A chart of solar production, a building’s consumption or the temperature in different rooms can tell you a lot about an installation. But to understand what is happening, you need to see that data in an organised way.
With Adquio Analytics, you can create a dashboard and adapt it to what you need to check. You choose which information to display, how to arrange it and which visualisation makes it easier to interpret.
Let’s see how to get started.
1. Create your dashboard and give it a name
The first step is to click Create dashboard and choose a name that describes its contents: “Building consumption”, “HVAC” or “Solar production”, for example.
A clear name makes it easier to find when you have several dashboards. You can dedicate each one to an installation, an area or a specific objective.
When you create it, you will have an initial blank panel, ready to start adding information.
2. Organise the space your way
Every installation has its own needs. Sometimes you want to highlight a single chart; at other times, you need to compare several measurements on the same screen.
In edit mode, you can split the space horizontally or vertically to create new panels. Then adjust their sizes by dragging the dividers.
For example, you can reserve a large area for consumption trends and place indicators alongside it with the values you want to check at a glance. You can also place two charts side by side to compare their behaviour.
To access a panel’s options, right-click it. On a touchscreen, press and hold the panel to open the menu.
3. Choose what you want to display
A dashboard can combine different types of content:
- Charts, to observe trends and compare variables.
- Tables, to examine values in greater detail.
- Indicators, to highlight a measurement.
- Text and images, to identify areas, explain data or provide context.
The key is to choose the format that best answers each question. A chart helps you understand when consumption increases; an indicator lets you check a temperature quickly; a table makes it easier to review several values.
Not every panel needs to be the same. You can combine formats within a single dashboard.
4. Select your data
To configure a visualisation, use the guided selector and choose the variables you want to display.
You can add several series to a chart to compare their trends. For example, displaying solar production alongside electricity consumption lets you see when they coincide and when they diverge.
You can also give series more descriptive names to make the dashboard easy to interpret.
If you need to prepare a specific query, Adquio Analytics also has an SQL mode for advanced users.
5. Find the right visualisation
The chart gallery lets you explore different representations and preview them before applying your choice.
Think first about what you want to communicate:
- To track a measurement over time, use a trend chart.
- To compare values, choose a representation that makes the differences easy to see.
- To highlight a value, use an indicator.
- To review detailed information, use a table.
A good visualisation helps people understand the data without having to explain every element on the screen.
6. Adjust the period and explore what is happening
The same dashboard can be used to check what is happening now or review an installation’s behaviour during an earlier period.
Select the time range you are interested in and use the charts’ zoom function to examine a segment in greater detail.
This is useful for investigating questions such as:
- What time did an increase in consumption begin?
- How did the temperature change overnight?
- Did the use of a device coincide with a change in demand?
- What differences were there between two days?
The dashboard becomes a tool for exploring information as well as displaying it.
7. Save and start using it
Once you have finished arranging the panels and configuring their content, save your changes.
Your dashboard will be ready to use and develop further. You can edit it again whenever your needs change: add a variable, adjust a chart or reorganise the space.
You can also duplicate a dashboard to use its design as a starting point for another view. This lets you build on the work you have already done and maintain a consistent layout.
An example: a home’s energy use
Imagine a dashboard for a home with solar panels and a battery. You could organise it with:
- A main chart comparing solar production and consumption.
- An indicator showing the battery’s state of charge.
- A chart showing energy imported from and exported to the grid.
- Text identifying the installation and explaining the data shown.
With this layout, you can see how the energy balance changes throughout the day and identify periods you need to examine more closely.
The same approach can be adapted to HVAC, lighting or consumption monitoring in other types of installations.
Start with a question
To create a useful dashboard, start by deciding what you need to know. Then select the variables that answer that question and give them space on the screen.
With Adquio Analytics, you can build that view step by step, from a blank panel to a dashboard tailored to your installation.
Create your first dashboard and start seeing your data more clearly.
