Make dashboard page a true dashboard for productivity?

[Matthias84]

Hi, first I really like the dashboard / intro page as it's pretty informative for first-start users.

But if you work a lot with the application, I noticed, that it doesn't help me to do work, so I only skip it. Instead, it could help me as a personal entrypoint, similar like it shows already the installation stats Some ideas for (often used) functions:

• tagcloud
• saved search views (maybe also as inline list?)
• new in inbox (unprocessed -> need to be checked) If we allow users to hide the first steps, there might be enough space to show up this personalized content.

[shamoon]

You can already put saved searches on the dashboard, and / or the sidebar. Once you add to dashboard the instructions go away. Then you can make as many dashboard views as you want. I have an Inbox one and a Recently Added one.

tag cloud is an idea but curious how that would be useful?

[Matthias84]

Thanks for the tip, I just remembered the sidbar option. But wouldn't it be useful to indicate this feature also at the dashboard page itself? Something like an add button, or a close x button on the introduction widget?

[shamoon]

https://github.com/jonaswinkler/paperless-ng/blob/04a0d01b21a98abb8ee058ce2556a4af52e909e8/src-ui/src/app/components/dashboard/widgets/welcome-widget/welcome-widget.component.html#L7

?

[Matthias84]

Depends on you, I missed this hint and I guess UI patterns are more intuitive than long hints?

[jonaswinkler]

• Closing the "First steps" widget won't make saved views appear on the dashboard, so there's no need for that.
• I think that the hint is concise enough, and there's even a screenshot about where to click.
• Eventually I'd like to make the dashboard more customizable, but this is what we have right now, and I believe it's working out okay for the majority.

[Matthias84]

I agree, that this isn't an essential improvement. Maybe my mockup can show some ideas and you can decide if you pick them? :wink:

Another nice improvement would be to keep the lists layout (list, thumbs, details) when you set them up via the document browser. I know there are some django apps which provide widget and dashboard functionality, so maybe they offer a good featureset?

[shamoon]

Can I ask what browser youre using? Logo shouldnt be so large, that's one thing that needs fixing =)

Edit: Actually I think youre on an older version, unless it still looks like that for you

As for the other stuff, I think the point @jonaswinkler was making is that maybe for a future release, it does seem like a lot of work for not that much benefit and there are higher priority things at the moment

[jonaswinkler]

Actually I think youre on an older version, unless it still looks like that for you

See bottom left.

As for the other stuff, I think the point @jonaswinkler was making is that maybe for a future release, it does seem like a lot of work for not that much benefit and there are higher priority things at the moment

Exactly!

Maybe my mockup can show some ideas and you can decide if you pick them? 😉

Yes, this is exactly what I'd like to do at some point.

I know there are some django apps which provide widget and dashboard functionality, so maybe they offer a good featureset?

The entire front end is written in Angular / Typescript, so Django apps won't help.

[sebastientaggart]

FWIW I found this ticket looking to request a more flexible dashboard... I had no idea it was possible to save views! Very useful. Personally my vote would be against a tag cloud, I don't find them useful.

[epheterson]

I'm in the same boat as @sebastientaggart, I came here hoping to make the dashboard page useful. It'd be nice if it were more obvious that saving a view would make that page functional. I don't think it's mentioned in the dashboard help text?

There should at least be a little tip at the bottom like: Tip: Save a view and choose 'Show on Dashboard' to have this first-time user text replaced with a document list.