How to create a gauge
A gauge shows one value as an instrument — current temperature, power, CO2 level — with a min and max scale and optional colour zones. It's built to be read at a glance, and it can be placed on the dashboard as a widget.
How to create a gauge
- Open the building you want to work on. See How to switch building and search for a building.
- Go to Analysis > Gauge in the sidebar.
- Click New gauge.
- Fill in:
- Name — required. Without it the message says Select a name.
- Timeseries — the measurement. Without it: Select a timeseries.
- Type — how the value is calculated. Without it: Select a type.
- Period — the span the calculation covers. Without it: Select a period.
- Min and Max — the scale. Without them: Select a minimum value. and Select a maximum value.
- Zones — the colour zones on the scale. Without them: Select zones.
- Click Save.
If you have no gauges yet, it says Create a gauge to get started.
How to choose the type and period
Type decides what the number is: Average, Sum, Max value or Min value.
Period decides how far back the calculation goes: 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 12 hours or 24 hours. The gauge describes itself with the text "the last {n} hours", so what the number covers is explicit.
The combination determines what the gauge actually shows:
Purpose | Type | Period |
|---|---|---|
Current state | Average | 5 or 15 minutes |
The day's peak | Max value | 24 hours |
Daily consumption | Sum | 24 hours |
Note: Min and Max are the scale, not alert thresholds. Set them too wide and the needle barely moves whatever happens; set them too tight and it sits at the end constantly. Choose the scale based on what normal variation looks like for this value.
How to use zones
Zones are the coloured bands on the scale — green across the normal range and red above it, for example. The zones are what let the gauge be read without interpreting the number: needle in the red, something's wrong.
How to put the gauge on the dashboard
A gauge can be used as a widget on the building's dashboard, so the value is visible without opening the analysis module. See How to change building settings for dashboard setup.
Note: Delete the gauge and the widget goes too. The confirmation says so: Delete this gauge? Any widget based on it will also be deleted.
Frequently asked questions
What if the gauge shows nothing?
The message No datapoints received means the timeseries hasn't delivered data in the period you chose. Try a longer period, or check whether the meter is reporting.
Is a gauge the same as an alarm?
No. The gauge shows a value; it notifies nobody. To be told when a limit is crossed, create an alarm — see How to create an alarm.
Can I share a gauge?
Yes. The import works as it does for analyses: After importing, edit and use this gauge. If the original changes, ask for a new link and import it again.
Can I use a formula?
Formula exists as a field, so a gauge can show a calculated value rather than a raw measurement.
Tip!
Only build gauges for the three or four values somebody actually looks at daily. A gauge earns its keep by catching the eye — a dashboard with twelve of them catches nothing.