Data Sheet Connection

Access the steps to develop a data connection based on the Data Sheet Connection.

Use a Data Sheet Connection to bind data from a Data Sheet to charts and other components in the Designer module.

Create a new Data Sheet connection

• Click the Data Connectors icon to display all available data sources.

• Click the Create New Connection icon next to Data Sheet.

• A new connection gets created under the Data Sheet connector type.

1. Click the new connection to view its configuration panel on the right.

Configure the connection

Fill in the following fields:

• Name: Provide a name for the connection.

• Data Sheet: Select a Data Sheet from the drop-down menu.

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

• Timely Refresh: Enable this option to get refreshed data.

• Refresh Interval: Set the time for the refresh interval. (This field appears only when Timely Refresh is enabled.)

• After the connection is established, the Field Set tab displays all the fields.

Associate the connection to 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 component and select Dataset (or Dataset property).

4. Choose your Data Sheet connection from the list.

5. Drag the required fields from Field Set to the component’s bindings (dimensions/measures).

6. Click Preview to validate; Save when satisfied.

Timely Refresh behavior

• With Timely Refresh enabled, the dashboard fetches updated data according to the configured Refresh Interval.

• Combine Load at Start with Timely Refresh to ensure a fresh initial load and periodic updates thereafter.

Tips:

• Use descriptive names (e.g., Planning_Sheet_FY25) so authors can quickly identify connections.

• If the Data Sheet structure changes, reopen the connection to refresh the Field Set.

• Keep field names consistent between the Data Sheet and downstream components to reduce mapping issues.

Troubleshooting

• No fields in Field Set: Confirm the selected Data Sheet is valid and accessible; reload the connection.

• Timely Refresh not updating: Ensure Timely Refresh is enabled and Refresh Interval is set.

• Component shows no data: Recheck the Dataset binding and verify that required fields are mapped.

• Stale values on canvas: Use Load at Start and reopen Preview to force a fresh load.