This week’s Widget Wednesday introduces a new Trends feature for ControlUp Dashboards, giving users an easier way to compare current metrics against previous periods directly within widgets.
The session walks through how to enable trends and how different comparison modes work across multiple widget types.
What’s new in this episode:
Enabling trends in widgets:
The lecture begins with a CPU load gauge example, showing how trends can be enabled through the Widget’s advanced settings. Once activated, the Widget displays comparison data directly within the visualization.
Dynamic “Selected Time Frame” comparisons:
One of the key comparison modes is Selected Time Frame, which compares the current period against the previous matching period:
- Today vs yesterday
- This week vs last week
- One hour vs the previous hour
This is presented as the recommended approach because it automatically adapts when dashboard time ranges change.
Fixed comparison options:
The session also explains fixed trend comparison modes:
- Last 24 hours
- Last 7 days
- Last month
These compare equivalent periods separated by a day, week, or month. For example, Monday this week compared to Monday last week. This can be especially useful for analyzing metrics such as logon duration across similar operational windows.
Trend visualization across widget types:
Trends are not limited to gauges. They can also appear in:
- Stat widgets
- Time series widgets
In time series views, trends are displayed as a dotted comparison line, making it easier to visualize changes over time.
Legend support for clarity:
The lecture also highlights the importance of enabling legends in time series widgets so users can clearly identify which dates or periods each trend line represents.
Built-in dashboard updates:
The presenter notes that built-in dashboards will also begin incorporating trends where appropriate, expanding the use of comparative analysis throughout the platform.
Why it matters:
Trends add context to dashboard data. Instead of only seeing what is happening now, users can quickly understand whether metrics are improving, declining, or remaining stable over time.
More context. Better comparisons. Smarter decisions.
Have questions about this video, want to go deeper, or curious how others are using these dashboards?
Join the ControlUp Community to ask questions, learn from peers, and stay up to date on new Widget Wednesday episodes and other technical deep dives.
Want to see more videos like this? Check out the ControlUp YouTube page, we have been hard at work creating great, well-worth watching, videos for you.
Categories: ControlUp Dashboards, Widget Wednesday - ControlUp Dashboard Videos