Public Dashboard Sharing

Share dashboards publicly with stakeholders, clients, or your team without requiring them to create accounts.

Overview

Public dashboard sharing allows you to create a unique, publicly accessible URL for any dashboard. This is perfect for sharing metrics with clients, executives, or team members who don't need full platform access.

Enabling Public Access

Via UI

Navigate to Dashboards
Select the dashboard you want to share
Click the Share button in the top right
Toggle Public Access to ON
A unique shareable link will be generated
Click Copy Link to copy the URL

Via API

PATCH /api/dashboards/{dashboardId}
{
  "isPublic": true,
  "publicSlug": "my-custom-slug"
}

Response:
{
  "dashboard": {
    "id": "dash_abc123",
    "name": "Q4 Metrics",
    "isPublic": true,
    "publicSlug": "my-custom-slug",
    "publicUrl": "https://serla.dev/public/my-custom-slug"
  }
}

Public Dashboard Features

What's Included

All Widgets: Charts, metrics, and visualizations
Real-Time Data: Live updates as data changes
Responsive Design: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile
Dark Mode: Respects viewer's system preferences
Read-Only Access: Viewers cannot edit or modify dashboards

What's Not Included

Edit controls and widget configuration
Navigation to other dashboards or pages
Access to raw event data
Project settings or API keys
User account information

Custom URLs

Auto-Generated Slugs

By default, Serla generates a random slug when you enable public access:

https://serla.dev/public/dash-k2j9x7q5

Custom Slugs

Create memorable URLs with custom slugs:

Click Customize URL in the share dialog
Enter a custom slug (letters, numbers, hyphens only)
Click Save

Example custom URLs:

https://serla.dev/public/q4-metrics
https://serla.dev/public/client-acme-2025
https://serla.dev/public/exec-dashboard

Slug Requirements

3-50 characters long
Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only
Must be unique across all public dashboards
Cannot start or end with a hyphen

Access Control

No Authentication Required

Public dashboards are accessible without login. Anyone with the URL can view the dashboard.

Disabling Public Access

To revoke public access:

Open the dashboard
Click Share
Toggle Public Access to OFF

The public URL will immediately return a 404 error. You can re-enable public access later with the same or a different slug.

Changing the URL

To change a public URL while keeping access enabled:

Disable public access (old URL becomes invalid)
Re-enable public access with a new custom slug
Update any bookmarks or embedded links

Use Cases

Client Reporting

Share metrics dashboards with clients to keep them informed without giving full platform access.

Create client-specific dashboards with relevant KPIs
Use custom slugs like /public/client-acme
Update dashboard data automatically as events come in
Revoke access when projects end

Executive Dashboards

Provide leadership with high-level overviews without training them on the full platform.

Curate dashboards with executive-relevant metrics
Share URLs via email or bookmark
No login required for quick access

Team Visibility

Display dashboards on office TVs or team spaces for at-a-glance metrics.

Create full-screen dashboard views
No interaction required (read-only)
Auto-refreshing data

Stakeholder Updates

Share progress dashboards with investors, board members, or partners.

Control exactly what data is visible
Professional, branded appearance
Easy to share via link (no credentials needed)

Public Metrics

Share public-facing metrics like API status, uptime, or community stats.

Embed in public websites (see Embedding section)
Transparent communication with users
SEO-friendly public URLs

Embedding

IFrame Embedding

Embed public dashboards in your website using an iframe:

<iframe
  src="https://serla.dev/public/your-slug"
  width="100%"
  height="600"
  frameborder="0"
  allowfullscreen
></iframe>

Responsive Embedding

Make embedded dashboards responsive:

<div style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden;">
  <iframe
    src="https://serla.dev/public/your-slug"
    style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0;"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

Embedding Best Practices

Use HTTPS for both your site and the iframe
Set appropriate height based on dashboard content
Consider adding loading states
Test responsiveness on mobile devices

Security Considerations

Data Visibility

Public dashboards expose ALL data in the dashboard widgets
Do not include sensitive user information or PII
Review all widgets before enabling public access
Consider creating separate, limited dashboards for public sharing

URL Security

Public URLs are not authenticated but are obscured
Use random slugs for truly private data
Avoid predictable patterns (e.g., /public/dashboard-1, /public/dashboard-2)
Rotate URLs periodically for sensitive stakeholder dashboards

Access Logging

Track who accesses public dashboards:

View access logs in dashboard settings (coming soon)
See view counts and last accessed time
Identify unusual access patterns

Performance

Caching

Public dashboards are optimized for performance:

Widget data is cached for 60 seconds
Static assets are CDN-delivered
Dashboard layouts are pre-rendered

Load Times

Initial Load: ~1-2 seconds
Widget Rendering: ~500ms per widget
Data Refresh: ~200-500ms

Optimization Tips

Limit dashboards to 10-12 widgets for best performance
Use appropriate date ranges (last 30 days vs all-time)
Avoid overly complex queries in custom widgets

Customization

Dashboard Branding

Customize public dashboard appearance:

Dashboard Name: Shown at the top of public view
Description: Optional subtitle (coming soon)
Theme: Respects viewer's dark mode preference
Logo: Custom logo support (coming soon)

Widget Configuration

All widget types are supported in public view
Widget titles and descriptions are visible
Interactive widgets (hover tooltips) work normally
Time range selectors are hidden (use dashboard default)

Best Practices

Dashboard Design

Use clear, descriptive widget titles
Include context in widget descriptions
Organize widgets logically (top to bottom, left to right)
Use consistent date ranges across widgets
Add summary metrics at the top

Sharing Strategy

Create purpose-specific dashboards (don't share your main dashboard)
Use custom slugs for professional appearance
Document what data is included
Set expectations for update frequency
Provide contact info for questions

Maintenance

Regularly review public dashboards for accuracy
Update widgets as business metrics change
Audit access periodically
Remove or disable unused public dashboards

Limitations

No Filtering: Viewers cannot filter or customize the view
No Export: Data export is not available in public view
No Comments: Collaboration features are disabled
Read-Only: No ability to edit widgets or dashboard

Future Features

Upcoming enhancements to public sharing:

Password protection for public dashboards
Expiring share links
Custom domains (e.g., metrics.yourcompany.com)
White-label branding
Access analytics (view counts, top viewers)
Email subscription for dashboard updates