How to show filters in schedule dialog for embedded dashboard with hidden URL parameters?

Looker Q&A Looker
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1

I have a dashboard embedded in our React application where filters are passed via URL parameters from React. The filters are intentionally hidden from the dashboard UI, but this causes them to also be hidden in the schedule delivery dialog.

Current Setup:

  • Dashboard is embedded using Looker Embed SDK

  • Filters are passed from React via URL parameters (e.g., ?Date+Selector=2026-06)

  • When users click “Schedule”, the filter does not appear in the schedule dialog

  • Schedules are created with static filter values from the time of creation

What I Need:

  • Filters to remain hidden during normal dashboard viewing

  • Filters to appear in the schedule delivery dialog so users can see/modify them

  • Schedules to use dynamic date logic (current/previous month based on day of month)

Example Use Case:

  • User creates schedule on June 4th while viewing February 2024 data

  • Schedule should automatically use June 2026 data when it runs (dynamic)

  • Currently, schedule delivers February 2024 data every month (static)

2

What you’re seeing is expected behavior when filters are injected via URL parameters rather than configured as dashboard filters. Looker schedules generally capture the filter state that exists at the time the schedule is created, which is why your February 2024 value is being saved and reused for every delivery.

A few approaches to consider:

  • Keep the filter defined as a dashboard filter in Looker and hide it during normal viewing using embedding techniques or custom UI controls, rather than relying solely on URL parameters.
  • Use Looker’s relative date filters (for example, “this month”, “previous month”, or custom relative date expressions) so schedules evaluate the date dynamically when they run.
  • If the filter must remain hidden in the dashboard, consider updating the schedule programmatically through the Looker API and supplying the desired filter values before execution.
  • Verify whether the embedded dashboard filter is recognized as an actual dashboard filter. Filters passed only through the URL are often not exposed in the Schedule dialog, which prevents users from reviewing or modifying them during schedule creation.

For your use case, the recommended solution is to use a dashboard date filter with relative date logic. This allows users to see the filter in the Schedule dialog while ensuring the schedule automatically delivers the current or previous month’s data at runtime instead of locking to the date selected when the schedule was created.

3

Thanks for the response, I have done through, Updating the schedule programmatically through the Looker API.