The dashboard is a context-sensitive area at the top of the Creo Parametric window that guides you through the modeling process. As you select geometry in the graphics window and set your preferences, the dashboard narrows your available options, so you make only targeted modeling decisions. The dashboard consists of the dialog bar, panels, message area, and the control area.

You perform most of your modeling tasks in the graphics window and the dialog bar. When you activate a tool, the dialog bar displays commonly used options and collectors.

To perform advanced modeling actions or retrieve comprehensive feature information, use the panels. Click one of the tabs above the dialog bar, and its panel opens. Because both the tabs and their corresponding panels are context sensitive, different tabs and panel elements are displayed, depending on the current modeling context. Default values are provided in some cases.

To open another panel, click its tab. To close a panel, click its tab and the panel slides back into the dashboard.

As you work with your model, Creo Parametric confirms your actions and guides you through the modeling process with text messages in the message area below the dialog bar. The message area contains all messages for the current modeling session. To find an earlier message, scroll the message list or drag the sash to expand the message area.

Text messages address two conditions:

Each message is preceded by an icon to indicate the category of the message:

The message window continues to display messages even if you pause a tool and the dashboard is unavailable.

The control area of the dashboard contains the following elements: