Create and manage Real-Time Dashboard parameters

Parameters are the building blocks for filters in Real-Time Dashboards. Create and manage parameters at the dashboard level to control the filter values that dashboard queries can use.

Note

You can manage parameters only in Editing mode for dashboard editors.

Prerequisites

View the parameter list

To view the list of all dashboard parameters, select Manage > Parameters.

Create a parameter

To create a parameter:

  1. Select the New parameter button on the top menu. The Parameters pane opens.
  2. Select + Add at the top of the right pane.
  3. Fill in the relevant properties for your parameter.
  4. Select Done to create the parameter.

Configure parameter properties

In the Add parameter pane, configure the following properties.

Field Description
Label The name of the parameter shown on the dashboard or edit card.
Parameter type One of the following parameter types:
- Single selection: Users select one value in the filter.
- Multiple selection: Users select one or more values in the filter.
- Time range: Adds time-based parameters to filter queries and dashboards. Every dashboard includes a time range picker by default.
- Free text: Users type or paste a value into the filter. The filter keeps the most recently used values.
- Data source: Users select one or more dashboard data sources.
Description Optional description of the parameter.
Variable name The parameter name that you use in the query.
Data type The data type of the parameter values.
Show on pages The pages where this parameter appears. Select all shows the parameter on all pages.
Source The source of the parameter values:
- Fixed values: Manually entered static filter values.
- Query: Values returned by a KQL query.
Add "Select all" value Applies only to single-selection and multiple-selection parameter types. Use this option to retrieve data for all parameter values. Build support for this option into the query. For an example, see Use a multiple-selection query-based parameter.
Default value The value that the filter uses when the dashboard first renders.

Create cascading parameters

Cascading parameters create a parent-child relationship between dashboard filters. The query-based child parameter uses the parent parameter selection to determine its available values. In this example, the fixed-values Event Type parameter (_eventType) is the parent, and the query-based State parameter (_state) is the child.

  1. Create the parent parameter with the following properties:

    • Label: Event Type

    • Parameter type: Multiple selection

    • Variable name: _eventType

    • Data type: String

    • Source: Fixed values

    • Values:

      Value Parameter display name
      Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm wind
      Hail Hail
      Flash Flood Flash flood
      Drought Drought
      Winter Weather Winter weather

    • Default value: Thunderstorm Wind

  2. Create the child parameter with the following properties:

    • Label: State
    • Parameter type: Single selection
    • Variable name: _state
    • Data type: String
    • Source: Query
    • Data source: StormEventsSample

  3. In Edit query, enter the following value query, and then select Done:

    StormEvents
| where StartTime between (_startTime.._endTime)
| where EventType in (_eventType) or isempty(_eventType)
| summarize TotalEvents = count() by State
| top 5 by TotalEvents
| project State

    This query returns up to five State values because it uses top 5. It filters the values by the selected Event Type values. If you enable Select all for the parent parameter, isempty(_eventType) applies that selection.

  4. Set Value and Display name to State, select a default value, and then select Done.

  5. In the visual's query editor, enter the following query to use both parameters:

    StormEvents
| where StartTime between (_startTime.._endTime)
| where EventType in (_eventType) or isempty(_eventType)
| where State == _state
| summarize TotalEvents = count() by State
| top 5 by TotalEvents

    The value query filters the available State values by Event Type. The visual query then filters the visual by both the Event Type and State selections.

Manage parameters

After you select Parameters on the top bar, you can view the list of existing parameters. In each parameter card, select the edit icon to modify the parameter, or select More [...] to duplicate, delete, or move it.

You can view the following indicators in the parameter card:

  • Parameter display name.
  • Variable name.
  • Number of queries that use the parameter.
  • Pages where the parameter appears.

Reorder parameter cards by dragging and dropping them or by selecting Move to >.

Screenshot of sample parameter cards.

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