Getting started with dashboards

4 minute read

The CloudBees platform provides new users a preview image of the Value Stream Management (VSM) dashboard during onboarding. Additionally, the onboarding screen provides the preconditions needed to enable and view data on the dashboards, Jenkins® controllers, and CI insights for Jenkins®.

Below are the preconditions to enable the dashboards, which vary for each dashboard:

  • Availability of a component.

  • Availability of a workflow.

  • Integrating your Jira.

  • Defining the flow items.

  • Availability of an environment.

  • Availability of an integration.

When you access the corresponding screen for the first time, the precondition instructions are displayed. You can also navigate directly to the exact screen to complete the required tasks. After you meet the preconditions, the onboarding screen no longer appears.

Below is a sample screenshot of an onboarding screen:

Dashboarding onboarding sample screen
Figure 1. Sample dashboard screen for new users
  1. Task can be performed on clicking the blue link.

  2. Task can be performed only after the dependent task is completed.

  3. Task is completed successfully.

  4. Preview image of the dashboard.

The preview screen with instructions appear for the following screens:

Listed below are some key pointers to consider while enabling a dashboard:

  • Creating your first component and workflow are dependent tasks. Start by creating the component, then proceed to create the workflow. In contrast, creating an environment, integrating your Jira, defining the flow items, and creating an integration are independent tasks.

  • Execute at least one workflow run to generate data for the dashboard.

  • Include the Jira issue key in every commit to generate complete data in your flow metrics dashboard.

  • Include the build and deploy steps to the workflow for the DORA metrics dashboard.

  • Include the test actions in the workflow for the test insights dashboard.

Enable software delivery activity

To enable the software delivery activity dashboard:

  1. Go to Analytics > Software delivery activity.

  2. Select GO TO COMPONENTS to create your first component.

  3. Select CREATE WORKFLOW to create your first workflow.

    If multiple components are available, the system prompts to select a component to create a workflow.

    Security insights - creating workflow
    Figure 2. Component selection to create workflow

    You must select the component and then select CREATE WORKFLOW to proceed with the workflow creation step.

    If all the precondition steps are completed, the Software delivery activity dashboard is enabled. However, if the preconditions steps are completed but the workflow runs are not executed, a warning appears. You must execute at least one workflow run to generate data on the dashboard.

    Software delivery activity - Preconditions met
    Figure 3. Preconditions met but runs not executed

Enable security insights

To enable the security insights dashboard:

  1. Go to Analytics > Security insights.

  2. Select GO TO COMPONENTS to create your first component.

  3. Select CREATE WORKFLOW to create your first workflow.

    • If multiple components are available, the system prompts to select a component to create a workflow.

    • If you include a security scanner while creating a workflow, the dashboard populates the data with security scanner details. Otherwise, it populates the data without scanner details.

    If all the precondition steps are completed, the Security insights dashboard is enabled. However, if the preconditions steps are completed but the workflow runs are not executed, a warning appears. You must execute at least one workflow run to generate data on the dashboard.

    Security insights - Preconditions met
    Figure 4. Preconditions met but runs not executed

Enable flow metrics

To enable the flow metrics dashboard:

  1. Go to Analytics > Flow metrics.

    Creating your first component and workflow are dependent tasks. Start by creating the component, then proceed to create the workflow. In contrast, integrating with Jira and defining flow items are independent tasks that can be completed separately.
  2. Select GO TO COMPONENTS to create your first component.

  3. Select CREATE WORKFLOW to create your first workflow.

    If multiple components are available, the system prompts to select a component to create a workflow.
  4. Select GO TO INTEGRATIONS to integrate your Jira.

  5. Select GO TO ANALYTICS CONFIGURATION to define the flow items.

    If all the precondition steps are completed, the Flow metrics dashboard is enabled. However, if the preconditions steps are completed without including the Jira ticket to the commit, a warning appears. You must include the Jira issue key to enable the dashboard.

    Security insights - Preconditions met
    Figure 5. Preconditions met but Jira issue key not included

Enable DORA metrics

To enable the DORA metrics dashboard:

  1. Go to Analytics > DORA metrics.

    Creating your first component and workflow are dependent tasks. Start by creating the component, then proceed to create the workflow. In contrast, creating an environment is an independent task.
  2. Select GO TO COMPONENTS to create your first component.

  3. Select CREATE WORKFLOW to create your first workflow.

    If multiple components are available, the system prompts to select a component to create a workflow.

    DORA metrics dashboard pop-up
    Figure 6. Component selection for DORA metrics

    You must select the component and then select CREATE WORKFLOW to proceed with the workflow creation step.

  4. Select CREATE ENVIRONMENT to create your first environment.

    If all the precondition steps are completed, the DORA metrics dashboard is enabled. However, if the preconditions steps are completed without including the build and deployment steps, a warning appears. You must include the build and deploy steps to enable the dashboard.

    DORA metrics - Preconditions met
    Figure 7. Preconditions met but build and deploy step are missing

Enable test insights

To enable the test insights dashboard:

  1. Go to Analytics > Test insights.

  2. Select GO TO COMPONENTS to create your first component.

  3. Select CREATE WORKFLOW to create your first workflow.

    If multiple components are available, the system prompts to select a component to create a workflow.

    Test insights dashboard pop-up
    Figure 8. Component selection for test insights

    You must select the component and then select CREATE WORKFLOW to proceed with the workflow creation step.

    If all the precondition steps are completed, the Test insights dashboard is enabled. However, if the preconditions steps are completed without including the test actions to the workflow, a warning appears. You must add the test actions to enable the dashboard.

    Test insights - Preconditions met
    Figure 9. Test insights - Preconditions met

Enable CI insights for Jenkins

To enable the CI insights for Jenkins dashboard:

  1. Go to Jenkins® Management > CI insights for Jenkins®.

  2. Select GO TO INTEGRATIONS to create your first CI integration.

    Once the CI integration is completed, the CI insights for Jenkins® dashboard is enabled.

    CI insights for Jenkins® dashboard enabled
    Figure 10. CI insights for Jenkins® dashboard enabled

Enable Jenkins controllers

To integrate the controllers with CloudBees platform:

  1. Go to Jenkins® Management > Jenkins® controllers.

  2. Select CREATE INTEGRATION to integrate your controller with the platform.

    Jenkins® controllers onboarding
    Figure 11. Jenkins® controllers onboarding

    Once the integration is completed, the Jenkins® controller is enabled.

    Jenkins® controllers enabled
    Figure 12. Jenkins® controllers enabled