---
aliases:
  - ../../../dashboards/build-dashboards/add-organize-panels/ # /docs/grafana/next/dashboards/build-dashboards/add-organize-panels/
  - ../../../dashboards/build-dashboards/create-dashboard/ # /docs/grafana/next/dashboards/build-dashboards/create-dashboard/
keywords:
  - panel
  - dashboard
  - create
labels:
  products:
    - cloud
    - enterprise
    - oss
menuTitle: Create a dashboard
title: Create a dashboard
description: Create and edit a dashboard
weight: 1
refs:
  built-in-special-data-sources:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/datasources/#special-data-sources
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/connect-externally-hosted/data-sources/#special-data-sources
  visualization-specific-options:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/visualizations/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/visualizations/
  configure-standard-options:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-standard-options/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-standard-options/
  configure-value-mappings:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-value-mappings/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-value-mappings/
  generative-ai-features:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/dashboards/manage-dashboards/#set-up-generative-ai-features-for-dashboards
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/dashboards/manage-dashboards/#set-up-generative-ai-features-for-dashboards
  configure-thresholds:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-thresholds/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-thresholds/
  data-sources:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/datasources/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/connect-externally-hosted/data-sources/
  add-a-data-source:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/datasources/#add-a-data-source
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/datasources/#add-a-data-source
  about-users-and-permissions:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/administration/roles-and-permissions/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/administration/roles-and-permissions/
  visualizations-options:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/visualizations/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/panels-visualizations/visualizations/
  configure-repeating-panels:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-panel-options/#configure-repeating-panels
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-panel-options/#configure-repeating-panels
  override-field-values:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-overrides/
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/configure-overrides/
  saved-queries:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/query-transform-data/#saved-queries
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/query-transform-data/#saved-queries
  save-query:
    - pattern: /docs/grafana/
      destination: /docs/grafana/<GRAFANA_VERSION>/visualizations/panels-visualizations/query-transform-data/#save-a-query
    - pattern: /docs/grafana-cloud/
      destination: /docs/grafana-cloud/visualizations/panels-visualizations/query-transform-data/#save-a-query
---

## Create a dashboard

{{< admonition type="note" >}}
For information on the new dynamic dashboards editing experience, refer to the [next version of the Grafana OSS documentation](https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/next/visualizations/dashboards/build-dashboards/create-dashboard/).
{{< /admonition >}}

Dashboards and panels allow you to show your data in visual form. Each panel needs at least one query to display a visualization.

**Before you begin:**

- Ensure that you have the proper permissions. For more information about permissions, refer to [About users and permissions](ref:about-users-and-permissions).
- Identify the dashboard to which you want to add the panel.
- Understand the query language of the target data source.
- Ensure that data source for which you are writing a query has been added. For more information about adding a data source, refer to [Add a data source](ref:add-a-data-source) if you need instructions.

To create a dashboard, follow these steps:

{{< shared id="create-dashboard" >}}

1. Click **Dashboards** in the main menu.
1. Click **New** and select **New Dashboard**.
1. On the empty dashboard, click **+ Add visualization**.

   ![Empty dashboard state](/media/docs/grafana/dashboards/empty-dashboard-10.2.png)

{{< /shared >}}

1. In the dialog box that opens, do one of the following:
   - Select one of your existing data sources.
   - Select one of the Grafana [built-in special data sources](ref:built-in-special-data-sources).
   - Click **Configure a new data source** to set up a new one (Admins only).

   {{< figure class="float-right"  src="/media/docs/grafana/dashboards/screenshot-data-source-selector-10.0.png" max-width="800px" alt="Select data source modal" >}}

   The **Edit panel** view opens with your data source selected.
   You can change the panel data source later using the drop-down in the **Queries** tab of the panel editor if needed.

   For more information about data sources, refer to [Data sources](ref:data-sources) for specific guidelines.

1. To create a query, do one of the following:
   - Write or construct a query in the query language of your data source.
   - Open the **Saved queries** drop-down menu and click **Replace query** to reuse a [saved query](ref:saved-queries).

1. (Optional) To [save the query](ref:save-query) for reuse, open the **Saved queries** drop-down menu and click the **Save query** option.
1. Click **Refresh** to query the data source.
1. (Optional) To add subsequent queries, click **+ Add query** or **+ Add from saved queries**, and refresh the data source as many times as needed.

   {{< admonition type="note" >}}
   [Saved queries](ref:saved-queries) is currently in [public preview](https://grafana.com/docs/release-life-cycle/) in Grafana Enterprise and Grafana Cloud only.
   {{< /admonition >}}

1. In the visualization list, select a visualization type.

   ![Visualization selector](/media/docs/grafana/dashboards/screenshot-select-visualization-11-2.png)

   Grafana displays a preview of your query results with the visualization applied.

   For more information about individual visualizations, refer to [Visualizations options](ref:visualizations-options).

1. Under **Panel options**, enter a title and description for your panel or have Grafana create them using [generative AI features](ref:generative-ai-features).
1. Refer to the following documentation for ways you can adjust panel settings.

   While not required, most visualizations need some adjustment before they properly display the information that you need.
   - [Configure value mappings](ref:configure-value-mappings)
   - [Visualization-specific options](ref:visualization-specific-options)
   - [Override field values](ref:override-field-values)
   - [Configure thresholds](ref:configure-thresholds)
   - [Configure standard options](ref:configure-standard-options)

1. When you've finished editing your panel, click **Save dashboard**.

   Alternatively, click **Back to dashboard** if you want to see your changes applied to the dashboard first. Then click **Save dashboard** when you're ready.

1. Enter a title and description for your dashboard or have Grafana create them using [generative AI features](ref:generative-ai-features).
1. Select a folder, if applicable.
1. Click **Save**.
1. To add more panels to the dashboard, click **Back to dashboard**.
   Then click **Add** in the dashboard header and select **Visualization** in the drop-down.

   ![Add drop-down](/media/docs/grafana/dashboards/screenshot-add-dropdown-11.2.png)

   When you add additional panels to the dashboard, you're taken straight to the **Edit panel** view.

1. When you've saved all the changes you want to make to the dashboard, click **Exit edit**.

   Now, when you want to make more changes to the saved dashboard, click **Edit** in the top-right corner.

### Begin dashboard creation from data source configuration

You can start the process of creating a dashboard directly from a data source rather than from the **Dashboards** page.

To begin building a dashboard directly from a data source, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to **Connections > Data sources**.
1. On the row of the data source for which you want to build a dashboard, click **Build a dashboard**.

   The empty dashboard page opens.

1. Do one of the following:
   - Click **+Add visualization** to configure all the elements of the new dashboard.
   - Select one of the suggested dashboards by clicking its **Use dashboard** button. This can be helpful when you're not sure how to most effectively visualize your data.
     The suggested dashboards are specific to your data source type (for example, Prometheus, Loki, or Elasticsearch). If there are more than three dashboard suggestions, you can click **View all** to see the rest of them.

   ![Empty dashboard with add visualization and suggested dashboard options](/media/docs/grafana/dashboards/screenshot-suggested-dashboards-v12.3.png)

   {{< docs/public-preview product="Suggested dashboards" >}}

1. Complete the rest of the dashboard configuration. For more detailed steps, refer to [Create a dashboard](#create-a-dashboard), beginning at step five.

## Copy a dashboard

To copy a dashboard, follow these steps:

1. Click **Dashboards** in the main menu.
1. Open the dashboard you want to copy.
1. Click **Edit** in top-right corner.
1. Click the **Save dashboard** drop-down and select **Save as copy**.
1. (Optional) Specify the name, folder, description, and whether or not to copy the original dashboard tags for the copied dashboard.

   By default, the copied dashboard has the same name as the original dashboard with the word "Copy" appended and is in the same folder.

1. Click **Save**.

## Configure repeating rows

You can configure Grafana to dynamically add panels or rows to a dashboard based on the value of a variable. Variables dynamically change your queries across all rows in a dashboard. For more information about repeating panels, refer to [Configure repeating panels](ref:configure-repeating-panels).

To see an example of repeating rows, refer to [Dashboard with repeating rows](https://play.grafana.org/d/000000153/repeat-rows). The example shows that you can also repeat rows if you have variables set with `Multi-value` or `Include all values` selected.

**Before you begin:**

- Ensure that the query includes a multi-value variable.

**To configure repeating rows:**

1. Click **Dashboards** in the main menu.
1. Navigate to the dashboard you want to work on.
1. At the top of the dashboard, click **Add** and select **Row** in the drop-down.

   If the dashboard is empty, you can click the **+ Add row** button in the middle of the dashboard.

1. Hover over the row title and click the cog icon.
1. In the **Row Options** dialog box, add a title and select the variable for which you want to add repeating rows.
1. Click **Update**.

To provide context to dashboard users, add the variable to the row title.

### Repeating rows and the Dashboard special data source

If a row includes panels using the special [Dashboard data source](ref:built-in-special-data-sources)&mdash;the data source that uses a result set from another panel in the same dashboard&mdash;then corresponding panels in repeated rows will reference the panel in the original row, not the ones in the repeated rows.

For example, in a dashboard:

- `Row 1` includes `Panel 1A` and `Panel 1B`
- `Panel 1B` uses the results from `Panel 1A` by way of the `-- Dashboard --` data source
- Repeating row, `Row 2`, includes `Panel 2A` and `Panel 2B`
- `Panel 2B` references `Panel 1A`, not `Panel 2A`

## Move a panel

You can place a panel on a dashboard in any location.

1. Click **Dashboards** in the main menu.
1. Navigate to the dashboard you want to work on.
1. Click **Edit** in the top-right corner.
1. Click the panel title and drag the panel to the new location.
1. Click **Save dashboard**.
1. (Optional) Enter a description of the changes you've made.
1. Click **Save**.
1. Click **Exit edit**.

## Resize a panel

You can size a dashboard panel to suits your needs.

1. Click **Dashboards** in the main menu.
1. Navigate to the dashboard you want to work on.
1. Click **Edit** in the top-right corner.
1. To adjust the size of the panel, click and drag the lower-right corner of the panel.
1. Click **Save dashboard**.
1. (Optional) Enter a description of the changes you've made.
1. Click **Save**.
1. Click **Exit edit**.
