Editing the 'Properties Protected Over Time' Widget

'Properties Protected Over Time' is one of a few dashboard widgets that are built into your Landscape account. Here's a short video on how to edit it (you must be an Administrator):

Overview

Most Landscape accounts come with a Properties Protected Over Time widget on the main dashboard. It's a chart, built from an underlying saved search, that shows how many properties your organization has protected across a given time span. Because it's built on a configurable search, you can adjust it to match how your organization tracks and reports its work — for example, by pushing the timeline further back, changing what date the results are grouped by, or switching between period totals and a running (cumulative) total.

This guide walks through the general process for editing the widget. The exact field names, date ranges, and grouping options available to you may vary slightly depending on how your account is configured, so use the steps below as a framework rather than an exact script.

Before You Begin

• Administrator access is required. Only users with administrator permissions can edit dashboard widgets. If the Edit option isn't available to you, ask an administrator on your account to make the change or grant you access.
• Changes affect everyone. This widget is typically shared across the dashboard, so any edits you make will be visible to every user who views that dashboard — not just you. Consider letting your team know before making significant changes.
• Changes are easy to reverse. Because the widget is just a saved, filtered search, you can always reopen it and adjust the settings again if something doesn't look right.

Step 1: Open the Widget for Editing

1. Locate the Properties Protected Over Time widget on your main dashboard.
2. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the upper-right corner of the widget.
3. Select Edit from the menu. This opens the widget's underlying search and chart settings.

Step 2: Review the Underlying Query

When you open the widget, you'll see the search criteria that determine which records are included in the chart. In most accounts, this widget is built on a record search that identifies properties your organization currently holds, has disposed of, or holds in partnership — filtered to exclude records that are still active/pending and to require a non-zero conservation size.

Step 3: Extend or Adjust the Timeline

By default, the widget's timeline may not go back as far as your organization's actual data. Here's how to check and correct that:

4. Check for cut-off data. Scroll to the bottom of the results list on the left side of the edit screen. If there's a group of “other results” or records that fall outside the current date range, your timeline is likely set too narrow. Expand that group to see how far back your data actually goes.
5. Open the grouping options. Click Group by [date field], then choose Advanced.
6. Confirm the correct grouping field is selected. Make sure the results are grouped by the date field that represents when a property was actually protected (for example, a completion or closing date) — not some other date field. It's common for this to get changed accidentally, which can make the chart look inaccurate. If the correct field isn't listed as an option, click Fields to add it before continuing.
7. Set the value ranges. In the Advanced grouping options, set how far back the timeline should extend (for instance, 40, 50, or more years, depending on your organization's history) and click OK. The chart will automatically readjust to the new range.

Step 4: Choose Period Totals or Cumulative Totals

On the right side of the edit screen, there's a Cumulative Totals option. By default, most widgets show the total for each period (for example, how many properties were protected in a given year). Checking this option instead shows a running total — the cumulative number of properties protected up through each point in time. This view is often better for illustrating long-term organizational impact, since the line only goes up.

• Leave it unchecked to compare activity period-by-period (e.g., a strong year versus a slow year).
• Check it on to show total cumulative progress over your organization's history.

Step 5: Save and Verify

8. Once you're satisfied with the query, timeline, grouping, and totals setting, use the back button to exit the edit view.
9. Confirm the widget on the dashboard reflects the changes you expect — correct date range, correct grouping field, and the totals style you selected.
10. If something looks off, reopen the widget and repeat the relevant step above; edits are non-destructive and can be revisited at any time.

Troubleshooting

• The chart looks “messed up” or inconsistent. This usually means someone changed the grouping field to something other than the intended completion/closing date. Reopen the widget and confirm the correct field is selected under Group By.
• Older records aren't showing up. Check the “other results” section at the bottom of the results list and extend the timeline as described in Step 3.
• A field I need isn't available for grouping. Use the Fields option within the edit screen to add it before selecting it as a grouping field.
• I don't see an Edit option. You likely need administrator permissions — see “Before You Begin” above.

Getting Help

If you run into trouble customizing this widget, or you'd like to configure something not covered here, reach out to Landscape support — we're happy to help.