Define and Format Widget Text

Use the Dashboard Editor to define and format widget text.

This topic describes defining and formatting widget text on a dashboard with a universal theme. If you are editing a dashboard with a classic theme, use this link to open the previous version of Define and Format Widget Text.

A widget has different kinds of text:

  • Label: Text to display in the widget header to identify the widget. By default, the widget label comes from the widget title.
  • Data: Data to display inside the widget (example: Numbers, charts, etc.).

You can manually change any label and apply different fonts, if needed.

Good to know:

  • Label text can be conditional (expression-driven). For example, define an expression to change a label when a threshold is surpassed ("Too Many Open Incidents!").
  • Text wrapping in labels can be turned On or Off.
  • Text formatting options include:
    • Font: Theme or explicit font.
    • Font size: Point size for font.
    • Font style: Bold, underline, or italics.
    • Font alignment: Horizontal (left, center, right) and vertical (top, middle, bottom) alignment of text only on a text, button, or link shape widget.

      Text color is defined as a foreground color. See Select a Background, Foreground, and Border Color for a Widget.

  • See Dashboard Editor Behaviors for tips on working with widgets on dashboards.

To Define and Format Widget Text

  1. Open a dashboard in the Dashboard Editor.
  2. Select a widget.
  3. Define a label, either static or conditional text:
    • Static: In the Label text box , provide the label text to display in the widget.
    • Expression-driven text (conditional): Select the Expression button Text Expression Button, and then define the expression (condition) to determine the label, using either:
      • Custom expression: Select this option to open the Custom Expression Builder, and then create a custom expression specifically for this scenario.
      • Expression Manager: Select this option to open the Expression Manager, and then select an existing stored expression or create a new stored expression. Stored expressions can be re-used in numerous places in CSM.
  4. Define text formatting:
    1. Font: Select the Edit Font drop-down list on the Dashboard Editor toolbar, and then select a font in the Font dialog drop-down list .
      • Theme Font: The associated theme font is applied.
      • Explicit font: The font selected by you is applied.
    2. Font style: Select Bold, Underline, or Italics .
    3. Font size: In the Font Size drop-down list , select a point size (example: 12px).
    4. Horizontal alignment: Select one of the horizontal alignment buttons (Left, Center, or Right) to align the text on a horizontal axis within the widget.
    5. Vertical alignment: Select one of the vertical alignment buttons (Top, Middle, or Bottom) to align the text on a vertical axis within the widget.

    Horizontal and vertical text alignment functions are not available for some widget types (example: Tab and rectangle widgets).

  5. Continue making changes, or select OK to save and close the editor.