A BI (business intelligence) dashboard brings the numbers a team needs into one live view: revenue, orders, costs, KPIs and trends, pulled straight from the systems that hold them. Dashboard Builder is a self-hosted BI tool: you install it on your own server, connect your databases and files, and build dashboards without code. Professional and Enterprise licences include the full source code.
What a BI dashboard is
Business intelligence is the work of collecting data from across a business and turning it into decisions. The dashboard is where that work becomes visible. A good BI dashboard:
- answers a small number of questions for one audience (sales, finance, operations, leadership);
- shows KPIs against targets, not just raw totals;
- refreshes on its own, so nobody rebuilds a spreadsheet every Monday;
- lets people filter and drill into a number when it looks wrong.
Why choose self-hosted BI
Looking for an “open source BI tool”? Dashboard Builder is not open source, but it is self-hosted and the Professional and Enterprise licences ship with the full source code, which covers most of the reasons teams look for open source: control, auditability and no per-user fees.
How to build a BI dashboard
List the decisions. Write down the 5 to 8 questions the dashboard must answer, and who asks them.
Connect the sources. MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle, ODBC, Google Sheets, JSON, Excel, CSV or PDF. Mix several on one dashboard.
Build one chart per question. Use the SQL builder or your own SQL, then choose the chart type that fits the question.
Add KPI cards and filters. Put targets next to actuals and add date or region filters. Smart Query lets people filter in plain English.
Share, embed and schedule refresh. Share a link, embed the dashboard in your intranet or PHP app, and set auto refresh.
What to look for in BI dashboard software
| Need | Why it matters | In Dashboard Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Direct database connections | No exports, no stale copies | 25+ sources, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Oracle |
| Files as well as databases | Finance and ops still live in spreadsheets and PDF reports | Excel, CSV and PDF |
| No-code editing | Analysts change charts without a developer | Drag-and-drop designer, 20+ chart types |
| AI assistance | Faster first drafts | AI Dashboard Generator: KPI cards, 6 charts and key insights from a file |
| Embedding | Put BI where people already work | Generated PHP/HTML5 code; WordPress, Joomla, Laravel |
| Users and access | Different teams see different dashboards | Team members per licence; SSO/LDAP optional on Enterprise |
| Deployment choice | Compliance and cost | Self-hosted, cloud or Windows desktop |
What BI software costs
Most BI platforms charge per user per month. Dashboard Builder offers both models:
| Edition | Price | Users |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted Essential | $119 once | 1 |
| Self-hosted Professional | $399 once | 3 |
| Self-hosted Enterprise | $1,499 once | Unlimited, 5 domains |
| Cloud Starter | $9 per month | See plan |
| Cloud Professional | $29 per month | 5 |
| Cloud Business | $59 per month | 20 |
Cloud plans save about 17% when paid yearly. See self-hosted pricing and cloud pricing, and the BI dashboard cost guide.
Beyond the basics: drill-through, forecasting and real time
Benefits of a BI dashboard
- One version of the truth: everyone reads the same numbers from the same source.
- Faster decisions: problems show up the day they happen, not at month end.
- Less manual reporting: no more copying exports into spreadsheets every week.
- Accountability: each KPI has an owner and a target on screen.
BI dashboard examples by team
More in the gallery, business dashboards and KPI dashboards. Charts and visual design are covered in the data visualization tool guide.
Frequently asked questions
Build your first dashboard in minutes
Upload Excel, CSV or PDF to the free AI Dashboard Generator, or download the self-hosted free trial and connect your database.
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