DocumentationWorkfrontWorkfront Guide

Create a report dashboard for review and approvals

Last update: April 8, 2025
  • Topics:
  • Work Management
  • Digital Content and Documents

CREATED FOR:

  • User

You can create a report dashboard in the Canvas Dashboards area to display both high-level and detailed information about reviews and approvals with Unified Approvals functionality.

IMPORTANT
This functionality is available only for customers using Unified Approvals service and enrolled in the Canvas Dashboards beta.

example dashboard

Create a dashboard

  1. Click the Main Menu icon Main Menu in the upper-right corner of Adobe Workfront, or (if available), click the Main Menu icon Main Menu in the upper-left corner, then click Dashboards.

  2. In the left panel, click Canvas Dashboards.

  3. Click New Dashboard.

  4. Name your dashboard.

  5. (Optional) Add a description.

  6. Click Create.
    add dashboard name and description

Once you create a dashboard, you can start adding KPIs, Charts, and Tables. See the following sections for more information:

  • Add high-level review and approval information with KPIs and Charts
  • Add detailed review and approval information with Tables

Add high-level review and approval information with KPIs and Charts

You can view high-level information about document approvals with KPIs and charts. Drill-down information is not currently available in the beta.

KPIs

KPI examples

Pending approvals

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the KPI card, click Add.

  3. Type Pending in the KPI Title textbox.

  4. Type Pending approvals in the KPI Caption textbox. This text describes what the KPI is showing.

  5. At the top of the page, click Select KPI Field.

  6. Scroll down and find the Document Approval folder.

  7. Choose Status, then select Count from the drop-down menu.

  8. Click Edit Filter > Add condition.

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
    2. Leave the operator as Equal, and type pending review in the textbox.
      pending kpi filter example

  9. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Overdue approvals

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the KPI card, click Add.

  3. Type Overdue in the KPI Title textbox.

  4. Type Approval Stage Deadline in the Past in the KPI Caption textbox. This text describes what the KPI is showing.

  5. At the top of the page, click Select KPI Field.

  6. Scroll down and find the Document Approval folder.

  7. Choose Status, then select Count from the drop-down menu.

  8. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Deadline.
    2. Change the operator to Less Than, and toggle Relative date On, then type $$TODAY in the textbox.
      overdue kpi filter example

  9. Click Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
    2. Change the operator to Not Contains, then type approved in the textbox.
      overdue kpi filter example 2

  10. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Completed approvals

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the KPI card, click Add.

  3. Type Completed in the KPI Title textbox.

  4. Type Approval Status Count in the KPI Caption textbox. This text describes what the KPI is showing.

  5. At the top of the page, click Select KPI Field.

  6. Scroll down and find the Document Approval folder.

  7. Choose Status, then select Count from the drop-down menu.

  8. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
    2. Change the operator to Contains, and type approved in the textbox.
      completed kpi filter example

  9. Click Add condition:

    1. Click And to change it to Or.
    2. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
    3. Change the operator to Equals, then type reviewed in the textbox.
      completed kpi filter example

  10. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Abandoned approvals

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the KPI card, click Add.

  3. Type Abandoned in the KPI Title textbox.

  4. Type Approval deadline over 2 weeks past in the KPI Caption textbox. This text describes what the KPI is showing.

  5. At the top of the page, click Select KPI Field.

  6. Scroll down and find the Document Approval Stage folder.

  7. Choose Deadline, then select Count from the drop-down menu.

  8. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
    2. Change the operator to Not Contains, and type approved in the textbox.
      abandoned kpi filter example

  9. Click Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Deadline.
    2. Change the operator to Less Than, then toggle Relative date On, then type $$TODAY-2w in the textbox.
      abandoned kpi filter example

  10. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Charts

Chart examples

Approvals by decision bar chart

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the Chart card, click Add.

  3. Type Approvals by decision in the Name textbox.

  4. (Optional) Type a description in the Description textbox. This text displays as a tooltip next to the chart name.

  5. Click Open chart details.

  6. In the Chart type drop-down menu, leave Bar Chart selected.

  7. In the Bar type drop-down menu, leave Simple selected.

  8. Click Update field for the Bottom (X) axis, and choose the first Document Approval folder then Status.

  9. Set the Aggregation type to Count.

  10. Click Update field for the Left (Y) axis, and choose the first Document Approval option then Status.

  11. Click on the Filter tab filter tab icon .

  12. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Document Version Version.
    2. Change the operator to Is Not Null.
      filter example

  13. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Revisions bar chart

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the Chart card, click Add.

  3. Type Revisions in the Name textbox.

  4. Type Number of revisions for documents with incomplete decisions planned before the end of this month in the Description textbox. This text displays as a tooltip next to the chart name.

  5. Click Open chart details.

  6. In the Chart type drop-down menu, leave Bar Chart selected.

  7. In the Bar type drop-down menu, leave Simple selected.

  8. Click Update field for the Bottom (X) axis, and choose the first Document Approval folder then Document Version > Version.

  9. Set the Aggregation type to Count.

  10. Click Update field for the Left (Y) axis, and choose the first Document Approval option then Document Version > Document > Name.

  11. Click the Filter tab filter tab icon .

  12. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage Participants Decision Date.
    2. Change the operator to Is Null.
      revisions chart filter example

  13. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

    1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage deadline.
    2. Change the operator to Less Than or Equal, then toggle Set relative date On and type $$TODAYem in the textbox.
      revisions chart filter example

  14. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

Add detailed review and approval information with Tables

table example

Pending approvals list

  1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

  2. In the Table card, click Add.

  3. Type Pending Approvals in the Name textbox.

  4. (Optional) Type a description in the Description textbox. This text displays as a tooltip next to the chart name.

  5. Click Open column settings.

  6. Click Add column, scroll down and click the first Document Approvals folder, then choose Status.

  7. Add the following columns:

    Project name
    Document Version > Document > Project > Name
    Document name
    Document Version > Document > type _Name_ in the search box.
    Document version
    Document Version > Document > Version
    Deadline
    Document > Approval Stage > Deadline
    Requested by

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Requester > type _Name_ in the search box.

    Requested date

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Created at

    Approver

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Participant User > type _Name_ in the search box.

    *Approval Stage Participants is truncated to Approval Stage Pa…

  8. Continue to Add the required filter below.

  9. Add the required pending approvals filter

    1. Click the Filter tab filter tab icon .

    2. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Status.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then type pending approval.
        pending approval table filter example

    3. Add optional filters as descried below, or click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    Optional filters

    To view more specific information depending on your use case, you can add additional filter conditions. You may want to recreate the table and add new filter conditions per use case.

    Expand to view additional filter options

    My Projects

    1. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Document version > Document > Project > Owner > type Name in the search box.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then choose Me (Logged in User) to display projects in Workfront in which you are marked as the project owner.
        pending approval table filter example

    2. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    Approvals I’ve submitted

    1. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants > Requester > type Name in the search box.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then choose Me (Logged in User) to display projects in Workfront in which you are marked as the project owner.
        pending approval table filter example

    2. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    Overdue approvals list

    1. Create a dashboard as described in the section above.

    2. In the Table card, click Add.

    3. Type Overdue Approvals in the Name textbox.

    4. (Optional) Type a description in the Description textbox. This text displays as a tooltip next to the chart name.

    5. Click Open column settings.

    6. Click Add column, scroll down and click the first Document Approvals folder, then choose Status.

    7. Add the following columns:

    Project name
    Document Version > Document > Project > Name
    Document name
    Document Version > Document > type _Name_ in the search box.
    Document version
    Document Version > Document > Version
    Deadline
    Document > Approval Stage > Deadline
    Requested by

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Requester > type _Name_ in the search box.

    Requested date

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Created at

    Approver

    Document > Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants*

    Participant User > type _Name_ in the search box.

    *Approval Stage Participants is truncated to Approval Stage Pa…

    Continue to Add the required filter below.

    Add the required overdue approvals filter

    1. Click the Filter tab filter tab icon .

    2. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage > Deadline.
      2. Change the operator to Less than, toggle Set relative date On, then type $$TODAY.
        overdue approval table filter example

    3. Add optional filters as descried below, or click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    Optional filters

    To view more specific information depending on your use case, you can add additional filter conditions. You may want to recreate the table, and add new, optional filter conditions per use case.

    Expand to view additional filter options

    My Projects

    1. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Document version > Document > Project > Owner > type Name in the search box.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then choose Me (Logged in User) to display projects in Workfront in which you are marked as the project owner.
        pending approval table filter example

    2. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    Approvals I’ve submitted

    1. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants > Requester > type Name in the search box.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then choose Me (Logged in User) to display projects in Workfront in which you are marked as the project owner.
        pending approval table filter example

    2. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

    My team

    1. Click Edit Filter > Add condition:

      1. Click into the empty condition filter, click Pick a Field, then choose Approval Stage > Approval Stage Participants > Participant Team > type Name in the search box.
      2. Change the operator to Equal, then choose My default teams (Logged in User) or My other teams (Logged in User) to display projects assigned to either your default team or other teams you are on.
        pending approval table filter example

    2. Click Done in the top-right corner of the screen.

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