CSV Connection

Access the steps to develop a data connection based on the CSV file.

Use a CSV Connection to load data from a .csv file into the Designer and bind it to charts and other components.

Note: Click the Data Connectors icon provided on the right side of the canvas to view the database connectivity options.

Creating a New CSV Connection

1. Click the Data Connectors icon to display all available data connector types.

2. Click the Create New Connection icon next to CSV. Result: A new connection gets added under the CSV connection type.

3. Click the new CSV connection to display the connection-specific details.

Configure the following information:

• Name: Name the connection.

• Browse: Click the Browse icon to select a CSV file.

• Load at Start: Enable this option to get the updated data from the data source before loading it into charts.

• The Field Set tab displays all the fields after establishing the data connection.

Condition

Apply a filter at the connection level.

1. Select the Condition tab.

2. Put a check mark in the given box to enable a condition.

3. Provide a condition to be applied as a filter on the selected data.

   • E.g., as displayed in the following image, a specific date has been provided under the Conditions column for the Timeline, so data for the given date will be taken.

Calculated Fields

Add derived fields directly on the connection.

1. Navigate to the Data Connectors page.

2. Create a connection by selecting the specific Data Connector type (CSV in this case).

3. Connect to the desired data source to access the available fields.

4. Click the Calculated Fields tab. Result: The Calculated Field Editor dialog box opens.

5. Name: Provide a name for the calculated field.

6. Script Editor: Use the Script Editor space to insert the desired calculation formula using the rule given below.

7. Click Create to create the calculated field.

• The newly created calculated field gets added under the Calculated Fields tab.

Please Note (syntax rules):

• Enclose field names in square brackets: [total_sales]/[number_of_items]

• Enclose global variable in curly braces: {bar1.profit}*2+[profit_jan]

Script on Load for a Data Connection

Apply modifications or preferences at the connection level using the scripting window to get the modified data.

1. Navigate to the Data Connectors page.

2. Select a Data Connector type.

3. Create a new Connection and configure it.

4. Select the Script on Load icon provided next to the connection.

• The Script tab appears to trigger a script to produce some action on the data connection.

Note: The user can also use a script for the Dashboard, which can be accessed via the Components tab inside the Script section.

Opening the Scripting Help / Advanced Scripting

1. Click the Help icon on the Script on Load page. Result: The Scripting Help tab opens with some predefined scripts.

2. Click Advanced Scripting to display the chart-wise advanced scripts.

Associate the CSV Connection with a Charting Component

1. Open the Designer canvas for your dashboard.

2. From the Component Library, drag a charting component onto the canvas.

3. Right-click the chart and select Dataset (or Dataset property).

4. Choose your CSV connection from the list.

5. Drag the required fields (dimensions/measures) to the chart’s bindings.

6. Preview the dashboard to validate; Save when satisfied.

Tips:

• Use Load at Start when your CSV is updated frequently and you want the latest data loaded into charts.

• Prefer Calculated Fields for lightweight derivations (ratios, thresholds) that should be reused across multiple charts bound to the same connection.

• Apply a Condition to restrict the dataset early and reduce downstream filtering in components.

Troubleshooting

• Fields not visible in Field Set: Re-check the selected file and delimiter; ensure the CSV has a header row if expected.

• Condition not applied: Verify the condition is enabled (checkmark) and field names match those in Field Set.

• Calculated field errors: Confirm field names are enclosed in [] and globals in {} exactly as shown.

• Script on Load has no effect: Ensure the script is saved and the connection is refreshed or reloaded (use Load at Start or rebind).

• Chart shows no data: Confirm the chart is bound to the correct CSV connection and the required fields are mapped.