Learn how to use the Dashboard feature, including creating new bookings, managing widgets, and choosing the widgets that meet your needs.
Which plans include this feature?
Legacy: Soho, Pro, Plus, Enterprise, Flex
New: Growth (Subscription), Growth (Online Booking Fee), Managed
→ Learn more about our new plans or how to change your plan.
Where can I find this feature using the top menu?
As soon as you sign in, the Dashboard opens! You can also access the Dashboard by selecting the Checkfront logo in your account (top left).
What more do I need to use this feature?
- Admin or restricted permissions.
- Restricted accounts must have permission to Create Bookings, to see and use the New Booking button.
- For restricted accounts to interact with the bookings widget, the permission Manage Bookings must be enabled; otherwise, it is a read-only widget.
Dashboard & widgets overview
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The Dashboard is the central hub of your Checkfront account and the first page you arrive at after logging in. It provides ready access to the most essential and up-to-date information on your business.
The Dashboard is made up of widgets. Widgets are generally a summarized view of another area in the system. This information is displayed in tiles, as shown in the screenshot above. You can add, remove, and re-arrange your widgets as needed.
The Dashboard layout is saved on a per-account basis. Each Staff member of your team can configure the Dashboard to display the most important to them. Also, some widgets may not be available, depending on the Staff member's permissions setting. |
Learn more about all your reporting options here: |
Creating new bookings
Back to topYou can create a new booking from your Dashboard by selecting the New Booking button or from the New Booking area (Booking > New Booking).
Learn more about creating a Staff-side booking here: |
Staff members must have the Create Bookings permission to create a new booking from the Dashboard. For more information on user permissions, see Managing Staff account permissions. |
Adding widgets
Back to topTo add more widgets, click the + Add Widget button in the top right corner of the Dashboard view.
Select a new widget from the options provided by clicking the widget name. The new widget is automatically placed below your other widgets.
You can move a widget to a new position by clicking the mouse button on its title and dragging it into place. You can also resize a widget, as described below!
Removing widgets
Back to topTo remove a widget, click on the 'X' icon in the top right corner of the widget itself.
Viewing widgets in full-screen mode
Back to topNext to the widget removal button is the full-screen button (↗). This enables you to launch the report in full-screen mode, to which the information in the widget pertains.
Click your browser's back (<-) button to return to the standard view.
Only widgets with a page in the Checkfront application can be viewed in full-screen. |
Resizing widgets
Back to topYou can resize your widget by clicking and dragging the bottom-right corner. The space that the widget takes over is highlighted in blue. You can always resize your widgets again if needed.
The Widgets:
Back to topThe following is a list of the widgets that can be added to the Dashboard.
Setup Guide
Back to topThe Setup Guide widget guides you step-by-step through setting up your account.
- Getting Started
- Take bookings online
- Manage bookings
This widget displays by default.
Click on the small arrow to the right of the widget to roll it up and to provide more space at the top of the page for essential widgets. Clicking the same arrow again opens the widget to full size.
Onboarding: Helpdesk
Back to topThis widget shows two tabs: Video and Knowledge Base.
The Video tab includes an embedded tutorial titled Learn the Basics - Getting Started Taking Bookings.
The Knowledge Base tab lists our recommended guides to help you get started with your Checkfront account, including:
- Adding inventory to Checkfront - Items
- Adding inventory to Checkfront - Products
- Reviewing and managing bookings
- Embedding the booking widget on your website
- Configuring the booking page
Daily Management: (Number of) Bookings by Month (List)
Back to topA list of bookings starting in the current month organized by New, Starting, and Upcoming. The tab label includes the number of bookings for each, for example, New 4.
- The New tab lists bookings starting in the current month that have been newly created today.
- The Starting tab lists bookings that are starting today.
- The Upcoming tab lists bookings starting in the current month after today.
You can change the status directly from the widget, Check In, or Check Out of the booking.
By default, Booking, Item, Date, and Status columns display. Click the Edit Columns icon to add or remove columns, including Check In/Out and Booking Total.
Sort columns by clicking the column header to order rows in ascending (↑) or descending order (↓).
Click on the booking record to open the associated Booking Invoice in a new tab.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to open the full Booking Index.
Learn more about the Booking Index and Booking Invoice here: |
This widget is a read-only view without permission to Manage Bookings. For more information on user permissions, see Managing Staff account permissions. |
Daily Management: Booking Log
Back to topA view of all Booking Logs can be filtered by a Date span or by Status.
By default, this widget displays the following week's worth of bookings, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset date ranges (Today, Last Week, Last 7 Days...) or by choosing a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to select your dates.
Columns for Date, Booking Code, Event, Message and Booker/Item display. Sort columns by clicking the column header to order rows in ascending (↑) or descending order (↓).
Click on the Booking Code to open the associated Booking Invoice in a separate tab.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to open the full Account Activity report (Reports > Account Activity).
Learn more about the full Account Activity report and Booking Invoice here: |
Daily Management: Customer Calendar
Back to topCalendar of bookings displayed by category and date with the Booker name displaying for each.
By default, this widget displays the next two week's worth of bookings, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset date ranges (Tomorrow, Today, This Week, ...) or by selecting a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to choose your dates.
You can hover over the booking to read the full details of the listing.
Click on the booking to open the associated Booking Invoice in a separate tab.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full-sized Customer Calendar.
Learn more about the full Customer Calendar and Booking Invoice here: |
Daily Management: Bookings Calendar
Back to topMonthly Booking Calendar showing the number of bookings for each day.
Click on a date to open the modal with the list of bookings, including the product (item) booked, date/time, qty, amount, and status.
Within the modal, there is an option to initiate a new Staff-side booking, providing the Staff member has permission to Create Bookings.
The modal also includes stats on the total number of bookings, total quantity (qty) associated with the bookings, and total monetary value of bookings for the day in focus.
Within the modal, click on the Booker's name to open the associated invoice in a separate tab.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full Booking Calendar (Calendar > Booking).
Learn more about the full Booking Calendar and Booking Invoice here: |
This widget does not include bookings that do not have a locked status. Please refer to the Customer Calendar widget instead. |
Daily Management: Inventory
Back to topThis widget illustrates the qty of inventory consumed by product (item) for the day in focus.
Click on the name of the product (item) or quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full Booking Daily List (Booking > Daily List), a detailed list of bookings by category with quantity consumed.
Learn more about the Booking Daily List here: |
A combined chart that shows the number of new bookings created (Web and Staff) as a bar chart (blue), with a line graph (red) of website visitors to your booking page for the same period.
Hover over the graph points to view overlays with specific monthly data (e.g. # of Visitors, # Staff Bookings, or # Web Bookings).
This widget displays data for the Last 12 Months by default, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset ranges (Tomorrow, Last Week, Last 7 Days, etc.) or by selecting a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to choose your dates.
Learn more about the Booking Volume report here: |
Reports: Booking Volume
Back to topA combined chart shows, by month, the total inventory quantity, number of bookings and monetary sales (e.g. GBP) for all bookings created for the selected date range.
- The red line graph represents the inventory quantity (Qty).
- The blue line graph represents the number of bookings.
- The bar graph represents monetary sales.
Hover over the graph points to view overlays with specific monthly data (e.g. monetary value or QTY).
This widget displays data for the Last 12 Months by default, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset ranges (Tomorrow, Last Week, Last 7 Days, etc.) or by selecting a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to choose your dates.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full Booking Volume report (Reports > Booking Volume).
Learn more about the Booking Volume report here: |
Cancelled bookings are excluded from this widget. For example, if you had ten bookings in January of 2020, and 3 were Cancelled, then these bookings are no longer counted, and a Booking Volume of 7 displays. |
Reports: Revenue by Month
Back to topBar chart illustrating the last 12 months of revenue by month (based on completed transactions).
Hover over the graph points to view overlays with the exact monetary value for each month.
This widget displays data for the Last 12 Months by default, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset ranges (Tomorrow, Last Week, Last 7 Days, etc.) or by selecting a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to choose your dates.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full Revenue report (Reports > Revenue).
Learn more about the Revenuereport here: |
Reports: Commission by Month
Back to topThis graph shows the number of commissionable bookings per month (Sold) for the past 12 months, with the number of Paid commissions versus the number still Owed.
- The blue line graph represents the number of commissionable bookings Sold per month.
- The bar graph represents commissions Paid (dark green) versus Owed (light green).
Hover over the graph points to view overlays with specific monthly data.
This widget displays data for the Last 12 Months by default, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset date ranges (Tomorrow, Last Week, Last 7 Days ...) or by selecting a custom start and end date. Open the date picker next to the date range to choose your dates.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to jump to the full Commission Report (Reports > Other Reports > Commission).
Learn more about the Commission Report here: |
Bookings must have a status ID other than PRE-Booking. The Account Activity report (Reports > Account Activity) will show only completed bookings. |
Reports: (Qty) Bookings by Month (Graph)
Back to topThis graph shows the booking quantity based on the start date of the booking. Void/pre-bookings are not included.
You can filter the chart by Categories. By default, data is included for All Categories.
Data is displayed in monthly increments based on your date filter selections.
Hover over the graph points to view overlays with specific monthly data.
This widget displays data for the Last 12 Months by default, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset date ranges (Tomorrow, Last Week, Last 7 Days ...) or by selecting a custom start and end date. You can open the date picker next to the date range.
Click on the quick link (↗) at the top right-hand corner of the widget to open the full Booking Index (Reports > Booking Index).
Learn more about the Booking Index here: |
Reports: Bookings by Product Category
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A pie chart shows bookings' distribution by product (item) or category for the date range specified.
By default, the calendar displays data for Last 12 Months, but you can customize the date range by selecting from preset dates (Tomorrow, Today, This Week,...) or by selecting a custom start and end date.
Hover over the segments to view the actual percentage and number for each product (item) or category, for example, Tours (57.6%, 3932), Activities (27.3%, 1865), and Accommodations (15.1%, 1029).