10 Easy Steps to Build a Dashboard in Looker Using Google Sheets

10 Easy Steps to Build a Dashboard in Looker Using Google Sheets

Knowledge visualization is vital to understanding and speaking complicated data. A well-designed dashboard will help you monitor progress, determine traits, and make higher choices. Looker is a strong enterprise intelligence instrument that may provide help to create stunning and informative dashboards. On this article, we are going to present you easy methods to construct a dashboard utilizing Looker with Google Sheets as your information supply.

Looker is a cloud-based enterprise intelligence platform that permits you to discover, analyze, and visualize your information. It’s simple to make use of and may be built-in with quite a lot of information sources, together with Google Sheets. Google Sheets is a strong spreadsheet utility that’s extensively used for information storage and evaluation. By combining the facility of Looker and Google Sheets, you possibly can create dashboards which are each visually interesting and informative.

On this article, we are going to stroll you thru the steps of constructing a dashboard utilizing Looker with Google Sheets as your information supply. We are going to begin by creating a brand new Looker undertaking after which connecting it to your Google Sheets information. We are going to then create a brand new dashboard and add some visualizations to it. Lastly, we are going to publish the dashboard so to share it with others.

Connecting Looker to Google Sheets

To attach Looker to Google Sheets, you’ll need to:

  • Create a Google Sheets API key.
  • Authorize Looker to entry your Google Sheets information.
  • Configure a Looker connection to your Google Sheets information supply.

Making a Google Sheets API Key

1. Go to the Google Builders Console (https://console.builders.google.com/).
2. Click on on the “Credentials” tab.
3. Click on on the “Create credentials” button.
4. Choose “API key” from the drop-down menu.
5. Click on on the “Create” button.
6. Copy the API key that’s generated.

7. **Authorization and Configuration**

1. Go to the Looker admin panel (https://[your-looker-instance]/admin).
2. Click on on the “Integrations” tab.
3. Click on on the “Google Sheets” tab.
4. Click on on the “Authorize” button.
5. Enter the API key that you simply created within the earlier step.
6. Click on on the “Join” button.

7. Upon getting approved Looker to entry your Google Sheets information, you possibly can configure a connection to your information supply.
8. Click on on the “Connections” tab within the Looker admin panel.
9. Click on on the “New Connection” button.
10. Choose “Google Sheets” from the drop-down menu.
11. Enter a reputation for the connection.
12. Enter the URL of the Google Sheets spreadsheet that you simply wish to connect with.
13. Click on on the “Save” button.

Now you can use the Looker connection to entry your Google Sheets information in Looker.

Making a New Dashboard

To create a brand new dashboard, click on on the “New Dashboard” button within the top-right nook of the Looker interface. It will open a brand new dashboard editor, the place you possibly can drag and drop visualizations onto the canvas. It’s also possible to add textual content, pictures, and different parts to your dashboard.

Constructing a Dashboard from a Google Sheet

To start, you’ll need to create a brand new dataset in Looker primarily based in your Google Sheet. Upon getting created a dataset, you possibly can construct a dashboard primarily based on that dataset.

Steps to construct a dashboard utilizing a Google Sheet:

  1. Click on on the “Discover” tab within the Looker interface.
  2. Choose the dataset that you simply wish to use on your dashboard.
  3. Click on on the “Dashboard” tab within the top-right nook of the interface.
  4. Drag and drop visualizations onto the canvas.
  5. Organize the visualizations as desired.
  6. Add textual content, pictures, and different parts to your dashboard.
  7. Click on on the “Save” button within the top-right nook of the interface.

Upon getting saved your dashboard, you possibly can share it with different customers. To share a dashboard, click on on the “Share” button within the top-right nook of the interface. You’ll be able to then enter the e-mail addresses of the customers that you simply wish to share the dashboard with.

Area Description
Dashboard Title The title of your dashboard.
Dataset The dataset that your dashboard is predicated on.
Visualizations The visualizations which are included in your dashboard.

Filtering the Knowledge within the Chart

Looker Studio permits you to filter the info in your chart to give attention to particular subsets of your information. To use a filter, navigate to the ‘Filters’ tab within the chart configuration panel. Right here, you’ll find the ‘Dimension filters’ part, the place you possibly can choose the size on which you wish to apply the filter. Choose the specified dimensions and specify the filter situations, akin to equaling a selected worth or falling inside a specific vary.

Along with dimension filters, Looker Studio additionally gives ‘Metric filters’. Metric filters are used to filter the info primarily based on the chart’s metric values. Merely choose the ‘Metric filters’ part and select the related metric. You’ll be able to then specify the filter situation, akin to being better than or equal to a specific threshold.

The mix of dimension and metric filters offers a strong strategy to refine the info displayed in your chart, making certain that you’re solely specializing in essentially the most related data. These filters may be added, eliminated, and edited as wanted to dynamically alter the chart’s presentation.

Utilizing a Management to Filter the Chart

It’s also possible to use a management, akin to a slicer or drop-down listing, to permit customers to interactively filter the info within the chart. To create a management, drag and drop a ‘Management’ object onto the dashboard. Configure the management’s settings, together with the info supply, dimensions, and filter choices. As soon as the management is ready up, customers can work together with it to dynamically change the info displayed within the chart, making it a wonderful instrument for empowering end-users with self-service filtering capabilities.

Filter Sort Description
Dimension Filter Filters information primarily based on the values of a dimension
Metric Filter Filters information primarily based on the values of a metric
Management Filter Makes use of a management ingredient to permit customers to interactively filter the info

Making a Scorecard

A scorecard is a kind of dashboard that shows key efficiency indicators (KPIs) in a visually interesting and easy-to-understand method. Looker permits you to create scorecards by dragging and dropping KPIs onto a canvas, after which customizing the looks of the scorecard.

Including KPIs to a Scorecard

So as to add a KPI to a scorecard, merely drag and drop the KPI from the KPI Explorer onto the scorecard canvas. It’s also possible to add KPIs by clicking on the “Add KPI” button after which choosing the KPI you wish to add.

Customizing the Look of a Scorecard

Upon getting added KPIs to a scorecard, you possibly can customise the looks of the scorecard by altering the format, colours, and fonts. It’s also possible to add notes and descriptions to the scorecard to assist customers perceive the info.

Sharing a Scorecard

Upon getting completed making a scorecard, you possibly can share it with different customers by clicking on the “Share” button. You’ll be able to share a scorecard with particular person customers or teams, and you too can set permissions for the scorecard.

Embedding a Scorecard

It’s also possible to embed a scorecard on an internet site or weblog by clicking on the “Embed” button. It will generate an HTML code that you could copy and paste into your web site or weblog.

Including a Textual content Field

Textual content bins permit you to add static textual content, akin to titles, subtitles, or labels, to your dashboard. So as to add a textual content field to your dashboard, comply with these steps:

  1. Within the modifying view, choose the “Textual content” form from the shapes toolbar.
  2. Drag and drop the form onto the canvas the place you wish to place it.
  3. Click on on the form to open the properties panel.
  4. Within the properties panel, enter the textual content you wish to show within the **”Textual content Content material”** area.
  5. Customise the looks of the textual content by adjusting the **”Font”** sort, **”Dimension”**, and **”Shade”**. It’s also possible to align the textual content **”Left”**, **”Middle”**, or **”Proper”**.
  6. So as to add formatting, akin to daring, italic, or underline, choose the textual content and use the formatting choices within the toolbar.

It’s also possible to add textual content bins to your dashboard utilizing the next keyboard shortcut:
**Home windows:** Ctrl+T
**Mac:** ⌘+T

Further choices for textual content bins:

Along with the fundamental formatting choices, you too can use the next choices to customise your textual content bins:

  • **Wrap textual content:** This selection will wrap the textual content within the field in order that it suits inside the field’s boundaries.
  • **Background shade:** This selection will add a background shade to the textual content field.
  • **Border:** This selection will add a border across the textual content field.
  • **Padding:** This selection will add padding to the within of the textual content field, which can improve the area between the textual content and the field’s borders.
  • **Margin:** This selection will add margin to the skin of the textual content field, which can improve the area between the field and different parts on the dashboard.
Choice Description
Wrap textual content Wraps the textual content within the field in order that it suits inside the field’s boundaries.
Background shade Provides a background shade to the textual content field.
Border Provides a border across the textual content field.
Padding Provides padding to the within of the textual content field, which can improve the area between the textual content and the field’s borders.
Margin Provides margin to the skin of the textual content field, which can improve the area between the field and different parts on the dashboard.

Customizing the Dashboard

Looker gives a variety of customization choices to personalize your dashboard and improve its usability. Listed below are some key concerns:

Dashboard Structure and Design

Organize the tiles and filters in your dashboard to create a logical circulate and maximize person engagement. Make the most of shade coding, icons, and labels to information customers and improve readability.

Knowledge Visualization

Discover numerous visualization choices akin to charts, tables, and maps to current information in a compelling and accessible method. Regulate the chart sorts, axes, and legends to optimize information presentation.

Filtering and Sorting

Incorporate filters into your dashboard to allow customers to refine the displayed information. Present sorting performance to permit customers to prioritize and arrange the data primarily based on their preferences.

Interactivity and Collaboration

Add interactivity to your dashboard by permitting customers to drill down into information, discover particulars, and share insights. Allow collaboration by offering choices for customers to share dashboards and add feedback or annotations.

Branding and Aesthetics

Customise the dashboard’s aesthetics to align along with your firm’s branding and preferences. Change the colour scheme, logos, and fonts to create a cohesive {and professional} visible expertise.

Exporting and Sharing

Export your dashboard in numerous codecs akin to PDF, PNG, or CSV to facilitate sharing and archiving. Allow simple sharing choices by social media integration or direct hyperlinks.

Superior Customization

For superior customization, make the most of Looker’s scripting capabilities to create customized widgets, calculations, and information manipulation. This lets you prolong the performance of your dashboard and cater to particular necessities.

Sharing the Dashboard

As soon as your dashboard is full, you possibly can share it with others to collaborate and supply insights. To share your dashboard:

  1. Click on the “Share” icon within the prime proper nook of the dashboard.
  2. Enter the e-mail addresses of the individuals you wish to share with.
  3. Choose the extent of sharing permissions you wish to grant (View, Edit, Admin).
  4. Add an non-obligatory message to allow them to know you’ve got shared the dashboard.
  5. Click on “Share”.

Managing Shared Dashboards

After you’ve got shared a dashboard, you possibly can handle the sharing settings from the “Shared with” tab.

  1. Click on the “Share” icon within the prime proper nook of the dashboard.
  2. Click on the “Shared with” tab.
  3. You will see a listing of individuals you’ve got shared the dashboard with.
  4. For every particular person, you possibly can see their sharing permissions degree.
  5. Click on “Edit” to alter the sharing permissions.
  6. Click on “Take away” to take away the particular person from the shared dashboard.

Collaborating on Shared Dashboards

As soon as a dashboard is shared, a number of individuals can collaborate on it on the similar time. Collaborators can:

  • Make adjustments to the dashboard design and information.
  • Add or take away widgets.
  • Filter or kind information.
  • Share the dashboard with others.

Troubleshooting Dashboard Points

1. Verify your information supply

Be sure your information supply is related correctly and that the info is up-to-date.

2. Verify your filters

Be sure your filters are utilized accurately and that they don’t seem to be excluding the info you wish to see.

3. Verify your visualizations

Be sure your visualizations are configured accurately and that they’re displaying the info you wish to see.

4. Verify your dashboard format

Be sure your dashboard is specified by a method that is sensible and that the info is simple to learn.

5. Verify your sharing settings

Be sure your dashboard is shared with the individuals who have to see it.

6. Clear your cache

Typically, clearing your cache can resolve dashboard points.

7. Refresh your dashboard

Refreshing your dashboard can typically resolve points.

8. Contact help

When you have tried all the above and are nonetheless having issues, please contact help.

9. Further Troubleshooting Suggestions for Particular Points

Situation Resolution
Dashboard is loading slowly Enhance the scale of your information supply or use a extra environment friendly information supply.
Dashboard just isn’t displaying any information Verify your information supply connection and ensure your filters are utilized accurately.
Dashboard is displaying incorrect information Verify your information supply and ensure your visualizations are configured accurately.
Dashboard just isn’t updating robotically Be sure your dashboard is ready to refresh robotically.

Looker: How you can Construct a Dashboard Utilizing Google Sheets

Looker is a strong enterprise intelligence (BI) platform that permits customers to create interactive dashboards and stories. Looker can connect with quite a lot of information sources, together with Google Sheets. This makes it simple to create dashboards and stories that visualize information out of your Google Sheets spreadsheets.

To construct a dashboard utilizing Looker with Google Sheets, you’ll need to first create a Looker account and join it to your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Upon getting achieved this, you possibly can create a brand new dashboard and add visualizations to it. Looker gives quite a lot of visualization sorts to select from, together with charts, graphs, and tables.

Upon getting added visualizations to your dashboard, you possibly can configure them to show the info you need. It’s also possible to add filters and different controls to your dashboard to make it simpler to discover your information. When you find yourself completed, you possibly can share your dashboard with others or embed it in your web site.

Individuals Additionally Ask About Looker How To Construct Dashboard Utilizing With Google Sheets

How do I join Looker to Google Sheets?

To attach Looker to Google Sheets, you’ll need to first create a Looker account and join it to your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Upon getting achieved this, you possibly can create a brand new dashboard and add visualizations to it. Looker gives quite a lot of visualization sorts to select from, together with charts, graphs, and tables.

Can I take advantage of Looker to create dashboards for my group?

Sure, you should use Looker to create dashboards on your group. Looker gives quite a lot of options that make it simple to collaborate on dashboards, together with the flexibility to share dashboards with others and add feedback.

How do I embed a Looker dashboard on my web site?

To embed a Looker dashboard in your web site, you’ll need to first create a Looker account and join it to your Google Sheets spreadsheet. Upon getting achieved this, you possibly can create a brand new dashboard and add visualizations to it. Looker gives quite a lot of visualization sorts to select from, together with charts, graphs, and tables.