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# Build your first dashboard from a file upload

> Upload a CSV, Excel, JSON or PDF file from the empty Dashboards library and Mammoth suggests dashboards you can build from it straight away.
>
> Applies to: Where: Dashboards (empty library)

The first time you open **Dashboards** with nothing in it, Mammoth checks what you have and shows a starting screen instead of an empty list. If you have no data yet, you drop the file you report from and Mammoth suggests dashboards to build from it. To start from data you already have, see [Create a dashboard](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/create/).

## What the empty Dashboards library shows

| Screen | When you see it | What you can do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "Your first dashboard starts with your data" | You have no data yet | Drop a file on "Drop the file you report from" ("CSV, Excel, JSON, PDF and more"), or use **Choose a file**, **Connect an app** or **Paste a link**. "Saves to" and the project name show where the data goes; click **Change** to pick another project. |
| "Reading" and your file's name | Your file is uploading | Watch **Uploading**, **Reading rows and columns** and **Suggesting dashboards**. |
| "One more step for" and your file's name | The file landed but needs a look first | Click **Open in Data** to fix it in the data editor. |
| "Here's what we can build from" and your file's name | Your data is ready | Pick a **Format** (**Dashboard**, **Slides** or **Doc**), then build a suggested idea or type your own. Or choose **Use other data**, **Browse all data…**, **Add more data** or **Start from a template**. |
| "No dashboards here yet" | You can open this workspace's projects but not build in them | Click **Open Shared with you** to see dashboards shared with you. |



## Upload a file and build a suggested dashboard

1. Drop your file on the drop zone, or click **Choose a file**.
2. Wait for **Suggesting dashboards**. You can leave the page: your file keeps loading and the suggestions wait for you. Large files can take a few minutes.
3. If you see **Open in Data**, fix the file in the data editor first.
4. Pick a **Format** and build a suggested idea, or describe your own.

Uploads count toward your workspace storage. See [Limits and quotas](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/help/limits/).

## Look around before you upload

Under the drop zone, **Or look around first** shows finished dashboards on sample data that you can open and click around. **See all templates** opens the [template gallery](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/templates/).

## Fix a failed dashboard upload

| Message | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| "We can't read .key files yet. Try CSV, Excel, JSON or PDF." (with your file's extension) | Upload one of the listed types. |
| "That upload didn't go through. Check your connection and try again." | Click **Try another file** to start again. |

## Related

- [Create a dashboard](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/create/): start from data, a template or a copy.
- [Start from a template](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/templates/): a finished design on sample data.
- [Import an existing report](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/import-a-report/): rebuild a report you already send.
- [Limits and quotas](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/help/limits/): workspace storage.

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Source: https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/dashboards/first-dashboard.md · Updated: 2026-11-08