Custom buttons, initial values from the query, and expandable editors in Business Forms 4.4.0

We are happy to announce the release of the Business Forms panel 4.4.0. This release includes the following updates:

• New Form Elements type - Button.
• Relocated field mapping option.
• Added Expandable editors for the code and payload editors.
• Simplified the Form Elements patchFormValue helper.
• Simplified the Form Elements formValue helper.

Grafana Catalog

The plugin was updated in the Grafana Plugins catalog on August 29, 2024.

Downloads

The Business Forms plugin has been downloaded almost 1,000,000 times! We are excited to see the community's increased adaptation of the panel.

The Business Forms plugin downloads almost hit 1,000,000.

New Form Elements type - Button

In the release 4.4.0, we added a new Form Elements type - Button. The functionality of existing previously standard buttons (Submit, Reset, and Save Default) is still the same.

With the Button Form Elements type, you can have more functionality on your form, such as calculating a value, performing validation checks, or any other.

A user has some options to style a custom button. Colors, size, and position are up to configuration.

New Form Elements type - Custom Button.

With the Button place option, the custom button element can be placed among other Form Elements or in the form footer, next to the standard buttons.

Available options for the Button Form Elements type.

Relocated field mapping option

For a better user experience, we relocated the field mapping options and similized their names.

Data Source

New place to map dataframe to the Form Elements for Data Source.

Query

New place to map dataframe to the Form Elements for Query.

Expandable editors

For a better user experience, we added the expand the editor area button.

Expand the code area button.

You can find this button at the top left corner of any JavaScript area parameter.

Use the expand the code area button to open your code in a separate window.

Simplified the Form Elements patchFormValue helper

Previosly, in order to update a form element value, a user had to use context.panel.elements.map(). We added a new function to simplify that approach. It has an object's key as an inpit parameter and a new value.

Before 4.4.0 version:

context.panel.onChangeElements(
  context.panel.elements.map((element) =>
    element.id === "name" ? { ...element, value: "Alex" } : element
  )
);

The simplified version example:

// only passed elements should be updated, the rest stay the same
context.panel.patchFormValue({ name: "Alex" });
// name and isAdmin
context.panel.patchFormValue({ name: "Alex", isAdmin: true });

Simplified the Form Elements formValue helper

Previosly, in order to get a form element value, a user had to use context.panel.elements.forEach(). We added a new function to simplify that approach. It has an object's key as an inpit parameter.

Before 4.4.0 version:

const payload = {};

context.panel.elements.forEach((element) => {
  payload[element.id] = element.value;
});

// payload = { name: 'Alex', isAdmin: true }

The simplified version example:

context.panel.formValue // { name: 'Alex', isAdmin: true }

Business Suite

In this video, Daria provides an overview of the Business Forms plugin. The Business Forms panel provides a runway for data to be sent back into the data source. Plenty of Form Elements types (available UI elements) help you with any necessary functionality.

Moreover, the Business Forms can be created on the fly (i.e., dynamically using code), which allows your Business Forms to be as flexible as needed.

Our blog is a treasure trove of practical examples. Each one is meticulously detailed and ready to be copied and pasted into your dashboard, saving you time and effort.

Feel free to learn from the turn-key solutions!

Business Forms panel for Grafana. Send data back into your data source.

Getting Started

You can install the Business Forms panel from the Grafana Plugins catalog or use the Grafana command line tool.

Install Business Suite plugins in Cloud, OSS, Enterprise. Getting started with the Business Suite.

For the latter, please use the following command:

grafana cli plugins install volkovlabs-form-panel

Tutorial

In this video, Daria provides two examples of what the Business Forms plugin can do and then outline the configuration steps. Towards the end, she emphasizes that the Business Forms panel can be created dynamically or, in other words, as a code with a reference where you can get copy-paste examples.

The powerful Business Forms panel 4.1.0 Overview.

We have many other tutorials that you can find helpful. You can review all related to this plugin tutorials here.

Release Notes

Features / Enhancements in 4.4.0

• Added Expandable Editors (#472)
• Updated Pre-Selection for multi selection elements (#474)
• Updated data source query display error (#477)

Bugfixes in 4.3.1

• Fixed migration helper if nested object properties are not defined (#468)

Features / Enhancements in 4.3.0

• Added helpers for form elements (#460)
• Updated payload options migration (#464)
• Added element custom button (#463)

Features / Enhancements in 4.2.0

• Updated Docker Compose and E2E pipeline (#446, #447)
• Improved unit tests (#447)
• Updated Business Forms tutorial (#451)
• Updated the logic for comparing values with the initial values (#454)
• Updated position of Query fields for initial values (#455)

Always happy to hear from you

• Ask a question, request a new feature, or report an issue at GitHub issues.
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and leave your comments.
• Become a Business Suite sponsor.

  Enroll in Business Suite Enterprise