> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.smaq.io/documentation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.smaq.io/documentation/features/dashboard/snapshots-and-versions.md). # Snapshots & version history A **snapshot** is a frozen copy of a dashboard. Data is captured as-is, layout is preserved, and chat history attached to the snapshot stays with it forever. Even if the underlying data changes (or the original dashboard is deleted), the snapshot keeps showing exactly what it showed when you saved it. Two related concepts: * **Snapshots** — point-in-time archives you save manually or on a schedule. Read-only. * **Version history** — the audit log of edits made to the live dashboard. Useful for tracing "who changed this and when," not for archival. ### When to use a snapshot * **Monthly / quarterly client deliverable** — save the report at month-end before numbers shift. * **Pre-/post-campaign comparison** — snapshot before the campaign launches, again after, then compare. * **Post-mortem** — preserve what the dashboard looked like the day of an outage or anomaly. * **Demos** — capture a perfect demo state so you can re-show it later without depending on live data. ### Saving a snapshot > **\[Screen video needed]** Saving a snapshot from a dashboard with a custom name + note, then opening it in a new tab. \~45 seconds. 1. From any dashboard, click **Snapshots** in the dashboard header. A side panel opens labeled "Snapshots" with the description "Read-only archives of this dashboard at a point in time." 2. Click **Save new snapshot** (camera icon). 3. In the dialog, enter: * **Name** (e.g. "April 2026 client report") — optional but recommended. * **Note** — optional context for whoever opens it later. 4. Click **Save**. The snapshot appears at the top of the list. > **\[Screenshot needed]** Snapshots side panel with three snapshots listed, each showing the name, date/time, file size, and the action icons (Open / HTML / Delete). ### Opening a snapshot * Click the **external link icon** to open the snapshot in a new tab. * The URL pattern is `/projects/[id]/dashboard/[dashboardId]/snapshots/[snapshotId]`. * Snapshots open in View mode only — no edits possible. The Edit toggle is hidden. * Chat works on snapshots — questions get answered against the frozen data, not live data. ### Downloading a snapshot as HTML Click the **download icon** to download the snapshot as a standalone HTML file. The HTML is self-contained — open it in any browser without internet access required. This is the format to use when you want to: * Email a client a single file they can open in a browser. * Archive offline. * Embed in another internal tool. > **\[Screenshot needed]** Downloaded HTML snapshot opened in a browser — fully interactive, no SMAQ login required. ### Deleting a snapshot Click the **trash icon**. Confirm in the dialog: "Delete snapshot? This permanently deletes \[name]. This cannot be undone." ### Scheduled snapshots (via automation) You can set a [Dashboard Summary automation](/documentation/features/automations/dashboard-summary.md) to auto-save snapshots on a schedule (e.g. every Monday morning). Useful for routine reporting where you always want the same dashboard archived at the same cadence. ### Version history vs snapshots | | Snapshot | Version history | | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | **Purpose** | Archive data and layout for later viewing | Audit trail of edits | | **Captures data?** | Yes | No | | **Can be opened as a dashboard?** | Yes (read-only) | No | | **Stays after dashboard is deleted?** | Yes | No | | **Where to find it** | Snapshots panel | Version history panel in dashboard header | ### Version history Click **Version history** in the dashboard header. The panel lists every edit: * Who made the change (user) * When (timestamp) * What changed (added a widget, changed a filter, renamed a page, etc.) > **\[Screenshot needed]** Version history side panel with five recent changes listed. You can't roll back a specific change from version history — to revert, manually edit the dashboard back to the state you want. (For full revert capability, open the relevant snapshot and re-build from there.) ### Permissions * Save / Delete snapshots: Editor or Owner. * View snapshots: any role that can view the parent dashboard. * Download HTML: any viewer. * Public snapshot URLs: not supported — use [Public dashboards & sharing](/documentation/features/dashboard/public-share-and-chat.md) instead for external recipients. ### Storage Snapshots count toward your project's storage. Most are 50KB–2MB. Storage limits per tier are listed in [Tiers explained](broken://pages/HOOsaBYkwAu0cfNo2Xy2). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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