Add a note, caveat or source text block to a dashboard
Anyone with edit access to the board · Updated 8 Nov 2026
A text block holds words you write: a note, a caveat, a source line, next steps. It isn't read from the data, so filters never change it. Add one from Add → Chart, then the Text tile; click it on the canvas to edit it later. Anyone with edit access to the board can add one.
Add a note, caveat or source text block
- Click Add → Chart, then the Text tile. Searching the gallery for "caveat", "methodology", "source" or "note" opens the Text tile with that style already chosen.
- Pick a style.
- Write the text and click Save changes. An empty block can't be added: the footer reads "Write something to add it".
Choose a text block style
| Style | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Heading | Dividing the page. Type and a rule, not a card. |
| Lead | The board's answer in one sentence, above everything. |
| Note | Commentary on what the numbers mean. This is the default. |
| Callout | A limit on what the numbers cover (a caveat). |
| Reference | How something was counted (methodology). |
| Source | Where the data came from. |
| Steps | What happens next, and who is doing it. |
| Ask | A question a reader can run for themselves. |
Write and format the text
| Field | What it takes |
|---|---|
| Heading | Optional, up to 120 characters. Not shown for the Heading and Ask styles. |
| Text | Formatting buttons for Bold, Italic, Link and Bulleted list (no list for Source). Or type **bold**, _italic_, - for list items and [links](url). |
| Steps rows (Steps style) | One row per step (up to 200 characters), with an Owner box (up to 60). The owner is free text, not an assignment. |
| Questions (Ask style) | One per line; a new blank row appears as you type. A reader who clicks one opens the Q&A page with it asked. With no Q&A page, the questions show but don't click through. See Q&A pages. |
Show the last updated date automatically with live tokens
A live token is a placeholder the board fills in every time it renders, so the line never goes out of date. Click { } ("Insert something the board fills in") in the text editor and pick one. The same button is on a chart's Add a caption box (see Annotations and captions).
| Token | Fills in |
|---|---|
{updated} | When this board was last built |
{filters} | What the reader has filtered to |
{range} | The period the data covers |
{rows} | How many rows it covers |
{dataset} | The dataset this board reads |
For example, a Source block reading "Data from {dataset}, updated {updated}" stays correct after every refresh.
- The menu only offers tokens this board can answer: no
{range}on a board without a date field. - If any token can't be resolved, the whole text shows "(couldn’t be determined)". Hovering it says which token.
- Braces that aren't tokens print as ordinary text.
Limits for text blocks
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Text block heading | Up to 120 characters |
| Step text / Owner | Up to 200 / up to 60 characters |
Related
- Annotations and captions: captions under a single chart.
- Publish a glossary with a dashboard: define your terms for readers.
- Q&A pages: where Ask questions lead.
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