What's the Difference?
Look-linked tiles are saved queries that are generated from an Explore. Looks have to be saved to a folder (called "Spaces" before Looker 6.20) in order to be added as a tile to a dashboard, which must also be in the folder.
Tiles are visualizations added from an Explore or a Look to a dashboard. Tiles can be Look-linked or query-based. Query tiles differ from Look-linked tiles because they are only stored on dashboards.
The Benefits of Each
A benefit of using Look-linked tiles is that they are saved in more than one location. This is handy if the tile based on that Look is deleted from the dashboard. Another reason to use Look-linked tiles is to have a single Look appear on multiple dashboards or appear on a dashboard multiple times. Since all of the tiles reference the same Look, any update to the Look will be reflected on all tiles that reference it.
Query tiles are beneficial because they don't have to be stored in two places. It's easier to save the query visualization result from an Explore directly to a dashboard. This prevents folders from being overrun with tons of Looks that are only used on dashboards.
How Do I Tell Which One I Have?
A Look-linked tile is identifiable by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting the option View Original Look. A query tile is identifiable because it lacks the View Original Look option and shows only the Explore From Here option.
How Do I Convert One to Another?
To convert a Look-based tile to a query tile, choose Edit on the dashboard and click on the three-dot menu, then select Convert Look to Tile.
To convert a query tile to a Look-linked tile:
- Choose the Explore From Here option on the menu of the query tile.
- Go to the settings of the Explore and save the Explore as a Look.
- Add the Look to your dashboard.
- Delete the old, query-based tile.
Related Links: Creating User-Defined Dashboards: Adding Query Tiles to a Dashboard