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Full Dashboard Widget entry
How-to guide

How to add a widget to a Lightning dashboard

Add a widget to a Lightning Experience dashboard. You need the Run Reports and Create and Customize Dashboards permissions, and the source report must already exist in a folder the dashboard viewers can open.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated Jun 16, 2026

Add a widget to a Lightning Experience dashboard. You need the Run Reports and Create and Customize Dashboards permissions, and the source report must already exist in a folder the dashboard viewers can open.

  1. Open the dashboard in edit mode

    From the Dashboards tab, open the dashboard and click Edit, or click New Dashboard to start fresh. The drag and drop editor opens with the existing widgets, if any.

  2. Add a widget and pick the source report

    Click + Widget, then select the source report that holds the data. Each widget reads from exactly one report, so choose the report whose rows answer the question this tile should show.

  3. Choose the display type

    Pick a chart, gauge, metric, or table. Use a bar chart to compare categories, a line chart for trends, a gauge for progress to a target, and a metric for one headline number.

  4. Configure axis, grouping, and sort

    Set the X and Y values or the measure, choose groupings, set units and decimals, and pick a sort order. Optionally inherit chart settings from the report, then click Add.

  5. Arrange, set the running user, and save

    Resize and position the widget on the grid. Under Properties, set View Dashboard As for static or dynamic behavior, then click Save and Done.

Source reportrequired

The single report that feeds the widget. It must exist and sit in a folder the running user can access.

Display typerequired

The visual format: chart (bar, line, donut, funnel, scatter), gauge, metric, or table.

Measure or groupingrequired

The value to plot and how to group it, such as Sum of Amount grouped by Stage.

Titlerequired

A clear label so viewers know what the tile shows without opening the report.

Gotchas
  • A widget reads one report only. To blend data from two reports, build a third report or use CRM Analytics instead.
  • A dashboard filter only works on widgets whose source report contains the filtered field. Others ignore it silently.
  • Widgets show last refresh data, not live data. Schedule a refresh that matches how the dashboard is used.
  • Dynamic dashboards are capped per org by edition and cannot be scheduled to refresh automatically.

See the full Dashboard Widget entry

Dashboard Widget includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.