Managing dashboard links - Amazon Managed Grafana

Managing dashboard links

This documentation topic is designed for Grafana workspaces that support Grafana version 10.x.

For Grafana workspaces that support Grafana version 9.x, see Working in Grafana version 9.

For Grafana workspaces that support Grafana version 8.x, see Working in Grafana version 8.

You can use links to navigate between commonly used dashboards or to connect others to your visualizations. Links let you create shortcuts to other dashboards, panels, and even external websites.

Grafana supports dashboard links, panel links, and data links. Dashboard links are displayed at the top of the dashboard. Panel links are accessible by clicking an icon on the top left corner of the panel.

Choosing which link to use

Start by figuring out how you’re currently navigating between dashboards. If you’re often jumping between a set of dashboards and struggling to find the same context in each, links can help optimize your workflow.

The next step is to figure out which link type is right for your workflow. Even though all the link types in Grafana are used to create shortcuts to other dashboards or external websites, they work in different contexts.

  • If the link relates to most if not all of the panels in the dashboard, use dashboard links.

  • If you want to drill down into specific panels, use panel links.

  • If you want to link to an external site, you can use either a dashboard link or a panel link.

  • If you want to drill down into a specific series, or even a single measurement, use data links.

Controlling the time range using a URL

To control the time range of a panel or dashboard, you can provide query parameters in the dashboard URL:

  • from defines lower limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

  • to defines upper limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

  • time and time.window defines a time range from time-time.window/2 to time+time.window/2. Both params should be specified in ms. For example ?time=1500000000000&time.window=10000 will result in 10s time range from 1499999995000 to 1500000005000.

Dashboard links

When you create a dashboard link, you can include the time range and current template variables to directly jump to the same context in another dashboard. This way, you don’t have to worry whether the person you send the link to is looking at the right data. For other types of links, see Data link variables.

Dashboard links can also be used as shortcuts to external systems, such as submitting a GitHub issue with the current dashboard name.

After adding a dashboard link, it will show up in the upper-right corner of your dashboard.

Adding links to dashboards

Add links to other dashboards at the top of your current dashboard.

To add a link to a dashboard

  1. While viewing the dashboard you want to link, click the gear at the top of the screen to open Dashboard settings.

  2. Select Links and then Add Dashboard Link or New.

  3. In Type, select dashboards.

  4. Select link options from the following.

    • With tags – Enter tags to limit the linked dashboards to only the ones with the tags you enter. Otherwise, Grafana includes links to all other dashboards.

    • As dropdown – If you are linking to many dashboards, By default, Grafana displays them all side-by-side across the top of your dashboard. Selecting this option and adding an optional title, will display the links in a dropdown.

    • Time range – Select this option to include the dashboard time range in the link. When the user clicks the link, the linked dashboard will open with the indicated time range already set.

    • Variable values – Select this option to include template variables currently used as query parameters in the link. When the user clicks the link, any matching templates in the linked dashboard are set to the values from the link. For more information, see Dashboard URL variables.

    • Open in new tab – Select this option if you want the dashboard link to open in a new tab or window.

  5. Click Add.

Adding a URL link to a dashboard

Add a link to a URL at the top of your current dashboard. You can link to any available URL, including dashboards, panels, or external sites. You can even control the time range to ensure the user is zoomed in on the right data in Grafana.

To add a URL link to a dashboard

  1. While viewing the dashboard you want to link, select the gear at the top of the screen to open Dashboard settings.

  2. Select Links and then Add Dashboard Link or New.

  3. In Type, select Link.

  4. Select link options from the following.

    • URL – Enter the URL you want to link to. Depending on the target, you might want to include field values.

    • Title – Enter the title you want the link to display.

    • Tooltip – Enter the tooltip you want the link to display.

    • Icon – Choose the icon that you want displayed with the link.

    • Time range – Select this option to include the dashboard time range in the link. When the user clicks the link, the linked dashboard will open with the indicated time range set.

      • from – Defines lower limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

      • to – Defines upper limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

      • time and time.window – Define a time range from time-time.window/2 to time+time.window/2. Both params should be specified in ms. For example ?time=1500000000000&time.window=10000 will result in 10s time range from 1499999995000 to 1500000005000.

    • Variable values – Select this option to include template variables currently used as query parameters in the link. When the user clicks the link, any matching templates in the linked dashboard are set to the values from the link.

      The variable format is as follows:

      https://${you-domain}/path/to/your/dashboard?var-${template-varable1}=value1&var-{template-variable2}=value2

    • Open in a new tab – Select this option if you want the dashboard link to open in a new tab or window

  5. Select Add.

Updating a dashboard link

To change or update an existing dashboard link, follow this procedure.

To update a dashboard link

  1. In Dashboard settings, on the Links tab, select the existing link that you want to edit.

  2. Change the settings and then choose Update.

Duplicating a dashboard link

To duplicate an existing dashboard link, select the duplicate icon next to the existing link that you want to duplicate.

Deleting a dashboard link

To delete an existing dashboard link, select the trash icon next to the link that you want to delete.

Panel links

Each panel can have its own set of links that are shown in the upper left corner of the panel. You can link to any available URL, including dashboards, panels, or external sites. You can even control the time range to ensure the user is zoomed in on the right data in Grafana.

To see available panel links, select the icon to the right of the panel title.

  • Adding a panel link: Each panel can have its own set of links that are shown in the upper left corner of the panel. You can link to any available URL, including dashboards, panels, or external sites. You can even control the time range to ensure the user is zoomed in on the right data in Grafana. Click the icon on the top left corner of a panel to see available panel links.

    1. Hover your cursor over the panel to which you want to add a link.

    2. Select the menu, and choose Edit, or you can use the keyboard shortcut, e.

    3. Expand the Panel options section, and scroll down to Panel links.

    4. Select Add link.

    5. Enter a Title. This is a human-readable label for the link that will be displayed in the UI.

    6. Enter the URL you want to link to. Press Ctrl+Space (or Cmd+Space) and select the URL field to see available variables. By adding template variables to your panel link, the link sends the user to the right context, with the relevant variables already set.

      You can also use time variables.

      • from defines the lower limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

      • to defines the upper limit of the time range, specified in ms epoch.

      • time and time.window defines a time range from time-time.window/2 to time+time.window/2. Both parameters should be specified in ms. For example ?time=1500000000000&time.window=10000 results in 10s time range from 1499999995000 to 1500000005000.

  • Updating a panel link

    1. Select a panel (or place the cursor over the panel) to display an actions menu at the top right of the panel.

    2. From the menu, select the Edit.

      You can also use the keyboard shortcut, e.

    3. Expand the Panel options section, and scroll down to Panel links.

    4. Find the link that you want to change, and select the Edit (pencil) icon next to it.

    5. Make any necessary changes.

    6. Select Save to save changes and close the window.

    7. Save changes to your dashboard by selecting Save in the upper right.

  • Deleting a panel link

    1. Select a panel (or place the cursor over the panel) to display an actions menu at the top right of the panel.

    2. From the menu, select the Edit.

      You can also use the keyboard shortcut, e.

    3. Expand the Panel options section, and scroll down to Panel links.

    4. Find the link that you want to delete, and select the X icon next to it.

    5. Select Save in the upper right to save your changes to the dashboard.