# Dashboards: widgets, running user and refresh

*Platform Administrator Study Guide · Data and Analytics Management · Last updated September 26, 2026 · https://certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator/data-and-analytics-management/dashboards-components-running-user-and-refresh*

Build Lightning dashboards from source reports and widgets, choose chart, gauge, metric or table, add dashboard filters, pick a static or dynamic running user within edition limits, and keep data current with refresh and subscriptions.

- Certification: Salesforce Platform Administrator
- Exam section: Data and Analytics Management
- Study guide: https://certifyforce.com/study-guide/platform-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> Describe the options available when creating and modifying dashboards (for example: dashboard widgets, data sources, chart types/settings, subscribing, dynamic dashboard, org licensing limits, view dashboard as, schedule refresh, filters).

## What the exam expects

- Build a dashboard from source reports and pick the right widget (chart type, gauge, metric, table) for a business question.
- Choose between a dashboard filter, a static running user and a dynamic dashboard when one dashboard must serve several audiences.
- Apply the limits and restrictions of dynamic dashboards, including the per-edition cap, no scheduled refresh, no subscription and no private folder.
- Keep dashboard data current with manual refresh, subscriptions and (in Salesforce Classic) scheduled refresh, and explain why a dashboard can disagree with its report.
- Know the permissions for creating dashboards, filtering them and letting viewers change whose data they see.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Source reports per widget | Exactly one; widgets can use different reports | [Build a Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=dashboards_create_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Widget types | Chart, gauge, metric, table, text, image | [Build a Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=dashboards_create_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Widgets per dashboard | Up to 25, max 20 charts and tables | [Dashboard Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=rd_reports_dashboards_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Dashboard filters | 5 per dashboard, 50 values per filter | [Filter a Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboard_filters_overview.htm&type=5), [Dashboard Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=rd_reports_dashboards_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Filters in emails | Not applied to subscription or scheduled emails | [Filter a Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboard_filters_overview.htm&type=5), [Schedule a Dashboard Refresh](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_schedule_refresh.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Dynamic dashboard cap | Enterprise 5, Unlimited and Performance 10, Developer 3 | [Dynamic Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_dynamic_overview.htm&type=5) |
| Dynamic dashboard refresh | Manual only, no subscription | [Dynamic Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_dynamic_overview.htm&type=5) |
| Dynamic dashboard folder | Not a private folder | [Dynamic Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_dynamic_overview.htm&type=5) |
| Choose running user | View My Team's Dashboards or View All Data | [Dashboard Data Visibility](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_view_as.htm&type=5) |
| Refresh cooldown | Refresh within 1 minute of the last is ignored | [Refresh Dashboard Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_refresh.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Lightning scheduled refresh | Through a dashboard subscription | [Subscribe to Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_subscribe_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Subscriptions per user | 15 dashboards in Unlimited, 7 elsewhere | [Dashboard Limits](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=rd_reports_dashboards_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- When would you use a gauge rather than a metric widget? → When one value must be shown against a target with breakpoint ranges; a metric shows one key value as a large number ([Dashboard Widgets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_components_edit_lex.htm&type=5))
- Why can two managers opening the same dashboard see different totals? → It runs as the dashboard viewer (dynamic), so each sees their own data; a specified running user would show identical totals ([Dashboard Data Visibility](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_view_as.htm&type=5))
- Which permissions let a viewer see a dashboard as someone else, and whose views can each one reach? → View My Team's Dashboards reaches anyone below in the role hierarchy, View All Data anyone, and the dashboard must let viewers choose ([Dashboard Data Visibility](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_view_as.htm&type=5))
- What are three things you can't do with a dynamic dashboard that you can do with a static one? → Schedule its refresh, subscribe to it, or save it in a private folder ([Dynamic Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_dynamic_overview.htm&type=5))
- How do you refresh a Lightning dashboard on a schedule without emailing anyone? → Create a dashboard subscription and clear "Receive new results by email when dashboard is refreshed" ([Subscribe to Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_subscribe_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5))

## Sources

- [Build a Lightning Experience Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=dashboards_create_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Edit and Customize Lightning Experience Dashboard Widgets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_components_edit_lex.htm&type=5)
- [Dynamic Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_dynamic_overview.htm&type=5)
- [Configure Dashboard Data Visibility in Lightning Experience](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboards_view_as.htm&type=5)
- [Filter a Dashboard](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?language=en_US&id=analytics.dashboard_filters_overview.htm&type=5)
- [Refresh Dashboard Data](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_refresh.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Subscribe to Dashboards in Lightning Experience](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_subscribe_lex.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Schedule a Dashboard Refresh in Salesforce Classic](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.dashboards_schedule_refresh.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Reports and Dashboards Limits and Allocations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=rd_reports_dashboards_limits.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 10 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Platform Administrator pack (USD $19): https://certifyforce.com/practice-exams