--- title: "Exploring Dashboard and Report Servers Webinar Q&A" published_at: "2017-07-20T19:52:00+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-04T13:52:04+00:00" url: "https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/post/exploring-syncfusion-s-dashboard-and-report-servers-webinar-q-and-a" excerpt: "On July 18, Syncfusion hosted a webinar entitled “Exploring Syncfusion’s Dashboard and Report Servers,” presented by Aaron Melamed and moderated by Marissa Outten. In this blog post, you will find the Q&A portion of the webinar. You may review a..." taxonomy_category: - "Uncategorized" --- # Exploring Dashboard and Report Servers Webinar Q&A [Jacqueline Bieringer](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/author/jacqueline-bieringer) ![Image](https://www.syncfusion.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/webin_qa.png) On July 18, Syncfusion hosted a webinar entitled “Exploring Syncfusion’s Dashboard and Report Servers,” presented by Aaron Melamed and moderated by Marissa Outten. In this blog post, you will find the Q&A portion of the webinar. You may review a recording of the webinar on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/4s_AjkKwMfY) . **After creating a report with table wizard, how can you modify the column group or values of the table wizard?** Once the table is created with the wizard, those can be edited by selecting internal elements (cells). **How do you compare values from the current year and last year in the same widget?** We have included the ability to add computed columns to the dataset being viewed. You can use that as a source. You can also use the notion of current vs target that is available with several widgets (though not directly suitable for comparison to a past year, it can be used to compare against a desired target). **Does the Syncfusion Dashboard Designer have an import data mode like PowerBI? Or some DAX syntax?** We don’t have direct DAX-like support. We do have multiple options for import, like simple import using the data designer. Joins, filters, computed columns, etc., are supported directly. We also have a very powerful Data Integration Platform that can handle pretty much any import scenario. It can be found [here](https://www.syncfusion.com/products/data-integration) . **How can I integrate Azure Active Directory B2C in Dashboard Server?** We can provide details through support. This is a first-class scenario for us. We use it internally, as do several customers. **“How many records can the Dashboard Designer handle from a SQL data source before needing to switch to a Big Data source?”.** You should be able to display several thousand detail rows. It depends on the client system and data connection, as well. **Does the Dashboard/Report Server work with predictive analytics results, e.g., PMML models?** Yes. **Is it possible for an authenticated user in my web application to access a dashboard without setting them up first in the Dashboard user manager?** We are still seeking this answer and will post it in a follow-up blog. **Is it possible to implement custom dashboard components?** Not yet. **Is it possible to “mix” the Report Server and the Dashboard Server?** They are hosted as separate instances. **Is there a timeline for implementing custom widgets?** We are still seeking this answer and will post it in a follow-up blog. **Does the web API data source support OAuth2 connections?** Yes, the web API data source supports OAuth2 connections for REST API-based sources. **Can I use a real-time stream as a data source?** The system relies on ANSI SQL queries to communicate with the back end. These are generated by the dashboard system. A real-time source that is compatible will work. Another option is to expose the data using web services. **Do dashboards automatically refresh and display the datastream as it comes in?** Yes, we have autorefresh settings for achieving this. It can be found [here](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-designer/refresh-dashboard) . **Do you support row level security based on user login?** This will work since the security context is shared with the back end. The back end ultimately enforces this. **Is it possible to email a copy of the report being viewed from the Report Viewer to myself?** Yes. **How do I email a copy of a report from the Report Viewer to myself?** The server interface allows for notification settings to be set. **Is it possible to deploy a report created with the Syncfusion designer to MS Report Server and vice versa?** Yes, the formats, with some minor differences, are compatible. **Can we ask for new widgets as polar (radar/spider) to be delivered within the application? Or any other type of charts?** Yes. We have at least four releases a year. We are always adding features. **What is the average time for including new widgets?** We are still seeking this answer and will post it in a follow-up blog. **You mentioned that the Report Dashboard can take data from sources besides databases. Can I, as a programmer, give the dashboard a dataset that I create in-memory?** Yes. You can expose a web service and make it work that way. Another option would be a SQL store that can be held in memory. **How do you apply a customer number or similar to a query for use in multitenant databases?** Please refer to this [link](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-designer/compose-dashboard/linking-urls-and-dashboards) for details on this and related scenarios. The key is the use of URL parameters. These can be understood by the system and used for filtering. Without creating a dashboard for each customer? This can be achieved through the [user-based filter](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-designer/compose-dashboard/configuring-user-based-filter/using-user-filter-window) with which, after publishing the dashboard to server, only the records that meet the criteria set for a specific user will be viewed based on the logged-in user. **Will calculation functions like % total of column, % total of rows, and so on be available?** Yes. These are available. **Is this in the help, or where can we find them?** Yes, functions are documented in the help, which can be found here: [help.syncfusion.com](https://help.syncfusion.com/) . **Are you planning to have a platform that we can use to see dashboards and reports together?** Yes, we are working on better integration. **How can I create a filter access where a sales person will see only their customers, but in the same dashboard as other sales managers?** We have the notion of group-based permission. Dashboards can be shared with specific groups. **How many servers, developers, and end users can we have in the community version?** There’s a five-developer limit. Please refer to the community license page for complete details. **Is it possible to integrate a specific dashboard using web services to embed the dashboard online in other solutions?** Yes. **Can we edit the grids and save data to a database?** No. The dashboard widgets are non-editable. This can be supported, however, programmatically (through Dashboard Platform SDK) through embedding a grid in a webpage and a dashboard in a separate div and establishing interaction between the grid and the widgets in the dashboard. **Can reports be integrated in dashboards?** They can be linked from dashboards with context. **Can you provide examples of advantages provided by your RDL editor and viewer components over the ones provided by Microsoft?** There aren’t many major technical differences. The key difference is licensing. With our solution, you get a free and clear distribution license. There is no requirement for your customers to license SQL Server or obtain CALs. Free and clear distribution. **Can a report act as a data source for a dashboard?** It should be possible. Ideally, the same data source should be used for both. **Is there a way to get these dashboards into an MVC application using the Report Viewer? We have Essential Studio® Enterprise Edition. Is the functionality being shown included with that edition?** You can directly display them using a browser from an MVC application. If you have Enterprise Edition, you have access to Dashboard, as well. **It sounds like we’re already licensed to use this. Where do I go to install the Report Server to my machine?** You can download the Report Server [here](https://www.syncfusion.com/support/directtrac/downloads/report/2_2_0_13) . It’s easiest to download directly from the Report Platform product page. **Can you please explain how to design these dashboards in UWP?** Dashboards can be designed only through the Dashboard Designer. But the created dashboard can be embedded in UWP applications. Here is a [sample](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-sdk/getting-started/dashboardsdk-uwp) walkthrough. **Can we move these dashboard widgets into a UWP app?** There is no design support within a UWP app. Designer is a standalone WPF app. **Can I use the same server (Virtual Machine) for the Dashboard and Reporting Servers?** Yes, if the server has enough resources, this should work. **Can I bind lists or collections from my MCV application to be used as a data source in my embedded reports? Or do I need to define a data source for the report always? Something like creating the data source on the fly.** Yes, this is supported directly. **Can we have designers embedded in an MVC application?** Designers in an MVC app will be coming later this year. **How can we edit axis names on a stacked column? I don’t see this option in Properties.** We are still seeking this answer and will post it in a follow-up blog. **Also, how can we edit the label names on a stacked column? I don’t see this option in Properties. I don’t want the (Distinct Count of ID) to show for every label.** We are still seeking this answer and will post it in a follow-up blog. **How can I use this with UWP?** Here is a [sample](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-sdk/getting-started/dashboardsdk-uwp) walkthrough about its possibilities through Dashboard Platform SDK. **We’re already licensed to use UWP controls. How can we work with the Dashboard Server in UWP?** Dashboards can be displayed using WebView. **Does it support web API?** Yes. **Can I use Dashboard with Windows applications?** Yes. End-user dashboards are viewed using a browser. They can also be embedded in any Windows Application.Dashboard viewer is a web component so we can render that in any platform using a web view. **Can we share dashboards with roles with others?** We have groups in the Dashboard Server and you can make use of groups to [share](https://help.syncfusion.com/dashboard-platform/dashboard-server/administration/manage-groups) dashboards. **Can we apply alerts in dashboard?** Yes. The server supports this. This is possible through configuring alerts in Dashboard Server.