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How to Share a New View Within Your Company

Sharing dashboard views with your entire organization ensures everyone has access to consistent, standardized views that improve visibility and collaboration. Dockflow uses blueprints to distribute views across your company.

Overview​

Sharing views enables you to:

  • Standardize across teams - Everyone uses the same view definitions
  • Streamline onboarding - New users start with appropriate views
  • Maintain consistency - Ensure uniform reporting and visibility
  • Reduce setup time - Users don't need to recreate views individually
  • Improve collaboration - Teams work with shared context
Views vs. Blueprints

Views are customized dashboard configurations (columns, filters, sorting).

Blueprints are collections of views that determine which view tabs users can access.

To share a view company-wide, you add it to your organization's blueprint.

Prerequisites​

Before sharing a view, ensure:

  1. View is created - You have a finalized view ready to share
  2. View is tested - Confirm the view shows correct data and is useful
  3. Admin access - You have administrator permissions to manage blueprints
  4. Clear purpose - View has a defined use case and target audience
Who Can Share Views

Only users with administrator permissions can modify blueprints and share views organization-wide. Regular users can create views but cannot share them via blueprints.

Step-by-Step Process​

Step 1: Access Settings​

  1. Log in to your Dockflow account
  2. Look for the Settings icon in the navigation
    • Usually a gear/cog icon
    • May be in top-right corner
    • Or in main navigation menu
  3. Click Settings to open the settings interface
Quick Navigation

Bookmark the Settings page for faster access if you frequently manage organization configurations.

Step 2: Locate Organizations Section​

  1. In the Settings interface, find Organizations or Organisation
    • May be in left sidebar
    • Could be in a tab structure
    • Look for organization/company management section
  2. Click to open the Organizations section
  3. Scroll down until you locate the Blueprint section

What you'll see:

  • List of existing blueprints
  • Default "Dockflow" blueprint
  • Any custom blueprints you've created
  • Blueprint configuration options
Blueprint Section Location

The Blueprint section is typically near the bottom of the Organizations page, often in the "Theme and Branding" area. Keep scrolling if you don't see it immediately.

Step 3: Modify the Blueprint​

  1. Find the blueprint you want to modify
    • Your company's active blueprint
    • Or create a new blueprint if needed
  2. Click the Edit button next to the blueprint
  3. The blueprint editor will open

Blueprint editor shows:

  • Blueprint name
  • List of available views (checkboxes)
  • Currently selected views
  • Save/Cancel options

Step 4: Integrate Your View​

  1. In the blueprint editor, locate your newly created view in the list
  2. Check the box next to your view to add it to the blueprint
  3. Review the full list of selected views
  4. Ensure your view is in an appropriate position
  5. Optionally reorder views by dragging (if interface supports)

View selection tips:

  • Include views that serve common needs
  • Don't overcrowd with too many views (5-10 is typical)
  • Consider different user roles and needs
  • Remove outdated or unused views
Blueprint Changes Affect Everyone

When you modify a blueprint, changes apply to all users assigned to that blueprint. Ensure your changes are intentional and beneficial to the organization.

Step 5: Confirm Changes​

  1. Review your blueprint configuration
  2. Verify your new view is included
  3. Check that all other views are still appropriate
  4. Click Save or Save Changes button
  5. Confirm any warning messages

Confirmation:

  • You should see a success message
  • Blueprint list should show your updated blueprint
  • No error messages should appear
Test Before Wide Rollout

Consider using a test blueprint initially:

  1. Create a new blueprint with your view
  2. Share with a small pilot group
  3. Gather feedback
  4. Make adjustments
  5. Then roll out organization-wide

After Sharing​

Immediate Effects​

For existing users:

  • New view tab appears in their dashboard
  • May appear after next login or page refresh
  • Positioned according to blueprint configuration

For new users:

  • View automatically included in their dashboard
  • No additional setup required
  • Part of standard onboarding

User Experience​

How users access the shared view:

  1. Log in to Dockflow
  2. Navigate to Dashboard
  3. See the new view tab alongside existing tabs
  4. Click the view tab to use it

User capabilities:

  • Can use the shared view
  • Can rearrange their view tabs (personal preference)
  • Can apply temporary filters (doesn't affect others)
  • Cannot delete or modify the view definition (only admins can)

Customization vs. Standardization​

What remains standardized:

  • View column configuration
  • Default filters applied
  • Sort order
  • View name and description

What users can customize:

  • Order of view tabs in their interface
  • Temporary filters added during a session
  • Personal bookmarks or favorites
User-Level Customization

Users can reorder view tabs to suit their preferences, but they cannot change the views themselves. This provides flexibility while maintaining consistency.

Managing Shared Views​

Updating Shared Views​

To modify a view that's already shared:

  1. Edit the view itself (outside of blueprint settings)
  2. Changes automatically propagate to all users
  3. No need to update the blueprint again
  4. Users see updated view immediately or after refresh

Common updates:

  • Add or remove columns
  • Adjust default filters
  • Change sorting
  • Update view name or description

Removing Views from Blueprints​

If a view is no longer needed:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Organizations → Blueprints
  2. Edit the blueprint
  3. Uncheck the view you want to remove
  4. Save changes
  5. View disappears from users' dashboards
Removal Impact

Removing a view from the blueprint immediately removes it for all users. Ensure the view is truly obsolete or has a replacement before removing.

Creating Multiple Blueprints​

For organizations with diverse needs:

Role-based blueprints:

  • Operations Team Blueprint (detailed operational views)
  • Executive Blueprint (high-level summary views)
  • Customer Service Blueprint (customer-facing views)
  • Finance Blueprint (billing and invoicing views)

Region-based blueprints:

  • APAC Operations (Asia-Pacific focused views)
  • EMEA Operations (Europe, Middle East, Africa views)
  • Americas Operations (North and South America views)

Function-based blueprints:

  • Import Operations (import-focused views)
  • Export Operations (export-focused views)
  • Customs Clearance (clearance-focused views)
  • Warehouse Management (receiving and delivery views)

Best Practices​

Before Sharing​

  1. Validate the view

    • Test with real data
    • Ensure columns are useful
    • Verify filters work correctly
    • Check sorting is appropriate

  2. Name descriptively

    • Use clear, self-explanatory names
    • Indicate purpose (e.g., "Active Shipments - This Week")
    • Avoid internal jargon
    • Consider sorting (prefix with numbers if needed)

  3. Document the purpose

    • Create internal documentation
    • Explain what the view shows
    • Describe when to use it
    • Note any special considerations

  4. Gather feedback

    • Test with a small group first
    • Ask for user input
    • Identify issues before wide rollout
    • Iterate based on feedback

View Design for Sharing​

  1. General utility

    • Design for common use cases
    • Avoid overly specific filters
    • Include broadly useful columns
    • Make it applicable to multiple scenarios

  2. Appropriate complexity

    • Not too simple (lacks usefulness)
    • Not too complex (overwhelming)
    • Balance information density
    • Focus on actionable data

  3. Clear purpose

    • Each view should have a distinct purpose
    • Avoid redundant views
    • Differentiate from existing views
    • Serve a specific need

  4. Inclusive design

    • Consider different user roles
    • Include columns relevant to multiple functions
    • Avoid role-specific jargon in shared views
    • Test with diverse user groups

After Sharing​

  1. Announce the change

    • Email team about new view
    • Explain purpose and usage
    • Provide any necessary training
    • Offer support for questions

  2. Monitor adoption

    • Track usage (if analytics available)
    • Gather informal feedback
    • Observe how teams use the view
    • Identify improvement opportunities

  3. Iterate and improve

    • Regularly review shared views
    • Update based on feedback
    • Remove unused views
    • Optimize for changing needs

  4. Maintain consistency

    • Establish naming conventions
    • Create view design standards
    • Document view purposes
    • Review blueprints quarterly

Alternative Sharing Methods​

Individual View Sharing​

If blueprint modification is too broad:

Option 1: Direct sharing

  • Some platforms allow view export/import
  • Export view configuration
  • Share file with specific users
  • Users import into their own dashboard

Option 2: Documentation

  • Document view configuration
  • Share step-by-step recreation instructions
  • Users manually recreate the view
  • Useful for one-off needs

Team-Level Sharing​

For team-specific views:

Option 1: Team blueprints

  • Create separate blueprint for each team
  • Assign team members to team blueprint
  • Each team gets relevant views only

Option 2: Entity-level sharing

  • If using multiple entities (divisions, subsidiaries)
  • Share views at entity level
  • Provide entity-specific blueprints

Troubleshooting​

View Not Appearing for Users​

If users don't see the shared view:

  1. Check blueprint assignment - Verify users are assigned to the correct blueprint
  2. Confirm save - Ensure blueprint changes were saved successfully
  3. Force refresh - Ask users to log out and back in
  4. Clear cache - Users may need to clear browser cache
  5. Verify permissions - Ensure users have access to the view's data
  6. Check view visibility - Confirm view is marked as active, not hidden

View Appears But Shows No Data​

If the view appears but is empty:

  1. Check filters - View filters may exclude all current data
  2. Verify data access - Users may lack permissions for the data
  3. Review date ranges - Filters may be set to past dates
  4. Confirm data exists - Ensure there's actually data matching view criteria
  5. Test as user - Log in as (or impersonate) affected user to diagnose

Blueprint Changes Not Saving​

If blueprint modifications won't save:

  1. Check permissions - Ensure you have admin rights
  2. Browser issues - Try different browser
  3. Disable extensions - Ad blockers may interfere
  4. Check for errors - Look for error messages on page
  5. Contact support - May be a system issue

Conflicts with Existing Views​

If your new view conflicts with existing ones:

  1. Review for duplicates - Check if similar view already exists
  2. Consider merging - Combine overlapping views
  3. Differentiate clearly - Ensure each view has distinct purpose
  4. Rename if needed - Avoid confusing similar names
  5. Deprecate old views - Remove superseded views

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: Can individual users create their own views? A: Yes, users can create personal views. However, only admins can share views organization-wide via blueprints.

Q: If I update a shared view, do users see changes immediately? A: Yes, changes to view definitions propagate immediately or upon next page refresh. Users don't need to take any action.

Q: Can users delete shared views from their dashboard? A: Users cannot permanently delete shared views, but they can reorder tabs to deprioritize views they don't use often.

Q: How many views can be in a blueprint? A: There's no hard limit, but 5-10 views is typical for usability. Too many tabs become hard to navigate.

Q: Can I share a view with only some users, not everyone? A: Yes, by creating multiple blueprints and assigning different user groups to each blueprint. Each blueprint can have different views.

Q: What happens to user customizations when I update a shared view? A: Personal customizations (like tab order) are preserved. The view definition itself updates for everyone.

Q: Can external partners see shared views? A: Only if partners are part of your organization. For external partner collaboration, use tradeflow sharing instead.

Q: Is there a way to make a view required (can't be hidden)? A: Yes, through blueprint enforcement. Enforced blueprints mandate specific views for all users in managed entities.

Support​

Need help sharing views?