How do I control who can see a dashboard?

How do I control who can see a dashboard?

In Salesforce, you do not control dashboard visibility on the dashboard itself. Instead, access is determined by the Folder where the dashboard is stored. If a user has access to the folder, they can see the dashboard.

Step 1: The "Private" vs. "Shared" Rule

When you create a dashboard, it is often saved in your Private Dashboards folder by default.

  • Private Folders: Only you can see the contents. Even System Administrators cannot see into your private folders unless they have specific “View All Data” permissions.
  • Shared/Public Folders: To let others see your dashboard, you must move it to a folder that has been shared with them.

Step 2: How to Share a Dashboard Folder

  • Navigate to the Dashboards tab.
  • In the left sidebar, click All Folders.
How do I control who can see a dashboard? | Salesforce | Step 1
  • Find the folder containing your dashboard. Click the arrow icon on the far right of the folder row and select Share.
  • In the “Share With” dropdown, choose who to grant access to:
How do I control who can see a dashboard? | Salesforce | Step 1.1
  • Users: Specific individuals.
  • Roles: Everyone in a certain position.
  • Public Groups: A pre-defined team (e.g., Marketing Team).
  • Select the Access Level:
    • View: Can see and refresh the dashboard.
    • Edit: Can change the charts and layout.
    • Manage: Can delete the folder or change who it is shared with.
  • Click Share and then Done.

Step 3: The "Running User" (The Security "Lens")

Even if someone can see the dashboard, the data they see inside the charts depends on the Running User setting.

How do I control who can see a dashboard? | Salesforce | Step 2
  • Open your dashboard and click Edit.
  • Click the Gear Icon (Settings) in the top right.
  • Under View Dashboard As, choose one of these options:
    • Me (The Creator): Everyone sees exactly what you see. This is useful for “Big Picture” leadership dashboards.
    • Another Person: Everyone sees data through that specific person’s security permissions.
    • The Dashboard Viewer: This turns it into a Dynamic Dashboard. Each person sees only the records they own or have access to.

Step 4: Important: Source Report Access

A common “Instructional Designer” troubleshooting tip: If a user can see the dashboard but the charts say “Error: Insufficient Privileges,” they do not have access to the Source Report folder.

  • You must share the Report Folder with the same users/groups you shared the Dashboard Folder with.

Last Updated 2nd February 2026.

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