Introduction to Dashboards & Analytics

The Dashboards & Analytics feature is exclusive to the BambooHR Elite package. It enables users to visualize and analyze HR data through standard and custom dashboards. Standard dashboards provide immediate access to key metrics like hiring and turnover, while custom dashboards allow users to tailor views to specific questions. Users must have appropriate access permissions to utilize these features. The process involves selecting topics to build charts within workbooks, which can then be added to dashboards. Users can filter data and upload CSV files for additional insights. For effective use, it is recommended to start with a specific question. The resource includes links to related articles for further guidance on dashboard management and usage.

  • Jun 25, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Introduction to Dashboards & Analytics
Article Text
This feature is only included in the Elite Package.

Dashboards & Analytics is only included in the BambooHR Elite package.

What is Dashboards & Analytics in BambooHR?

Summary

Dashboards & Analytics is where you view and explore your HR data using visual dashboards. You can open standard dashboards to quickly see key information (like hiring or turnover), or create custom dashboards to answer specific questions about your company.

Table of Contents

Who this is for

  • Account Owners
  • Full Admin users
  • Custom access level users with dashboard access

Before you start

  • Make sure you have access to dashboards through your access level.
  • Confirm you can view the Reports > Dashboards tab.
  • If you plan to create dashboards, you will need View & Create access.

Want to learn more? Check out our Dashboards and HR Benchmarks beginner course to learn how to create custom dashboards, build meaningful visualizations, and share dashboard insights with others in your company.

Standard vs. custom dashboards

Standard dashboards are created by BambooHR and give you a ready-made view of key HR data, such as hiring, turnover, and compensation.

  • You can view, filter, duplicate, and download these dashboards.
  • You cannot change their structure or underlying setup.

Custom dashboards are dashboards you create to explore your data in a way that fits your needs. Creating custom dashboards starts with selecting a topic and building charts in a workspace.

  • You can add charts, filters, and controls.
  • You can edit and update these dashboards at any time.

Start with standard dashboards to quickly understand your data. When you need more flexibility, you can create custom dashboards.

Key terms to know

Dashboards

A dashboard is where your charts are displayed together in a shared view. The following are standard dashboards already available in your account to review your data:

  • Compensation
  • Diversity
  • Hiring
  • Turnover & Retention

Charts

A chart is a visual way to display your data (for example, a bar chart or pie chart).

Filters

Filters let you narrow the data shown (for example, by department or location).

Creating custom dashboards

In addition to using standard dashboards with charts and filters, customers subscribed to the Elite package can create custom dashboards by building charts based on a specific topic within a workbook. Read below to learn more.

Topic

Reports

A topic is a standard group of HR data that you use to build charts (for example, hiring or turnover data). The following are current topics you can use to build a custom dashboard upon:

  • Employee Compensation
  • Employee Diversity
  • Employee Turnover
  • Hiring Applicants
  • Hiring Job Openings

CSV File Imports: You can upload your own data as a topic using a CSV file. After uploading, you can review the data and build charts from it. Keep in mind that data from a CSV file is only available in the workbook where it was uploaded.

Workbook

Reports

A workbook is where you create and edit charts using your data, like a workspace.

Dashboards are built from workbooks:

  • You build charts in a workbook.
  • You add those charts to a dashboard.
  • When you update a chart, the changes appear in the dashboard.

Each tab at the bottom of the workbook represents a chart that can be added to your dashboard.

A workbook has two modes:

  • Viewing: View charts without making changes. This mode is available from Reports > Dashboards.
  • Editing: Make changes to your charts. Changes are saved automatically and will update the dashboard. This mode is available from Reports > Dashboards > Manage Dashboards.

For step-by-step instructions on building custom dashboards, review our Create a Custom Dashboard guide.

Start with a question

Dashboards work best when you begin with a question you want to answer.

For example:

  • How is our hiring pipeline moving?
  • Where are we seeing employee turnover?
  • How is our workforce structured across teams?

Once you have a question, you can:

  • View a standard dashboard for a quick answer.
  • Create a custom dashboard to explore the data in more detail.

Where to go

  • Go to Reports > Dashboards to view dashboards.
  • Click Manage Dashboards to:
    • Create a new dashboard
    • Edit an existing dashboard
    • Organize your dashboards

You will view dashboards from one place, but switch to Manage Dashboards when you want to make changes.

Dashboards & Analytics does not currently support custom field reporting or external data connections outside of CSV file imports. You can use dashboards to organize and explore your BambooHR data and uploaded CSV data in one place.

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