Prepare Your Data

If you need to manipulate your dataset (e.g., filter, group, sort, transform), or if you need to mashup data from multiple data sources, create a Data Worksheet using Visual Composer.

Visual Composer a web-based tool for creating both Data Worksheets and Dashboards. The workflow for Visual Composer is the following:

  1. Create a Data Worksheet to assemble and process your data. The Data Worksheet is the data layer. See Create a Data Worksheet.

  2. Create a Dashboard to display your data using Charts, Tables, and other visual elements. The Dashboard is the presentation layer. See Create a New Dashboard.

If you are using a data model and do not need extensive data manipulation, you do not need to create a Data Worksheet. You can build your Dashboard directly from the data model.

Overview

This module contains the following key sections, and is relevant to designers and end-users:

  • Do You Need a Data Model? Read this section if you are using a relational database, and want to understand whether a data model may provide more flexible access to your data. A data model predefines all joins between tables so that users and designers can freely access all columns.

  • Create a Data Worksheet: Create a new Data Worksheet using Visual Composer.

  • Edit a Data Worksheet: Edit an existing Data Worksheet in Visual Composer.

  • Upload Data: Import data from a file into a Data Worksheet to allow further manipulation. This is useful for smaller data sets that are not stored in a database.

  • Enter Data: Manually type data into a Data Worksheet data block or table to be saved with the Data Worksheet. This is useful for very small data sets that are not stored in files or databases, and for entering parameter values into a table.

  • Query Data: Create a SQL query using a wizard or by hand-coding the SQL. This approach in many cases produces the most efficient queries when a data model is not being used.

  • Mashup Data: Build a data set by joining, filtering, and sorting data blocks using drag-and-drop operations. This approach is most useful when you are using a data model, or plan to mashup different data sources.

  • Modify a Column: Perform operations on a data block column such as hiding, renaming, repositioning, changing data type.

  • Filter Data: Apply filtering conditions to a data block to restrict the data returned by the query. Conditions can be static or dynamic based on parameters, session data, or user input.

  • Group and Aggregate Data: Group and summarize data in a data block to produce a more compact data set.

  • Copy Data: Create a copy or a mirror copy of a data block.

  • Join Data: Create inner joins, outer joins, inequality joins, and multiple joins between data blocks. This is useful for Data Worksheets that do not use a data model or that incorporate multiple data sources.

  • Concatenate Data: Create unions, intersections, and differences between data blocks.

  • Sort Data: Sort data in a single column or in multiple columns of a data block.

  • Preview Data: Display a preview of the data that will be retrieved by a data block and available for use in a Dashboard.

  • Preview Query: Display the actual query (SQL string) that a data block will generate for submission to the database.

  • Create a New Data Field: Create a derived field by using SQL or JavaScript operations on existing data.

  • Access Data in Expression: Learn the syntax that allows you to access data from a data block within a scripted expression in a Data Worksheet.

  • Create a New Variable: Create a reusable Variable object to represent a parameter in a Data Worksheet. The value of the Variable can be set by a user from within the Dashboard that uses this Data Worksheet.

  • Pivot Data: Convert flat tabular data to a crosstab representation.

  • Secure Data: Create a Virtual Private Model (VPM) to restrict data access based on user identity or any other conditions.

  • Data Block Properties: Learn about common properties of a data block.

  • Data Worksheet Properties: Learn about common properties of a Data Worksheet.

  • Query a Specific Data Source: Learn how to create a query for your particular datasource.