TutorialKart.comRefresh dashboards in Salesforce1 App: quick answer
To refresh a dashboard in Salesforce1 App, open the Salesforce mobile navigation menu, tap Dashboards, open the dashboard that you want to view, and tap the Refresh icon. Salesforce asks for confirmation before refreshing the dashboard data. The dashboard refreshes the data shown in its components based on the dashboard configuration, the running user, and your access to the underlying reports and records.
The screenshots in this tutorial use the older Salesforce1 App name. In current Salesforce documentation, the same mobile experience is commonly referred to as the Salesforce mobile app. The steps are still useful for users who need to open, view, and refresh Salesforce dashboards from a phone or tablet.
What is Salesforce1 App?
Salesforce1 App is a mobile application developed by Salesforce.com to access Salesforce from mobile devices. Using Salesforce1 App, users can create, update, and delete records, access Salesforce files, open reports and dashboards, view Lightning charts, and work with standard and custom objects that are available to them.
- Learn how to Install salesforce1 mobile Application.
Salesforce1 dashboard access requirements before refreshing
Before you refresh a Salesforce dashboard on mobile, make sure the dashboard is actually available to the user. A refresh button is useful only when the user can open the dashboard and Salesforce can run the source reports behind its components.
- Dashboard navigation item: The Dashboards item must be available in the Salesforce mobile navigation menu or inside the Lightning app navigation used on mobile.
- Report and dashboard permissions: The user should have permission to run reports and view dashboards.
- Folder access: The user needs access to the dashboard folder and the related report folders.
- Data visibility: The displayed values depend on the dashboard running user, dashboard type, sharing rules, filters, and record-level access.
- Network connection: Dashboard data refresh requires a working connection to Salesforce. Offline viewing does not create a new dashboard refresh.
How to access Dashboards in Salesforce1 App?
Dashboards in Salesforce1 mobile Application can be accessed through navigation menu and scroll down to Dashboards menu under the APPS section.
We can also access Dashboards in Salesforce1 Application by navigating to Setup | Apps | Mobile Apps| Salesforce navigation. Now select Dashboards and add the selected items.
In newer Lightning app navigation, an admin can also review the mobile navigation from Setup, open App Manager, edit the required Lightning app, and check whether Dashboards is included in the app navigation items. Salesforce also provides a mobile-only navigation setup path where admins can search for Salesforce Navigation in Setup and choose the items shown in the mobile menu.
As shown above we have only one Salesforce Dashboard created for Summary reports.
Dashboard features in Salesforce1 App
- All the components in the dashboard will be available when you open the dashboard in Salesforce1 App.
- In mobile device, the dashboards will be displayed as a column.
- In a tablet device, the dashboards will b displayed in two columns.
To open a dashboard we need to have to run report permission and also need to have access to the Dashboard folder. Dashboard in Salesforce1 App does not depend on tab settings in the user’s profile. Once you tap on the Dashboard’s menu, it will open a list of the recent dashboards that you had opened.
On phones, dashboard components are usually stacked so that each chart or table is readable on a narrow screen. On tablets, Salesforce can use the wider screen to show more dashboard content at once. The exact display can vary depending on the dashboard design, component type, Lightning app navigation, and the version of the Salesforce mobile app installed on the device.
How to refresh a Dashboard in Salesforce1 App?
A dashboard in Salesforce1 mobile Application can be refreshed. Tap on the refresh icon at the bottom of the Dashboard, and it will prompt user to confirm the Dashboard refresh.
Dynamic dashboards can be opened in Salesforce1 App and also we can filter dashboards in Salesforce1.
Step-by-step mobile dashboard refresh flow in Salesforce1 App
- Open the Salesforce1 App or Salesforce mobile app on your device.
- Tap the navigation menu and choose the correct Lightning app, if your org uses multiple apps.
- Tap Dashboards. If Dashboards is not visible, check the app navigation setup or ask your Salesforce admin to add it.
- Select the dashboard you want to view. Recent dashboards may appear first, so use search or folder navigation if you do not see the dashboard immediately.
- Review the dashboard timestamp or the values shown in the components.
- Tap the Refresh icon and confirm the refresh when Salesforce prompts you.
- Stay on the dashboard or continue working while Salesforce processes the refresh. After the refresh completes, reopen or review the dashboard to confirm the updated values.
Salesforce dashboard refresh behavior on mobile
Opening a Salesforce dashboard is not the same as refreshing it. A report can run when you view it, but dashboard components show data from the dashboard refresh. This is why a report and a dashboard component based on that report can sometimes appear to show different freshness until the dashboard is refreshed.
Salesforce also applies refresh controls to avoid repeated refresh requests. If a refresh is already running, or if another refresh is submitted too soon after a completed refresh, Salesforce can ignore the duplicate request. If a dashboard refresh does not complete after several minutes, try again later and check whether the underlying reports are slow or blocked by filters, access, or data volume.
Manual refresh, widget refresh, and scheduled dashboard refresh in Salesforce
| Refresh option | Where it is used | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Manual dashboard refresh | Dashboard page in Salesforce1 App, Salesforce mobile app, or desktop Salesforce | Refreshes the whole dashboard so components show newer data from their source reports. |
| Individual widget refresh | Dashboards where the feature is enabled | Refreshes only a selected dashboard widget instead of refreshing the full dashboard. |
| Scheduled dashboard refresh or subscription | Configured from Salesforce desktop experience, depending on org features and edition | Refreshes dashboard results on a schedule and can send refreshed dashboard results by email. |
For mobile users, the practical difference is simple: use the refresh icon when you need the latest available dashboard values while viewing the dashboard. Use scheduled refresh or dashboard subscriptions when users need refreshed dashboard results at regular times without opening the dashboard manually.
Why a Salesforce1 dashboard refresh may not show new values
If the dashboard refresh completes but the numbers still look old, check the dashboard setup before assuming the mobile app is the issue. Dashboard values depend on the source reports and the data access context used by the dashboard.
- The source report has filters that exclude new records. Open the report behind the dashboard component and confirm whether the new records appear there.
- The dashboard running user cannot see the records. A dashboard running user, dynamic dashboard setting, or sharing rule can change what data is visible.
- The dashboard folder or report folder access is incomplete. A user may see the dashboard but fail to view some expected component data if report access is limited.
- The dashboard was refreshed too recently. Repeated refresh clicks close together may not start separate refresh jobs.
- The mobile app has stale screen data. Pull down to refresh the mobile screen, close and reopen the dashboard, or sign out and back in if the display does not update.
- The dashboard component is based on data that updates asynchronously. Some source data, integrations, or rollups may need time before they appear in reports and dashboard components.
Admin checks when Dashboards is missing in Salesforce1 App
If a user cannot find Dashboards in Salesforce1 App, the issue is usually navigation, permission, or folder access. Use the following checks before troubleshooting the dashboard refresh button.
- Confirm that the user is in the correct Lightning app in the Salesforce mobile app.
- Check whether Dashboards is included in the app navigation items or mobile-only Salesforce Navigation setup.
- Verify that the user has the required report and dashboard permissions.
- Confirm that the dashboard folder is shared with the user, role, public group, or permission set group as intended.
- Ask the user to refresh the mobile navigation menu or sign in again after admin navigation changes are saved.
Salesforce1 dashboard refresh FAQs
How do I refresh a dashboard in Salesforce1 App?
Open the Salesforce1 App, tap Dashboards, open the required dashboard, and tap the Refresh icon. Confirm the prompt to start the dashboard refresh.
Do Salesforce dashboards refresh automatically when opened on mobile?
No. Opening a dashboard on mobile does not always mean the dashboard data has been refreshed. Use the refresh icon for a manual refresh, or configure scheduled refresh or dashboard subscriptions from Salesforce where available.
Can I refresh only one dashboard component in the Salesforce mobile app?
Yes, if your Salesforce org has individual widget refresh enabled for dashboards. In that case, users can refresh only the widget they need instead of refreshing the entire dashboard.
Why is the Dashboards item not visible in Salesforce1 App?
The Dashboards item may be missing because it was not added to mobile navigation, the user is in a different Lightning app, or the user lacks dashboard permissions or folder access. An admin should check mobile navigation and access settings.
Can dynamic dashboards be refreshed in Salesforce1 App?
Dynamic dashboards can be opened and refreshed on mobile when the dashboard is supported in the Salesforce mobile app and the user has the required access. The results are shown according to the dashboard configuration and the user’s data visibility.
Editorial QA checklist for this Salesforce1 dashboard refresh tutorial
- The tutorial explains both the old Salesforce1 name and the current Salesforce mobile app wording.
- The refresh steps mention the mobile navigation menu, Dashboards item, dashboard selection, refresh icon, and confirmation prompt.
- The access checks cover report permissions, dashboard folder access, source report access, and running user visibility.
- The troubleshooting section explains why refreshed dashboard values may still appear unchanged.
- The FAQ answers search-intent questions about manual refresh, automatic refresh, widget refresh, missing Dashboards navigation, and dynamic dashboards.