> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adriel.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Dashboard snapshots

> Capture a point-in-time copy of a dashboard — layout and data — that stays fixed even as the underlying data changes.

A **snapshot** is a point-in-time capture of a dashboard. It preserves both the layout (which widgets, how they're arranged, which settings) and the data values displayed at the moment of capture. Once taken, the snapshot doesn't refresh against live data — it stays frozen.

Snapshots are useful for:

* **Monthly or quarterly reports** — capture the state of the dashboard at the end of a reporting period so the numbers can be referenced later even if the underlying data source changes.
* **Sharing a moment in time** — send a stakeholder a fixed view instead of a live dashboard that keeps updating.
* **Auditing and reconciliation** — keep a record of what the dashboard showed on a given date.

## Take a snapshot

The snapshot button lives in the dashboard header. Click the icon to open a dropdown with two options:

* **Take snapshot** — opens the Take Snapshot dialog.
* **Snapshot list** — opens the Snapshot list panel.

Pick **Take snapshot**. The dialog has two fields:

* **Snapshot name** — a title for the snapshot.
* **Memo** (optional) — a short note about what the snapshot represents.

Confirm to capture. The snapshot stores the current view's layout and every widget's data values as they appear at that moment.

## Snapshot list

Open the **Snapshot list** from the header dropdown to see all snapshots taken for the current dashboard. The panel is a table with the following columns:

* **Snapshot name**.
* **Date/Time** — when the snapshot was captured.
* **Memo indicator** — a message-bubble icon shows next to snapshots that have a memo attached. Hover to preview.
* **Edit pencil** — opens the snapshot's name and memo for editing.
* **Delete trash** — permanently removes the snapshot.

The panel header also has a global trash icon that **deletes every snapshot for the current dashboard**. Use with caution — there is no undo.

Click on a snapshot's row to open it. Widgets render the frozen data — no live queries run.

## Edit individual values

When a snapshot is open, individual metric values can be adjusted — for example, correcting a number known to be wrong at capture time. Edits are stored on top of the snapshot; the original captured values remain intact underneath.

The most recent edit is what viewers see when they open the snapshot. Deleting the edits reverts to the original captured values.

## Share a snapshot

Snapshots can be shared externally via the same share-link workflow used for live dashboards. See [Share via link](/dashboards/sharing-dashboards/share-via-link) for access controls, expiry, and the interactive-vs-view-only distinction.

## Persistence

Snapshots persist until explicitly deleted from the Snapshot list. There is no auto-expiry.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A widget in the snapshot shows different values than the live dashboard">
    The snapshot preserves the data as it was at capture. The live dashboard reflects the current data. Differences are expected as time passes and underlying data changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Edited a value in a snapshot but the original is showing">
    Edits overlay the original; the most recent edit is what viewers see. If the edit didn't stick, confirm it was saved before the snapshot was closed.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Share via link" href="/dashboards/sharing-dashboards/share-via-link">
    Share the live dashboard instead of a frozen snapshot.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Exporting widget data" href="/widgets/widget-actions/exporting-widget-data">
    Export a widget's data to CSV, PDF, or Google Sheets.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>