Document why Discover and Dashboards show the "no data" screen, and how to get past it

## Summary

Neither Discover nor Dashboards currently documents the conditions that trigger their "no data" welcome screen, or the ways to satisfy them. This came up while working #7633: [PR #279421](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/279421) added a new way to bypass the screen (an ES|QL Data Federation dataset), but that's one of several existing paths that aren't documented anywhere either.

**Why this needs docs:** A user who lands on the no-data screen unexpectedly (for example, they have data but no data view) has no documented reference for what the screen actually checks or how to get past it.

## Known ways to get past the no-data screen (needs verification against source at draft time)

**Discover:**
- A data view exists that resolves to at least one index
- At least one non-hidden local Elasticsearch index or data stream exists (independent of a data view)
- {applies_to}`stack: experimental 9.6` At least one ES|QL Data Federation dataset exists

**Dashboards:**
- A data view exists that resolves to at least one index
- {applies_to}`stack: experimental 9.6` At least one ES|QL Data Federation dataset exists
- There are unsaved edits on the current dashboard
- At least one dashboard is already saved

This list needs re-verification at HEAD when drafted — I traced it from the [Kibana PR #279421 diff](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/279421/files) but didn't audit the full decision tree end to end, and other apps with their own no-data screens (Visualize, Maps) are out of scope unless someone wants to expand it.

## Suggested next steps

- Search for the canonical home before drafting — no existing page covers this today (checked `/docs/troubleshoot/kibana` and the Discover/Dashboards getting-started pages).
- Likely candidates: a troubleshooting-shaped section on Discover's or Dashboards' own pages, or a new small reference page linked from both.

---
🤖 _Refined by RefineBot on 2026-08-10. Original intent preserved._

RefineBot changes

**What changed:**
- Marked the linked Kibana product issue as closed in the Resources section.
- Kept the issue scope, examples, and draft verification notes intact.

**What was preserved:**
- The request to document the no-data welcome screen for Discover and Dashboards.
- The list of known bypass paths and the suggested doc directions.

**Source:** Verified the linked Kibana issue status in `elastic/kibana`.

Previous version

## Summary

Neither Discover nor Dashboards currently documents the conditions that trigger their "no data" welcome screen, or the ways to satisfy them. This came up while working #7633: [PR #279421](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/279421) added a new way to bypass the screen (an ES|QL Data Federation dataset), but that's one of several existing paths that aren't documented anywhere either.

**Why this needs docs:** A user who lands on the no-data screen unexpectedly (for example, they have data but no data view) has no documented reference for what the screen actually checks or how to get past it.

## Known ways to get past the no-data screen (needs verification against source at draft time)

**Discover:**
- A data view exists that resolves to at least one index
- At least one non-hidden local Elasticsearch index or data stream exists (independent of a data view)
- {applies_to}`stack: experimental 9.6` At least one ES|QL Data Federation dataset exists

**Dashboards:**
- A data view exists that resolves to at least one index
- {applies_to}`stack: experimental 9.6` At least one ES|QL Data Federation dataset exists
- There are unsaved edits on the current dashboard
- At least one dashboard is already saved

This list needs re-verification at HEAD when drafted — I traced it from the [Kibana PR #279421 diff](https://github.com/elastic/kibana/pull/279421/files) but didn't audit the full decision tree end to end, and other apps with their own no-data screens (Visualize, Maps) are out of scope unless someone wants to expand it.

## Suggested next steps

- Search for the canonical home before drafting — no existing page covers this today (checked `/docs/troubleshoot/kibana` and the Discover/Dashboards getting-started pages).
- Likely candidates: a troubleshooting-shaped section on Discover's or Dashboards' own pages, or a new small reference page linked from both.

---
*Created with [Docs Quest Scanner](https://github.com/florent-leborgne/docs-quest-scanner) by `@florent-leborgne`*

## Suggested edits

[Use ES|QL in the Kibana UI](https://www.elastic.co/docs/explore-analyze/query-filter/languages/esql-kibana) > Query structure
- **What the docs say:** FROM allows you to define the data sources to query by specifying data streams, ES|QL views, indices, or aliases.
- **What to add:** The list of data sources you can target with FROM does not mention federated (external) data sources, and nothing states that Discover and Dashboards can now be used with ES|QL when a deployment contains only federated data sources and no local or remote indices (previously the no-data screen blocked access). If the ES|QL data federation feature is being documented for this release, extend the FROM source list and add a short note about federated-only deployments; coordinate with the data federation reference page (esql-data-federation-sources) for a cross-link in both directions. Applies from 9.6.0 and in serverless.

TriageBot — Needs refinement

### 2026-08-10

**Type:** documentation

**Section check:**
- [✅] Summary: specific documentation gap is stated.
- [✅] Why this needs docs / suggested next steps: present and actionable.
- [✅] Known ways to get past the no-data screen: present, but still needs source verification before drafting.

**Ambiguity / scope notes:**
- None blocking.

**Cross-references:**
- [✅] `#7633` is open.
- [❌] `https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/279194` is closed.

**Next step:** Rewritten above.

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