Any search, table, or chart that you create can be saved and made to appear in menus for other users to see. With that power, why would you bother creating a dashboard?
Here are a few reasons:
- A dashboard can contain multiple panels, each running a different query.
- Every dashboard has a unique URL, which is easy to share.
- Dashboards are more customizable than an individual query.
- The search bar is removed, making it less intimidating to many users.
- Forms allow you to present the user with a custom search interface that only requires specific values.
- Dashboards look great. Many organizations place dashboards on projectors and monitors for at-a-glance information about their environment.
- Dashboards can be scheduled for PDF delivery by email. This feature is not the most robust, but, with some consideration, it can be used effectively. With all that said, if a saved search is working well the way it is, there is no strong reason to turn it into a dashboard.