KB484398: Limitations for using contextual linking in dossiers

• Strategy

This article describes some of the limitations when using contextual linking in dossiers. This article also provides a table that compares linking across different content types.

Starting with the release of Strategy ONE (March 2024), dossiers are also known as dashboards.

Description

As of Strategy 2020, you can use dossier linking to navigate between different dossiers within the same project while preserving filtering criteria. Linking can improve dossier performance by eliminating the need to include all possible datasets for a single workflow in the same Dossier. For example, you include high-level business KPIs in an overview dossier for executives that then provides links to different dossiers focused on different areas of the organization with more detailed datasets, such as sales trending or marketing campaign performance.
Some current limitations exist as we continue to enhance the workflow and possibilities of contextual linking.

Derived elements cannot be used to create a link.
Recursive attributes cannot be used to create a link.
When a dossier with a contextual link is converted into a document, the link will be disabled since the workflow isn’t fully supported. Contextual linking from a visualization in documents only supports answering prompts dynamically on the target, but doesn’t support:

Passing the data selection as visualization filters to the target
Linking to another ‘chapter’ or ‘page’ in the same document (pages map to panels of the Panel Stack that represents the canvas, and chapters to ‘Layouts’ in the document tree structure).
Passing the filter selection in the same way as a dossier. Dossiers only match filters in the filter panel, whereas documents match all filters.

The link tooltip does not freeze until the user clicks a data point.

Linking to [File] from Text/Image in Workstation live mode is hidden while it is supported in web authoring.
The linked target dossier cannot be open when it is opened in Workstation on a Mac.
We support passing selected attribute elements as answers for attribute element list prompts, but not for value prompts. Prompt value is currently only supported via URL API.
When you choose to filter data within another dossier, you also have the option to pass the filter conditions in the source dossier to the target dossier. However, to successfully pass the filter, there are some best practices you should follow. For more information, see KB483883: Best practices for contextual linking in dossiers.

Recent Improvements

Custom Visualization API supports single-click to trigger linking to another dossier as of Strategy 2020. Learn more in our documentation. The Strategy Visualization SDK provides APIs, sample code, documentation, and a tool called Custom Visualization Builder that lets developers find an interesting D3 visualization online and use it to quickly create a custom visualization that is integrated with Strategy.