Linking customized external widgets to dashboard data

Abstract

Embodiments link external widgets to internal data displayed being within a dashboard as part of a story. An interface allows selecting external widget(s) based upon matching with a parameter of internal data being accessed. A user may define in an interactive manner, the behavior of the external widget in terms of characteristics such as data rendering, configurable fields, update behavior, and/or access to external sources (e.g., authentication). In an example, internal geographic dashboard data may serve as a basis for accessing external data such as social media data via a custom widget searching relevant messages combined with keywords (e.g., referring to geography). An external widget may be linked to other (internal/external) widgets through a linking table, such that changed/updated data is propagated for display within the dashboard. External widgets may thus be linked to data currently being viewed in terms of chart selection, data highlighting and data filtering mechanisms.