# Dashboard widgets, filter inputs and query cache

*Tableau Next Consultant Study Guide · Visualizations & Dashboards · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-next-consultant/visualizations-and-dashboards/dashboard-widgets-filter-inputs-and-query-cache*

How Tableau Next dashboard widgets receive filters and parameters, start from dynamic defaults, narrate and embed metrics, apply conditional formatting and reuse cached queries, plus exploring, re-pointing and predicting with the visualizations they show.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Next Consultant
- Exam section: Visualizations & Dashboards
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-next-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Apply visualization and dashboarding best practices to design user-friendly Tableau Next assets.

## What the exam expects

- Choose between Clone and Edit Source when a user explores a dashboard visualization, and know what a custom dashboard view saves.
- Re-point a visualization to an extended semantic model and predict which fields map automatically.
- Set Receive Dashboard Filters and Receive Dashboard Parameters (All, Include, Exclude, None) per widget, and give a filter a static or dynamic default value.
- Pick the Summary widget, a Text widget with a Metric element or a Metric widget for a narrative requirement, and predict how conditional formatting rules combine.
- Recommend Query Cache for frequently opened dashboards, use prediction fields in visual analysis, and open a metric's setup from the dashboard.

Key terms:
- **Widget:** a dashboard building block such as a visualization, metric, filter, parameter, text or summary.
- **Receive Dashboard Filters / Parameters:** the per-widget setting that decides which dashboard inputs the widget applies.
- **Dynamic default value:** a filter's starting selection computed by a calculated field when the dashboard opens.
- **Extended semantic model:** a model built from an existing one with extra calculations, objects or relationships.
- **Query Cache:** a dashboard setting that reuses stored query results instead of running live queries on every visit.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default receive setting | All, which applies every dashboard input | [Control Update Behavior](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_filter_selections.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Filters vs parameters | Two separate settings, each with All, Include, Exclude, None | [Targeted Parameter Updates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_dashboard_parameter_update.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262) |
| Dynamic default path | Select Values, Dynamic (Calculated Field), Choose Field | [Dynamic Default Values](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_default.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Clone from Explore | New visualization with current dashboard filters; original unchanged | [Analyzing Visualizations in Context](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_dashboard_enhanced_explore.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262) |
| Model swap mapping keys | API name, object name and data type | [Replace Semantic Models](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_replace_extendedsdm.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262) |
| Summary widget input | A data model and at least two metrics; metrics only | [Multi-Metric Overviews](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_summary.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Text widget metric | Insert Data, Metric, then a single metric element | [Live Metrics in Text Widgets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_text_embed_metrics.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Conditional format target | Measures only; format comes from the same measure | [Conditional Formatting](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_conditional_format.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Query Cache lifetime | 30 minutes, then automatic refresh | [Query Cache](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_data_mode.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| Prediction field uses | Calculated fields, filters and aggregations | [Predictions in Visualizations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_dashboard_predictiveAI_support.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262) |
| Permission to edit dashboards | Tableau Unmetered Platform Analyst or Tableau Next Platform Analyst | [Control Update Behavior](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_filter_selections.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |

## Check yourself

- When a Summary widget should describe only a recent period, which options constrain its data?
- When an author clicks Explore on a dashboard visualization, what can they review before choosing a next step?
- Which control extends an existing conditional-format rule with another condition, and on which tab is the rule created?
- Where does an author start swapping a visualization's model for its extended version?

## Sources

- [Control Update Behavior for Tableau Next Dashboard Widgets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_filter_selections.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Update Selected Dashboard Widgets with Targeted Parameter Updates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_dashboard_parameter_update.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Customize Dashboards with Dynamic Default Values](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_default.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Personalize User Experiences with Dynamic Default Values](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_dashboard_default_values.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=260)
- [Continue Analyzing Dashboard Visualizations in Context](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_dashboard_enhanced_explore.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Create and Share Custom Dashboard Views](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_views.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Easily Replace Semantic Models in Visualizations](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_replace_extendedsdm.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Consolidate Multi-Metric Overviews on Tableau Next Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_summary.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Add Live Metrics to Tableau Next Text Widgets](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_text_embed_metrics.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Apply Conditional Formatting to Visualize Dashboard Data Performance](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_conditional_format.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Optimize Dashboard Loading with Query Cache](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_data_mode.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create Effective Dashboards with Tableau Next](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Take Action on Predictions in Visualizations and Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_visualization_dashboard_predictiveAI_support.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Build and Customize Tableau Next Dashboards More Efficiently](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=release-notes.rn_tua_dashboard_author_tools_update.htm&type=5&language=en_US&release=262)
- [Adjust Dashboard and Widget Formatting](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=analytics.tua_create_dashboard_format.htm&type=5&language=en_US)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 11 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Next Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams