Admin Hub is a modern Dashboard experience in Absorb LMS that helps Admins create, customize, and share Dashboards from one workspace. It combines role-based starting points, a visual Widget gallery, Global Filters, quick shortcuts, and sharing tools so Users can move from setup to insight faster.

This article explains what Admin Hub includes, who can use it, how Dashboards are managed, and what to expect from Widgets, permissions, refresh behavior, and known limitations.

Get Started with Admin Hub

Admin Hub replaces the traditional blank-dashboard experience with a more guided and visual workflow. Eligible Admins can begin using it without separate configuration. New Dashboards can be created from Templates or from a blank layout, and existing Dashboards remain available.

What Admin Hub Includes

Admin Hub focuses on the Dashboard surface and adds tools that make setup, navigation, and analysis easier.

• Role-based Dashboards: Start from prebuilt Dashboard templates or create a blank Dashboard.
• Visual Widget gallery: Browse and add Widgets from one place.
• Modern visualizations: Use bar, stacked bar, pie, line, number, table, and list views.
• Dashboard filtering: Apply global filters across supported Widgets and use Widget level settings where available.
• Quick Shortcuts: Pin common actions and reports for faster navigation.
• Sharing and Templates: Share Dashboards with other users and reuse Dashboards as Templates.
• Accessible experience: Use a Dashboard experience designed for keyboard and screen-reader navigation.

Admin Hub improves the Dashboard experience, but it does not change Admin navigation outside Dashboards.

Who Can Use Admin Hub

Admin Hub is available to any Admin in the Portal, but saving and assigning Templates is restricted to System Admins.

• Admin Role required: Users need an Admin Role to view Dashboard data.
• Template management: System Admins can save Dashboards as Templates and assign Templates more broadly.
• Permission-based visibility: Available Widgets, shortcut options, and shared access reflect the current user's permissions.

Why Admin Hub Matters

Admin Hub is designed to reduce setup time and manual reporting so Users can move from information to action more quickly. This can speed up operational decisions and improve confidence in LMS data.

• Start from a ready-to-use Dashboard instead of a blank page.
• Reduce reliance on manual reporting for common operational workflows.
• Spot overdue Learners, expiring Certificates, risk indicators, and completion trends faster.
• Filter Dashboard data without rebuilding each Widget.
• Reduce clicks with pinned shortcuts and shared Dashboards.
• Work with more confidence by using clearer visuals and a visible Last updated timestamp.
  

Create and Customize Dashboards

Admin Hub supports both fast setup and deeper customization. The most common tasks are creating Dashboards, switching between Dashboards, adding Widgets, saving Filters, and adjusting supported Widget settings.

Create a Dashboard

Use a prebuilt Template when you want a faster starting point, or create a blank Dashboard when you want full control over the layout.

1. Click New Dashboard.
   
    
2. Select a prebuilt Template, or click Use Blank Template.
   
    
3. Enter a name for the Dashboard.
   
    
4. Review the starting layout in Edit Mode.
   
    
5. Click Done.
   

If you do not have any Dashboards yet, Admin Hub displays an empty state that prompts you to create your first Dashboard from a Template or a blank layout. Template options can include role-based layouts such as Administrator, Manager, and other views available in your environment. Default Templates can be duplicated, but the original default Templates cannot be edited directly.

Edit a Dashboard

Use Edit Mode to change the layout, rename the Dashboard, and manage supported Widgets.

1. Open the Dashboard you want to change.
2. Click More Options.
   
    
3. Click Edit Mode.
   
    
4. Adjust the Widget layout as needed.
5. Click a supported Widget to open its settings.
6. Click Done.

In Edit Mode, you can move or resize a Widget my clicking and dragging the top left or bottom right corners.

Click the kebab menu (three dots) in the top right corner of a Widget to access the Configure widget and Remove widget options.

The More Options menu also includes Rename Dashboard, Duplicate Dashboard and Delete Dashboard. 

System Admins also see Save as Template and Go to Dashboard Report.

Duplicate a Dashboard

To duplicate a Dashboard follow these steps:

1. Access the Admin Experience.
2. Click the More Options button from the Admin Hub.
   
    
3. Select Duplicate Dashboard.
   
    
4. Configure Widgets for the duplicated Dashboard.
   
    
5. Click Done once complete.

Switch Between Dashboards

Use the Dashboard picker to move between Dashboards you created and Dashboards that other users shared with you.

1. Click the Dashboard picker.
   
    
2. Select the Dashboard you want to open.
   

Add Widgets

The Widget gallery provides a visual way to browse and add Widgets to a Dashboard.

1. Open the Dashboard you want to update.
2. Click Add Widget.
   
    
3. Review the available Widgets in the gallery.
   
    
4. Click Add Widget for the desired Widget.
   
    
5. Confirm the Widget configuration, if prompted.

A Dashboard can contain up to 10 Widgets. If Add Widget is unavailable, remove an existing Widget before adding another.

Use Global Filters

Global Filters apply a shared Filter set across supported Widgets on a single Dashboard.

Available Global Filters can include Departments, Courses, Groups, and an Enrollments date range. By default, the Enrollments filter is set to the last 30 days.

1. Open the Dashboard you want to filter.
2. Select the Filter values you want to use.
   
    
3. Click Save Filters.
   
    
4. Reopen the Dashboard later to confirm the saved filters remain in place.

Saved Global Filters are tied to the current Dashboard and are not shared with other Users.

Configure Individual Widgets

Some Widgets also support their own widget-level settings, which lets one Widget use a different status, Course type, or other filter than the rest of the Dashboard.

Examples of Widgets that can include individual configuration include Enrollment Status by Department, Enrollment Status by Course, Learner Activity, Enrollment Status Overall, and Session Enrollment Status. When you share a Dashboard, these widget-level settings are shared with it.

Use Shortcuts, Sharing, and Templates

Admin Hub includes tools that help Users reach common actions faster and reuse Dashboard layouts across teams.

Quick Shortcuts

The Quick Shortcuts bar gives each User a personal set of links to 20+ available shortcut actions, depending on permissions. Shortcuts are user-specific, independent of any single Dashboard, and not shareable. Users can pin up to 10 shortcuts.

• Create content: Open actions such as Online Course, Import Course, Instructor Led, Curriculum, or Course Bundle.
• Create or manage records: Open actions such as User, Import User, Department, Group, Role, or Tags.
• Open reports and workflows: Go to areas such as Course Enrollments, Enroll User, Schedule Enrollments, User Enrollments, Course Activity, Curriculum Activity, Session Activity, or ILC Activity.

Click Add Shortcuts to add, remove, or rearrange shortcuts. Click Hide to collapse or reopen the Shortcuts Bar.

How to Add a Custom Shortcut

A Custom Shortcut allows you to create a Shortcut that goes to a URL of your choice from within your Portal.

1. Select Configure Shortcuts.
   
    
2. Click Add Custom Shortcut.
3. Choose one of the two available Shortcut types:
   • Custom Layout: select this option to build a shortcut using a predefined layout.
   • Custom URL: select this option to link to a specific URL. The URL must be within the LMS domain.
4. Configure the details for your chosen type.
5. Click Save.

Share a Dashboard

Dashboards can be shared so other Users can view or work with the same layout.

1. Open the Dashboard you want to share.
2. Click Share.
   
    
3. Add the audience you want to share with.
4. Choose the appropriate access level.
5. Save the sharing settings.

Dashboards can be shared with Department members, Department Admins, Group members, Group Admins, or individual Users. Depending on the audience, you can grant view or edit access.

Global Filters are not shared with the Dashboard. Individual Widget configurations are shared with the Dashboard.

Create and Manage Templates

System Admins can turn a Dashboard into a reusable Template for broader rollout across the organization.

1. Open the Dashboard you want to reuse.
2. Click More Options.
3. Click Save as Template.
   
    
4. Name the Template.
   
    
5. Click Save.

Default Templates are system-provided Templates. Custom Templates are Templates created by your organization. Assigned Templates appear as options when Users create new Dashboards.

Understand Widgets and Data

Admin Hub uses Widgets to surface Learner activity, completion trends, risk, and work that needs attention.

Widget Types

The Widget library includes 30+ Widgets across both summary metrics and action-oriented workflows.

• Examples: Number of Users, Number of Departments, Number of Groups, Overall Completion Rate, Completion Rate by Course Type, Enrollment Status Overall, Enrollment Status by Department, Enrollment Status by Course, Learner Activity, Learners Approaching Overdue, Learners at Risk, Department at Risk, Average Time Spent, Average Score, Average Score per Course, Most Popular Courses, Certificate Expiry, Number of Logins, Lead Role Distribution, Session Calendar, Course Approvals, and Session Approvals.

Supported Data

Dashboard data is based on active Users and supports selected Course types.

• Included: Online Courses, Instructor Led Courses (ILCs), and Curricula.
• Not Included: Course Bundles.
• Permission-based visibility: Some Widgets or data points appear only when the current User has access to that information.

Because visibility is permission-based, two Users can open the same feature and see different Widgets, different data, or different empty states.

Refresh Timing and Last Updated

All Widgets refresh approximately every four hours, and Dashboards display a Last updated timestamp so Users can confirm exactly when the most recent refresh occurred.

If data appears delayed, check the Data last updated timestamp in the bottom left before troubleshooting.

What Admin Hub Does Not Do

Admin Hub improves Dashboard creation and monitoring, but it is not intended to replace every reporting or navigation experience in Absorb LMS.

• Reporting coverage: It does not replace Analyze or core reporting tools.
• Widget drill-through: It does not provide full click-through reporting from every Widget.
• AI functionality: It does not include AI-driven insights.
• Navigation scope: It does not change Admin navigation outside Dashboards.

Permissions and Known Limits

Permissions affect what Users can create, share, and view in Admin Hub, and some behaviors are intentional.

• Existing Dashboards remain available.
• Dashboards are not automatically shared with other Admins.
• Users can see different Widgets in the gallery based on permissions.
• Some users can see Widgets but no data if their assigned Roles do not provide the required Admin access.
• Once a System Admin saves a Custom Template, it cannot be renamed or deleted.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following answers cover common questions about Dashboard availability, sharing, filters, and Widget behavior.

Will I Lose My Existing Dashboards?

No. Existing Dashboards remain available, and you can add new-generation Widgets to them as needed.

Why Is Add Widget Unavailable?

This usually means the Dashboard already contains the maximum of 10 Widgets. Remove a Widget, then try again.

Why Are Global Filters Not Showing or Not Working?

Global Filters appear only when the Dashboard includes at least one new-generation Widget. They also apply only to supported new-generation Widgets, not to legacy Widgets.

Why Do Different Users See Different Widgets or No Data?

Admin Hub respects Permissions. Users can see different Widgets in the gallery, different data in the same Widget, or no data at all depending on their Role and visibility rules.

Is Data Available for All Course Types?

No. Admin Hub supports Online Courses, Instructor Led Courses (ILCs), and Curriculums. Course Bundles are not included in the current Dashboard data set.

Are Dashboards Shared Automatically When Admin Hub Becomes Available?

No. Existing Dashboards are not automatically shared when Admin Hub becomes available. Dashboard owners must share them manually.

Do I Need to Enable Admin Hub Separately?

No. Eligible Admins can begin using Admin Hub when it becomes available in their environment. It does not require separate configuration.

How Often Does Dashboard Data Refresh?

All Widgets refresh approximately every four hours. Use the Date last updated timestamp on the Dashboard to confirm exactly when the latest refresh occurred.