Overview of Digital Dashboard Technology

SharePoint Portal Server uses Digital Dashboard technology to create a dashboard site. A dashboard site is a collection of digital dashboards that provide a Web-based view of the workspace. A digital dashboard brings together disparate pieces of information and services and presents them by using Web Parts in a consistent and customizable Web-based view. Web Parts are a set of properties that wrap around Web-based content. In the context of SharePoint Portal Server, Web Parts provide the Web-based view of content stored in the workspace in addition to any other content you choose to display.

Office XP Developer is the primary tool for building Web Parts. Although dashboard applications have customization pages you can use to create simple Web Parts, developers can use the rich editing tools in Office XP Developer to build more complex Web Parts for use in the dashboard site for SharePoint Portal Server.