Configure a SmartBoard

SmartBoards are CORAS's bi-directional decision dashboards — interactive views that don't just display data but let users drill into detail, make updates, and send changes back to the system of record. Unlike static dashboards that stop at insight, SmartBoards are built for action: leadership can review status, adjust values, add commentary, and trigger workflows without leaving the screen. Gary can also create and edit SmartBoard dashboards using natural language, generating purpose-built visualizations aligned to how your team decides.

Why This Matters

• Static BI dashboards tell you what happened. SmartBoards let you act on it — in the same view, without exporting, without switching tools.

• One SmartBoard can serve an entire leadership chain. What the flag officer sees and what the program analyst sees can come from the same dashboard, configured for their level of detail.

• Gary can build a SmartBoard from a conversation. Describe what you want to see and Gary generates it — no configuration required on your end.

The SmartBoard feature allows users to build dynamic dashboards that visualize key performance indicators (KPIs), track metrics, and support real-time decision-making across mission programs. SmartBoards are highly customizable and support the display of lists, charts, and models within structured dashboard layouts.

What You Can Do with SmartBoards

• Create live dashboards tailored to mission performance

• Model tradeoffs with What-If scenarios

• Visualize SmartList data, Driver Trees, Gantt timelines, and more in one view

• Apply cascading filters so leadership drills from portfolio to program to item without leaving the dashboard

• Let Gary generate and edit dashboards using natural language

Access SmartBoard Configuration

1. Navigate to the node or collection of your choice

2. Click SmartBoard under the name of your collection or node (top left)

3. Click the gear icon in the top right to open Dashboard Configuration

This is where you can build a new SmartBoard or make edits to existing ones.

Create a New SmartBoard

1. Select the Dashboards tab (top right)

2. Click the blue + icon to begin creating a dashboard

3. Choose a layout:

   • Select a pre-designed layout for speed, or

   • Click Add Layout (top right) to create a custom one

Create a Custom Layout

1. Enter a name for your layout

2. Use the two green buttons to split boxes:

   • Left button — splits vertically

   • Right button — splits horizontally

3. Continue splitting boxes to create your preferred layout

4. When complete, click:

   • Save to Layouts — to save to your layout library, or

   • Save and Apply Layout — to use it immediately

Add Dashboard Assets

After selecting a layout, go to the Assets tab. Select from available asset templates to add to your dashboard.

SmartList Asset

Displays existing SmartList data and associated charts.

1. Select SmartList from Available Assets (left panel)

2. Configure:

   • List Configuration — select the list to display

   • View Configuration — select the view if applicable

   • List Version — choose Live Data or What-If

3. Click Save

4. Click the Add Asset icon and select the dashboard box where the asset will appear

If the selected view includes associated charts, they appear under Child Assets. Click the Add Asset icon next to each chart and select where it should appear. Multiple assets can be placed in a single box or spread across different boxes.

SmartGantt Asset

1. Select SmartGantt under Available Assets.

2. In the Gantt Configuration dropdown, select the desired Gantt.

3. Click Save.

4. Click the Add Asset icon, then assign it to a box in your layout.

Quad Chart Asset

A four-panel chart with connected assets. Selecting Quad Chart overrides any custom layout you were building — configure your other assets first if needed.

1. Select Quad Chart as your asset option

2. Select the SmartList List Configuration from the dropdown

3. View Configuration is optional

4. Click Save

5. Click the Add Asset icon next to each connected asset to populate the quad chart boxes. You may add:

   • List Item Selector

   • List Item Detail

   • Image Attachment

   • List Item Field

Driver Tree Asset

1. A configurable visual model of metric dependencies.

   1. Select Driver Tree from Available Assets

   2. Configure:

      • List

      • List Version (Live or What-If)

      • Parent Field

      • Item ID Field

      • Title Field

      • KPI Field (optional)

      • KPI Border Field (optional)

   3. Click Save, then Add Asset to assign it to a box

Animated Line Chart Asset

1. Select Animated Line Chart.

2. Configure:

   • List

   • List Version

   • X-Axis Field

   • Y-Axis Field

   • Toggle Multi-line Chart if applicable.

3. Click Save, then use the Add Asset icon to assign it to a box.

Add an Advanced Custom Chart (Optional)

For specialized visualization needs that standard asset templates don't cover. Uses Vega-Lite JSON specifications.

1. Add Advanced Custom Chart to the layout and name the asset

2. Click the gear icon next to the asset name to open the chart configuration

3. Paste your Vega-Lite JSON code into the Chart Spec window

4. Highlight and copy the "values" section from the JSON

5. In the Chart Datasources panel (left side), click Add Source

6. Select Static Data, name the data source, and paste the copied values under Transform

7. Click Update, then Apply Changes

8. Return to Dashboard Configuration and click Load to preview the chart

Example snippet for Chart Spec:

{
  "title": "Overall Assessment Summary",
  "width": 1200,
  "height": 120,
  "data": {
    "values": [
      {
        "metric": "Overall NLBM Score",
        "value": "84.5/100",
        "status": "Top 15% of cohort",
        "color": "#2ca02c"
      }
    ]
  },
  "mark": {
    "type": "rect",
    "height": 25
  },
  "encoding": {
    "y": {
      "field": "metric",
      "type": "nominal"
    },
    "color": {
      "field": "color",
      "type": "nominal"
    },
    "tooltip": [
      { "field": "metric" },
      { "field": "value" },
      { "field": "status" }
    ]
  }
}

Need help visualizing the steps? Please refer to the SmartBoards — Advanced Custom Chart Example document.

Save & Preview Your Dashboard

1. Click the green Save button (above Available Assets) to apply changes.

2. Click the blue Load button to view your dashboard.

Clicking Load also auto-saves the dashboard configuration.

Add Filters to Your SmartBoard

1. Toggle on Enable List Filters

2. Click the filter icon that appears on the left side

Create List Filters

1. Name the filter

2. Select:

   • List

   • List Version

   • Display Fields (multi-select)

   • View Configuration (optional)

3. Click Update

You can add multiple list filters, column filters, and cascading filters.

Cascading Filters

A cascading filter is a structured filter setup where each level depends on the selection made at the level above — useful for drilling from portfolio to program to item without leaving the dashboard.

Example hierarchy: Group → Department → Division → Branch

Selecting a Group limits Department options. Selecting a Department limits Division options, and so on.

Cascading logic applies only to List Filters. Column Filters apply within a single list and act independently. Use the eye icon to toggle field visibility within the filter panel.

Advanced Options

In the top-right of the Dashboard Configuration screen:

• Click on the Advanced tab to manage global dashboard settings.

• Set the default dashboard.

• Toggle flyout display options on or off.

Changes in this tab are saved independently of dashboard configuration.

Views Tab

Next to the Advanced tab, the Views tab lets you create new SmartBoard views and save unique configurations for quick access and reusability.

Next Step

Need a specialized visualization? See SmartBoards — Advanced Custom Charts →

Get Help

Contact your Customer Success Manager or visit the Customer Resource Center for additional support with SmartBoard configuration.