> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-xcor.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Organize dashboard content with panel groups

> Organize data visualization panels in Cortex XCOR dashboards with layouts composed of panel groups.

Each [dashboard](/observe/dashboards) uses *panel groups* to create a *layout*. Panel
groups consist of one or more *[panels](/observe/dashboards/panels)* that visualize
the results of a query. Use Palo Alto Networks Cortex XCOR to define your dashboard
layouts and create
efficient visualizations of query results.

<Note>
  [Classic dashboards](/observe/dashboards/classic-dashboards) have their own panel
  groups and methods of configuring them.
</Note>

## Create and manage panel groups

Panel groups are containers which display one or more panels. Operations on a panel
group change the group's order of display, duplicate, or otherwise change the group
as a whole.

### Add a panel group to a dashboard

If you [add a panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#create-panels-in-a-dashboard) to a dashboard
that doesn't have any panel groups, Cortex XCOR creates a group for you. You can
also manually create panel groups for greater control.

To add a panel group to a standard dashboard:

1. Open the dashboard. You can
   [view a list of all dashboards](/observe/dashboards#view-dashboards) or select
   from a [list of dashboards in a collection](/administer/collections/home).
2. Click **<Icon icon="pencil" alt="Edit icon" /> Edit** on the
   dashboard.
3. Click **<Icon icon="square-plus" alt="Panel Group icon" /> Panel Group**.
4. In the **Add panel group** window, enter a **Name**.
5. Optional: Click the **Collapse state** dropdown and select whether the new
   panel group should be **Open** or **Closed** by default.
6. Click **Add** to add the new panel group.

### Modify a panel group's properties

You can expand or collapse each panel group by clicking the
<Icon icon="chevron-right" alt="Expand icon" /> or
<Icon icon="chevron-down" alt="Collapse icon" /> icons, respectively, to toggle
the panel group's state. When collapsed, panel groups report the number of panels
inside the group.

To edit a panel group's properties:

1. Click the **<Icon icon="pencil" alt="Edit icon" /> Edit group** icon
   inside of the panel group that you want to edit.
2. In the **Edit panel group** window, set the group's **Name** and **Collapse state**.
3. Click **Apply** to apply the changes to the panel group.
4. Optional: To permanently save all changes to the dashboard, click **Save**.

To change a panel group's order within the layout:

1. Click the **<Icon icon="arrow-down" alt="Move group down icon" /> Move group down icon**
   to move the selected group down in the layout.
2. Click the **<Icon icon="arrow-up" alt="Move group up icon" /> Move group up icon**
   to move the selected group up in the layout.

Changes to a panel group aren't made permanent until you save all changes to the
dashboard by clicking **Save** on the dashboard.

### Delete a panel group

<Warning>
  Deleting a panel group deletes all panels within the group. You can't undo
  the panel group deletion without canceling all other changes made to the dashboard.
  After you save changes to the dashboard that delete a panel group, you can't recover
  its deleted panels.
</Warning>

To delete a panel group:

1. Click the **<Icon icon="trash" alt="Delete group icon" /> Delete group icon**.
2. Read the **Delete panel group** confirmation request.
3. Click **Delete** to confirm that you want to delete the group and all panels
   within it.

Panel groups aren't permanently deleted until you save all changes to the dashboard
by clicking **Save** on the dashboard.

### Copy a panel group to another dashboard

You can copy an entire panel group, including all of its panels, to an existing
dashboard or to a new dashboard, and choose how the group's
[dashboard variables](/observe/dashboards/customization/dashboard-variables) carry over.

To copy a panel group to another dashboard:

1. Open the dashboard that contains the panel group you want to copy.
2. Click **<Icon icon="pencil" alt="Edit icon" /> Edit** on the dashboard.
3. In the panel group, click the
   **<Icon icon="ellipsis-vertical" alt="More actions icon" /> More actions** icon,
   and then select **Copy group to another dashboard**.
4. Under **Variable handling**, select how Cortex XCOR should handle the variables that the
   group's panels reference:

   * **Use current values** (default): Copies the group with the variable values
     currently selected on the source dashboard. Cortex XCOR resolves each variable to
     its current value, so the copied panels don't depend on the destination dashboard
     defining those variables.
   * **Keep variables**: Copies the variable definitions that the group uses to the
     destination dashboard so that the copied panels keep referencing them.

   When you add the group, Cortex XCOR reconciles the copied variables with the
   destination dashboard and shows a warning in the **Preview** when:

   * A variable of the same name already exists on the destination dashboard.
     Cortex XCOR keeps the destination dashboard's existing definition and doesn't
     overwrite it.
   * A variable the group references isn't defined on the source dashboard, so it
     remains in the copied panels as literal text (for example, `$variable_name`).
5. Optional: In the **Panel group name** field, edit the name for the copied group.
   This defaults to the name of the source group.
6. Choose a destination dashboard:
   * **Existing dashboard**: Under **Select an existing dashboard**, search by name or
     choose one from your **Recently viewed dashboards**.
   * **New dashboard**:

     1. Click **Create new dashboard**.
     2. Enter a **Dashboard name**.
     3. Optional: Select an **Owner**.

     The new dashboard is added to your personal collection. If you don't have a
     personal collection, one is created for you.
7. Optional: Review the **Preview** to confirm the result before you copy the group.
8. Click **Add to dashboard**.

## Modify a panel group's contents

Some panel group operations change the contents, look, or how the content displays in
the group.

### Add a panel to a panel group

To add a new panel to a panel group:

1. In the panel group to which you want to add a panel, click the
   **<Icon icon="chart-column" alt="Add panel to group icon" /> Add panel to group**
   icon.
2. In the **Add Panel** interface that appears, provide a name for the new panel.
3. Click **Add** to add the panel or **Cancel** to discard it.

Panels aren't permanently added to a panel group until you save all changes to the
dashboard by clicking **Save** on the dashboard.

For details about all of the settings in a panel, see
[Edit a panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel). You can save a new panel to
a dashboard with as little as a name, then edit it later to configure it and add or
modify queries.

### Split a panel group with a dashboard variable

You can define a panel group as a *split panel group* that dynamically splits and
replicates itself to display the panels it contains with each value of a
[dashboard variable](/observe/dashboards/customization/dashboard-variables) applied
to them. This automates the creation of panel groups that automatically apply that
variable's value to each of the contained panels.

To use a split panel group:

1. [Add a panel group to a dashboard](#add-a-panel-group-to-a-dashboard) and
   [add at least one panel to the group](#add-a-panel-to-a-panel-group).
2. Define at least one dashboard variable and use it in the queries of panels in
   this panel group.
3. [Modify the panel group's properties](#modify-a-panel-groups-properties).
4. Click the **Split Panel Group** toggle to enable it.
5. Enter or select the **variable name** of the dashboard variable that splits the
   panel group.
6. Click **Apply**.

The panel group splits into multiple groups for each value of the selected dashboard
variable. The variable and its value appear next to the panel group's name.

You can edit the original panel from any instance of it in any split panel group.
To modify the panel group, you must click the
**<Icon icon="pencil" alt="Edit icon" /> Edit group** icon inside of
the original panel group.

### Move a panel within a panel group

To change a panel's position within a panel group, drag the panel by its
**<Icon icon="grip-vertical" alt="Move handle" /> Move handle** to the new
position.

### Move a panel to another panel group

To move a panel located in another panel group on the same dashboard:

1. [Edit the panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel) that you want to move.
2. Click **Group**.
3. Click the panel group that you want to contain the panel.
4. Click **Apply**.

Panels aren't permanently moved until you save all changes to the dashboard by clicking
**Save** on the dashboard.

### Change a panel group's layout

Panel groups have a predefined set of layouts which can be applied to individual
panel groups to sort the display.

1. [Edit the panel](/observe/dashboards/panels#edit-a-panel).
2. Click the **Clean up layout** button.
3. Select a **Panel group layout**. You can keep your existing layout, or click any
   layout option to select it.
4. Optional: Change the **Panel height**. The **Panel height preview** updates to
   show the relative change.
5. Click **Apply** to update the panel group with the new layout.
6. Click **Save** in the dashboard to save the changes.


## Related topics

- [Visualize dashboard contents with panels](/observe/dashboards/panels.md)
- [Visualize data using dashboards](/observe/dashboards.md)
- [Customize dashboards](/observe/dashboards/customization.md)
- [Document dashboards with Markdown panels](/observe/dashboards/panels/markdown.md)


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