Auto-Refreshing Dashboards

A dashboard that shows data from ten minutes ago when you're trying to make a decision right now is a map that doesn't show where you are. Operational dashboards need current data. The question is how current, and what's the right mechanism to achieve it.

Auto-refreshing dashboards let you configure a refresh interval appropriate to each use case, with updates that happen in the background without disrupting the user's experience.

Configure per Page or per Component

Auto-refresh is configurable at two levels:

Page-level refresh: Sets a default interval for the entire page. All data-loading components on the page refresh on this interval. Appropriate for full monitoring dashboards or status overview pages where everything should be current simultaneously.

Component-level refresh: Overrides the page-level interval for specific components, or enables auto-refresh on components where the page default isn't active. A metrics card showing live inventory might refresh every 30 seconds; a table of recent transactions might refresh every two minutes.

Intervals are configurable from 15 seconds to 30 minutes. The right choice depends on how quickly the underlying data changes and how critical currency is for the use case.

Background Refresh Without Disruption

When a refresh interval fires, data is fetched in the background. Components update to show the new data with a subtle transition — no page flash, no loading spinner that covers content, no visible interruption to anything the user is doing.

If a user has an active filter, sort selection, or cursor position, the refresh preserves all of that. The data updates; the user's context doesn't reset.

Stale Data Indicators

If a component fails to refresh — due to a connection interruption, an error from the data source, or a slow response — it shows a subtle stale data indicator. The indicator shows when data was last successfully refreshed and gives the user the option to manually trigger a refresh.

This prevents dashboards from silently showing outdated data when refreshes fail. The user is always aware of data freshness.

Optimal for Display Screens

Auto-refreshing dashboards are particularly valuable for display screens in offices, operations centers, and warehouses. A large screen showing real-time order volume, fulfillment status, and service health requires no interaction — it simply stays current. Configure auto-refresh, set the display, and the screen becomes a live operational view.

Refresh Coordination

When multiple components share a data source, their refreshes are coordinated. All components connected to the same source refresh together, ensuring that data remains consistent between them throughout the refresh cycle.