Widget Dashboards via Wizard's Toolkit
Tags: webdev, lowcode, php, sql
Published: 2024-04-18 20:15:09

Widgets play a crucial role in providing real-time visual representations of essential company data, tailored to the unique needs of different staff roles and departments. With the Wizard's Toolkit, creating and managing these widgets is a breeze, allowing for seamless customization and efficient problem resolution.

This video explores the straightforward process of creating and assigning widgets, as well as setting up multiple Widget Dashboards based on staff roles and security levels. Additionally, we'll delve into the functionality of the Back Office Management, Widget Creation, Data Review, and Demos, all of which come standard in Wizard's Toolkit, a low-code development library for PHP and SQL.

{% youtube rDod0OQt5CY %}
### Video Chapter Headers
00:01  Intro and Preview
01:25  Widget Creation in back office website
04:06  Widgets with Modal Window Links - saving and refreshing
06:35  Continuation of Widget Creation description and examples discussing SQL
07:16  Save and Copy feature
07:47  Chart Widgets
09:50  Widget Groups using 3 SQL tables
13:41  Personal Widget Dashboards
14:32  Color Gradients for Widget Counters - set up in CSS and SQL
18:48  How to code multiple Widget Dashboards (PHP, JS and data)
22:18  Personal Widgets - code deep dive in SQL and PHP
25:37  makeWidget PHP function
26:34  Mobile Phone widgets

Widgets use SQL and are presented as counters, charts or lists.  Clicking on a Widget can take a person directly to the necessary page to review or resolve the associated problem.  Each individual is able to customize their widget dashboard.  This makes navigation and problem resolution easier and more tailored to individual needs.

This video also shows how to add code to provide switching between Widget Dashboards, and even add new color options via CSS gradients for widget counters.

### Back Office Management
Here is where you can set up Groupings of Widgets.  These can be based on Department (aka Staff Role), by Security Level, or any determination you like.

You can decide if the Widget Grouping should be used as a default set for users.  If you do so, then the first time a user logs in to the website it will automatically copy that Widget Group to their personal dashboard.  Then they will be able to edit that dashboard, rearrange the widgets, add more pre-designed widgets, and delete unnecessary widgets.  Note, they will not be able to see or add widgets that are above their security level.  Of course in this lowcode environment you have access to the PHP source code so everything can be modified.  That's the beauty of low-code development compared to no-code.  You have full access to the code and can enhance or change it in any way you like.

### Widget Types

Widget come in 4 types:
- Chart type
- List type
- Counter
- Link

The Chart Widgets can be any of these types:
- Line
- Area
- Bar
- Pie

Initial SQL table design, SQL triggers, data for widgets, and data look-ups are all included in the WTK environment and reviewed in the video.

### Summary
This Widget Dashboard functionality comes standard in Wizard's Toolkit.  Widget Dashboards could be added as a stand-alone feature if there was demand for it.  If you think it would work well for your project but want it as a standalone, let me know in the comments below.