How to prepare, import and bind your data

Step by step flow from data preparation to formatting for Datylon charts

Introduction

This article explains all the steps in the data flow for creating a Datylon chart in an efficient way. Some steps are mandatory (Importing and Binding) others are optional or depend on the type of chart one wishes to create. 

The 4 steps in the data flow are: 

1. Preparing the data

2. Entering or importing data

3. Update data using Swap workbook

4. Update data using Data link

5. Input formatting of the data

6. Binding the data

1. Preparing the data

Input data structure

Depending on the chart type, the data should be structured as a flat table or a pivot table. 

See below a flat table on the left and on the right pivot table structured in rows and columns. 

Match data with chart type

The data should match the chart type one wants to create. Some charts support multiple series or require at least 2 columns/rows. A scatter plot for instance needs at least 2 columns or rows with xy coordinates, or a bullet chart requires a very specific structure. Entering wrong data will result in error messages. 

More information on how the data should be structured for specific charts can be found in the the "How to create a ........ chart" tutorials in the Help Center, or samples can be downloaded from the Datylon Inspiration page. 

What you see is what you get

When data is copied or imported from other spreadsheets, the data is imported as it is presented in the spreadsheet. Meaning with the same number of digits, the same decimal and thousand separator, currency, percentages, etc.. The possibly underlying formulas are not copied or imported to the Datylon data sheets. 

Although this can be set and changed in the Datylon panel as well, it is more efficient to format the data correctly beforehand during preparation. 

 

2. Entering or importing data

Every Datylon chart is connected to a Datylon data sheet. When drawing a chart box and selecting one of the default charts, dummy data is loaded in the data sheet. This dummy data should be replaced by your data.

Enter new data in a Datylon data sheet

Enter the data in the active data sheet. A data sheet is active when one chart linked to that data sheet is selected. 

1. Type the data straight in the active data sheet
2. Copy & paste the data directly in the active data sheet

 

Import new workbooks in the Datylon Data manager

This feature copies the data sheets from a source workbook to a new workbook in the data manager (the destination workbook).

1. From a local file: Manage data > Add > File (CSV*, XLS, XLSX)
   * a CSV can only contain one data sheet, which is always imported as Sheet1.
2. From Datylon online workbook: Manage data > Add > Datylon Workbook**
   ** a Datylon workbook is an online workbook stored in Datylon Report Studio under Docs > Workbooks 
3. From Google Sheets: Manage data > Add > Google Sheets
   This allows you to refresh the data using the refresh button. See Data link below. 
4. From OneDrive Excel: Manage data > Add > OneDrive Excel
   This allows you to refresh the data using the refresh button. See Data link below. 

Import new sheets in a selected workbook

This feature imports all the data sheets from a selected source into a selected workbook in the Datylon Data manager list.
The link with the original data source is not kept. 

1. From a local file: Manage data >  "Tree dots" icon > Add sheets from > File (CSV, XLS, XLSX)
2. From a Datylon workbook: Manage data >  "Tree dots" icon > Add sheets from > Datylon workbook
3. From Google Sheets: Manage data >  "Tree dots" icon > Add sheets from > Google Sheets
4. From OneDrive Excel:  Manage data >  "Tree dots" icon > Add sheets from > OneDrive Excel

 

3. Update data using Swap workbook

Besides just editing or copying the data straight in the active data sheets, there are 2 ways to swap data in data sheets which are linked to charts: 

• Swap workbook
• Swap data sheet

Swap workbook

• If the source workbook contains more data sheets than the destination workbook, they will be added to the destination workbook. 
• If the destination workbook contains data sheets not linked to a chart, and are not present in the source workbook, those data sheets will be deleted from the destination workbook without warning.
• The link with the original source file is not kept. If the original source workbook is updated, swap workbook has to be performed again. 

Swap workbook options: 

1. From a local file: Manage Data > "Swap workbook" icon > File (CSV, XLS, XLSX).
2. From Datylon online workbook: Manage Data > "Swap workbook" icon > Datylon Workbook
   
   

Swap datasheet

Loads new data in one selected data sheet from another source.
The link with the original source file is not kept. If the original source sheet is updated, swap datasheet has to be performed again. 

Swap data sheet options:

1. To a local file: go to Manage Data > Swap > Import File
2. To a Datylon online sheet: go to Manage Data > Swap > Online Sheet
3. To an empty sheet: go to Manage Data > Swap > Empty Sheet

 

4. Update data using Data link

A data link is a permanent link to an online source workbook (Google Sheets, OneDrive Excel).

Create a Data link

Start in Google Sheets or OneDrive Excel with sharing the online workbook for general access to "Anyone with the link can edit". 

• If the source workbook contains more data sheets than the destination workbook, they will be added to the destination workbook. 
• If the destination workbook contains data sheets not linked to a chart, and are not present in the source workbook, those data sheets will be deleted from the destination workbook without warning when doing a refresh.

Create a data link options:

1. Google Sheets: Manage Data > "Swap workbook" icon > Create data link > Google Sheets
2. OneDrive Excel: go to Manage Data > "Swap workbook" icon >  Create data link > OneDrive Excel

Refresh a data link

Go to Manage Data > "Refresh" icon to the right of the workbook name

 

Details on how to import and manage data can be found in the article Data management in Datylon.

 

5. Input formatting of the data

Incoming data can be formatted as Text, Numbers or Date & Time in the Formatting tab of the Datylon panel. Input formatting of the data is optional and set per column/row. There are 3 format types: 

• Text
• Numbers
• Date & Time

Formatting is required for:

• Re-formatting imported numerical data
• Time series charts 
• Data driven coloring

Click on the links above to learn about the details. 

 

 

6. Binding the data

Data binding is the mandatory step to connect the data as columns or row to categories, series, or data marks (e.g. bars or bubbles). The binding options depend on the type of chart.

In the Datylon panel, the data binding features can be found in the property pane under the Binding tab and its 2 sections Dataset and Series. 

Bindings tab > Dataset

• Enable/disable First row of datasheet are headings
• Data is structured in Rows/Columns

Bindings tab > Series

Here the actual binding of the data with the chart objects and properties occurs. Select the wanted column or row in the drop down box for the appropriate property.

Except for a Datylon Text object, every Datylon chart requires minimum 2 properties that need to bound: 

• A position over the X-axis (X) or a some kind of a category (Category).
• A position of the Y-axis (Y) or a numerical value (Value)

Some chart types allow you to add more series. Click on the + sign to do so. See more details about working with series here.

On top of the mandatory properties, data can also be bound to colors and other properties using reference codes in the data (read here), or color palettes read here. 

Done!

After you have successfully imported and bound your data, you can start styling your chart.