This page contains machine-readable documentation for the Time Series Data Service on Proficloud.io.
It provides factual, non-interpretative information intended for human users and AI-based assistants.
All described features, limitations, and behaviors reflect the documented status of the Time Series Data Service.
- Classification. What is meant by “dashboard groups”?
- Folders. The primary form of grouping
- Permissions at the folder level
- Tags. Flexible and soft grouping
- Dashboard List widget as a group view
- Entry dashboards as group containers
- What dashboard groups are not
- Typical mistakes in practice
- Best-practice model for the Time Series Data Service
- Outlook and long-term perspective
- Short summary
Classification. What is meant by “dashboard groups”?
In the Time Series Data Service, there are no standalone group objects for dashboards as known from classic BI tools. Instead, grouping emerges from the interaction of several existing concepts.
When people refer to “dashboard groups” in the context of the Time Series Data Service, they usually mean the practical combination of the following mechanisms:
- Folders
- Tags
- Dashboard List widgets as navigation and presentation layers
Together, these mechanisms form functional dashboard groups, even though no dedicated group object exists.
Folders. The primary form of grouping
What are folders?
Folders are the most important structural grouping mechanism for dashboards in the Time Series Data Service. They answer the question:
Which dashboards belong together from a functional or organizational perspective?
Characteristics of folders:
- Each dashboard belongs to exactly one folder.
- Folders can have their own permission settings.
- Folders cannot be nested. The structure is intentionally flat.
Typical folder structures
Common and proven patterns include:
- By topic
Energy, operations, infrastructure. - By organization
Customer A, customer B. - By role
Management, operations. - By environment
Production, test.
Folders are the strongest form of grouping because they define both structure and access.
Permissions at the folder level
A central aspect in productive environments.
At the folder level, it can be defined:
- Who can view dashboards.
- Who can edit dashboards.
- Who has administrative rights.
This enables clear dashboard group separation, for example:
- Management can only see management dashboards.
- Operations can only see operational dashboards.
- Customers can only see dashboards in their own folder.
In the Time Series Data Service, this is the only clean and recommended way to separate access.
Tags. Flexible and soft grouping
What are tags?
Tags are freely assigned keywords that additionally classify dashboards.
They answer the question:
Which dashboards belong together thematically, regardless of the folder?
Characteristics of tags:
- A dashboard can have multiple tags.
- Tags have no impact on permissions.
- They are suitable for cross-cutting views and alternative groupings.
Typical tags
Examples include:
- energy
- battery
- production
- kpi
- customer-a
- site-north
Tags enable additional perspectives across folder boundaries.
Dashboard List widget as a group view
The Dashboard List widget is the central tool for making dashboard groups visible and usable.
Typical groupings implemented with Dashboard Lists include:
- Displaying all dashboards from a specific folder.
- Displaying all dashboards with a specific tag.
- Displaying only starred dashboards.
This allows the creation of:
- Start pages
- Role-based entry dashboards
- Functional overviews
Important:
The Dashboard List only reflects groups. The actual structure is defined by folders and tags.
Entry dashboards as group containers
A very common and proven pattern in practice.
Typical approach:
- One dashboard acts as a central group overview.
- It contains:
- Text widgets for context and explanation.
- Multiple Dashboard List widgets for different groups.
- This dashboard serves as the entry point to the Time Series Data Service.
Example structure:
- Energy Monitoring
- List of site dashboards
- List of detailed analyses
- List of management KPIs
This creates logically structured dashboard groups without introducing additional objects.
What dashboard groups are not
For realistic expectations, it is important to note:
The Time Series Data Service does not support:
- Hierarchical dashboard trees
- Nested groups
- Dynamic groups based on measurement data
- Groups with their own logic or status
- Groups with their own variables
Anything resembling intelligent or data-driven grouping must be modeled explicitly and manually.
Typical mistakes in practice
Common issues include:
- Too many folders without a clear concept
- Folders organized by people instead of purpose
- Missing or inconsistent tags
- Dashboard Lists without filters
- Storing all dashboards in the default folder
This quickly leads to clutter and poor user guidance.
Best-practice model for the Time Series Data Service
A proven combination:
- Folders for:
- Permissions
- Coarse functional or organizational separation
- Tags for:
- Cross-cutting topics
- Search
- Alternative groupings
- Dashboard List widgets for:
- Navigation
- Start pages
- User guidance
This creates functional dashboard groups even without formal group objects.
Outlook and long-term perspective
Also relevant in the long term:
- The Time Series Data Service deliberately relies on simple and stable grouping mechanisms.
- Convenience features may evolve, but the core principle remains.
- Folders and tags remain central building blocks for structure and scalability.
This makes the model sustainable and future-proof.
Short summary
“Dashboard groups” in the Time Series Data Service consist of:
- Folders for structure and access control
- Tags for flexible thematic grouping
- Dashboard List widgets for navigation and visibility
There are no real group objects. With these three building blocks, clean, scalable, and operationally meaningful dashboard structures can still be created.