AND.

The rules apply across the available filter operators, including Equals, Does not equal, Contains, Does not contain, Is any of, and Is none of.

Q: Why does a widget show additional data or no data after I change a dashboard filter?

A: Check whether Persist Filter is on for the widget-level filter. Matching operators combine with OR, which can include values matching either filter. Different operators combine with AND, which can return no results when conditions conflict.

If the corresponding global filter should replace the widget filter, turn Persist Filter off. Review Global Filter Settings > Dependent Widgets to confirm that the widget receives the global filter.

Q: Does turning off Persist Filter remove my widget filter?

A: No. When a corresponding global filter applies, it takes precedence while Persist Filter is off. When no corresponding global filter applies, the saved widget filter continues to work.

Q: Is Persist Filter enabled by default for new and existing widgets?

A: Persist Filter is off by default for newly added widget-level filters. During migration, existing widget filters have Persist Filter enabled so existing dashboards retain their previous filtering behavior. You can change the setting after migration.

Q: How can I identify widgets using Persist Filter?

A: An indicator icon is displayed on widgets that have Persist Filter enabled. You can also open the widget's Filters tab to inspect its configuration.

Q: How do relative date filters work?

A: Relative date filters (current month, last month, current quarter, etc.) recalculate based on the current system date:

Custom Dashboards with relative date filters (Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, Last Month) automatically recalculate — no need to enter edit mode for the data to refresh.

Q: How does the currency filter work in Analytics and dashboards?

A: Users can select their Reporting Currency from their profile under Settings → Foreign Currency. The available currencies include:

• The environment base currency

• Currencies configured under Admin → Settings → Foreign Currency

Changing the currency re-renders all on-screen data instantly. Multi-currency values are supported across Analytics and Custom Dashboards. If no exchange rate is defined for a given month, spend for that month appears as zero in dashboards and reports.

A conversion-only currency option allows currencies to be used for conversion (cloud data, budgets, forecasts) without appearing in reporting views.

Q: What is the Pre-Aggregations toggle in Analytics?

A: The PRE-AGGREGATIONS toggle is available to Admin users in Analytics:

Use the toggle when you need to verify that recently uploaded data exists before triggering a full cube refresh.

Run Report behavior

Q: Why do I see a "Run Report" dialog when I change filters or fields in Analytics?

A: To improve performance, Analytics and Custom Dashboards use explicit Run Report behavior:

• Previously, every change (adding a field, modifying filters, updating visual settings) immediately triggered a query

• Now, the system detects changes and prompts with a Run Report dialog

• The report is only re-run after you confirm — reducing unnecessary backend queries

This significantly improves responsiveness when working with large datasets. Make all your filter and dimension changes first, then click Run Report once.

Data export and import

Q: What file format is supported for import?

A: Import supports only .json files. Upload the export or configuration file in JSON format; other file types are not supported for import.

Q: Which export formats are supported?

A: Export supports multiple formats, including CSV, JPEG, and JSON. The formats available depend on the visualization type you choose. For example, table-style views typically support CSV or JSON exports, while chart visualizations may also support JPEG image export.

Q: Are report permissions preserved during export and import?

A: Permission handling differs between export and import:

• Export: Sharing and edit permissions are not included in the exported report configuration. You must configure permissions again after importing the file.

• Import: Permissions are preserved only when you explicitly select the option to retain them during the import workflow. If you do not select that option, the imported report uses the default access settings for the importing user.

Troubleshooting Analytics

Analytics showing no data or incomplete data

Cause: Data has not been loaded, cube refresh is pending, filters are too restrictive, or the user lacks entity/account/cost center access.

Resolution:

1. Verify data is loaded for the correct model, year, and month in Admin → Yarken Designer → Models → Expenses

2. Check the Cube Refresh page for pending cubes — refresh if needed

3. Review the current filters — ensure Year, Month, Entity, and Currency are set correctly

4. Verify the user has the correct entity access, account access, and cost center access

5. If using the Pre-Aggregations toggle, try disabling it to query directly from the database

6. Verify allocation rules are configured — unallocated spend does not appear in downstream cubes (Consumer Spend, for example)

Z-Score bounds do not appear on a line chart

Cause: The chart may not meet the requirements for calculating the baseline and thresholds.

Resolution:

1. Confirm the visualization is a Line Chart.

2. Confirm the chart axis uses a date or month field.

3. Confirm a measure is assigned to Value.

4. Confirm a suitable time filter is applied.

5. Confirm at least 6 valid historical data points exist before the visible chart period.

6. Confirm Show Upper and Lower Bound is turned on.

If the requirements are not met, the chart continues to display without the Z-Score bound lines.

Z-Score Threshold and Lookback Data Points do not appear

Cause: Show Upper and Lower Bound is not enabled.

Resolution: Open Z-Score Upper / Lower Bound and turn on Show Upper and Lower Bound.

Lookback Data Points returns to 12

Cause: The entered value is below the supported minimum.

Resolution: Enter a value from 6 to 365.

If the value is below 6, Yarken resets Lookback Data Points to the default value of 12.

Z-Score bounds appear for only some lines

Cause: When the chart contains multiple series, each series requires enough historical data for its own calculation.

Resolution: Confirm that each series has at least 6 valid historical data points before the visible chart period.

Upper and lower thresholds overlap the baseline

Cause: The historical values have little or no variation.

Resolution: Review the historical data used for the lookback period. When the standard deviation is close to zero, the upper and lower thresholds may appear on or close to the Baseline (Mean).

Custom Dashboard widgets not rendering or showing "No saved reports"

Cause: The saved report that backs the widget has been deleted or modified, or no saved reports exist.

Resolution:

1. Verify the saved report exists in Analytics → Saved Reports

2. If the report was deleted, recreate it in Analytics and reassign it to the widget

3. If no saved reports exist, the dashboard displays "No saved reports" with an option to create a new report directly

4. Check widget-level and dashboard-level filters — conflicting filters can cause empty results

5. If the widget displays correctly in edit mode but not in view mode, clear browser cache and reload

Filters not applying correctly across dashboards

Cause: A filter was not applied, the widget's Persist Filter setting does not match the intended precedence, a global filter excludes the widget under Dependent Widgets, or a relative date filter does not reflect the expected period.

Resolution:

1. Ensure the Apply Filter button is clicked after making filter changes — filters do not auto-apply

2. In Custom Dashboards, check Persist Filter: when enabled, same-operator conditions combine with OR and different-operator conditions combine with AND; when disabled, a corresponding global filter takes precedence. Also review Dependent Widgets.

3. For relative date filters, verify they are recalculating based on the current system date — an issue where relative filters referenced the creation date has been corrected

4. For timeline relative month filters: Is current month ignores year filters; Is last month reflects the previous calendar month regardless of year

5. Clear browser cache and reload if filters appear stuck

Sankey chart truncated or nodes missing in Custom Dashboards

Cause: Too many nodes are present in the Sankey chart, exceeding the rendering limit.

Resolution:

1. Use the Node Limit option to control the number of nodes displayed

2. Nodes exceeding the limit are grouped under Others

3. If unallocated consumer spend is not appearing in Sankey charts, verify your environment includes the February 2026 fix — unallocated consumer spend now displays correctly. Related bar charts continue to show this spend under "Unknown"

4. Null values in Sankey charts now display as Unallocated instead of blank

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