Business Intelligence Service configuration

Data Source types

Business Intelligence supports two types of Data Sources:

• Database
• File (Excel, CSV)

Depends on which one you want to use, go to a right section of this tutorial. A configuration of Business Intelligence Service you can find in Data Sources tab of the Control Panel.

Database connection

In order to create a database data source, you must prepare a database connection. Open tab Database connections. You will be able to see a list of existing connections:

In order to add a new one, click New Database Connection button. You have to see a creation form. Business Intelligence Service supports connection to following databases:

• H2 - embedded in the application
• Oracle
• PostgresSQL
• MySQL
• MSSQL

We are going to integrate with more databases, as well as NoSQL databases.

Loading data from database

Having a created database connection, you can begin to create a database data source. Go to Database Data Sources tab. You will see a list of existing data sources:

In order to create a new one, click New Database Data Source button. You have to see a new form of data source creation. There are some fields, you have to fill out:

• Name - a name of your data source. The name will be displaying on some lists of available datasources
• Description - an optional field - a short description of your data source. The description will be displaying on some lists of available datasources
• Database connection - here you can select one of your connections to database you have created in the previous step. The data source will be pulling data from this database.
• Table/view from selected connection - the application will automatically pull available tables and views within a database defined by the connection. Select the only one you want to use to expose data from your datasource.
• Table of columns - in this place you are able to indicate which columns have to be exposed by the data source. This filter exists, because you can have a will to hide some information from the selected table or view. E.g. you don't want to show particular columns, but you have no time to rebuild your database schema, or you have to permissions to do it.

Once you have filled out the form, click Get Sample Data button, you will see a table with a preview of data pulled from your database. In a case when the outcome is not satisfied for you, you can modify the form and retry the operation of pulling the sample data.

There is another feature. You are able to filter data exposed by the data source. E.g. you have a one million of records and you have a need to limit to ten records. You can use a filter. The filter is a graphical query builder with some validation. You can add a condition, select a column, operator and put a value. You can combine conditions within groups and create an advanced filter. Click Get Sample Data button in order to refresh the preview:

If the database data source is all you wanted to create, go to Business Intelligence Service chart configuration and start configuration of any chart.

Loading data from file

Business Intelligence Service supports a loading of data from Excel and CSV. Go to File Data tab. You will see a list of loaded already files:

In order to load a new file, click New File Data button. You have to see a form contained fields you have to fill out:

• Name - a name of your file. The name will be displaying on some lists of available files
• Description - an optional field - a short description of your file. The description will be displaying on some lists of available files

Then click Upload button and chose a file from your computer. You will see a preview of data from the file:

Click Save button and go to File Data Sources tab. You have to see a list of file data sources:

Click New File Data Source in order to create a new one. You will see a form:

There are some fields, you have to fill out:

• Name - a name of your data source. The name will be displaying on some lists of available datasources
• Description - an optional field - a short description of your data source. The description will be displaying on some lists of available datasources
• File Data - the file you have uploaded in the previous step. Select the only one file.
• Table of columns - in this place you are able to indicate which columns have to be exposed by the data source. This filter exists, because you can have a will to hide some information from the selected file. E.g. you don't want to show particular columns, but you have no time to rebuild your Excel or CSV file.

If the file data source is all you wanted to create, go to Business Intelligence Service chart configuration and start configuration of any chart.