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Visualization | Analyze

Dadosfera creates data visualizations through its Metabase integration. Here we explore features such as asking business questions and creating dashboards. For more information on its capabilities, see the official Metabase documentation.

To begin, click "Visualization" on the Dadosfera home page. A new page opens with "OUR ANALYTICS" and "OUR DATA". Suggested items such as "TRY THESE X-RAYS BASED ON YOUR DATA" and "START HERE" may also appear unless they have been hidden using the X on the right of each block.

Data overview​

Let's explore dataset information using Metabase.

Under "OUR DATA", click the database you want to explore. The next screen shows all tables in that database.

Hover over a table's block to reveal "X-ray this table" (lightning icon) and "Learn about this table" (book icon).

X-ray this table:​

This option provides a quick overview of the distribution of table variable data through an automatically generated Metabase dashboard. Select a variable in the panel on the right for more detail.

Learn about this table:​

Clicking the option to learn more about the table opens a page with this menu:

  • Details: Check the name and edit database descriptions and notes. "See this table" displays a 2000-row preview and lets you apply conditional filters to each column ("FILTER"), summarize columns ("SUMMARIZE") and group them ("GROUP BY").

  • Fields in this table: Shows data and field types and lets you edit the field type. The data type determines how a database column is interpreted (text or number), while the "field type" describes metadata information. You can also edit field types in the admin area, accessed through the settings menu (gear icon).

Clicking edit in the upper-right corner of "Fields in this table" also lets you designate each column as a primary or foreign key.

  • Questions about this table: Saved questions appear in this tab. We cover asking questions in Metabase later in the visualization creation section.
  • X-ray this table: Another shortcut to the feature described earlier.

Updating field values​

Snowflake and Metabase synchronize daily by default. After manipulating Snowflake data as shown in the query tab, you may need to rescan to update fields. Follow these steps:

  1. In the upper-right corner, click "Settings" (gear icon).
  2. Select "Admin" to open the Metabase administration area.
  3. In the top horizontal menu, select "Databases".
  4. Select "Snowflake".
  5. Under "Actions", select "Re-scan field values now".
  6. Still under "Actions", click "Sync database schema now".

Creating Visualizations​

Metabase is a BI tool for asking business questions. Answers are based on data and can be displayed as charts or tables.

Ask a question​

"Ask a question" appears in the upper-right menu of the home page and on several other Metabase pages. Use it to create charts that can later make up a dashboard.

Clicking "Ask a question" displays three options:

  • Simple question: Reopens the table preview from the Details tab in "Learn about this table" and lets you use filter, group by and summarize functions to answer your questions.
  • Custom question: Provides a notebook editor for questions requiring joins, aggregation stages, filters and custom columns.
  • Native query: Run queries and generate tables that can also be displayed as charts.

After creating visualizations, edit each chart's components by clicking "Setting" below the preview. Then save the answered question by clicking "Save" in the upper-right corner.

Creating Dashboards​

A dashboard is an information management tool that helps explain data, metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) important to a business, department or process.

Once saved, visualizations created from questions can make up a dashboard. Click "+" in the upper-right corner and select "New dashboard", as shown below. After creating a dashboard, edit it to add previously saved questions.

Our analytics​

"Our analytics", accessed from the Metabase home page, brings together all saved dashboards and questions. It shows their creation dates and allows you to manage them.

Viewing Dashboards​

Your dashboards appear in the Dadosfera Catalog, in the Explore module.

Configuring alerts​

You can create alerts for each question to be notified when:

  • A time series exceeds its goal.
  • A progress bar reaches or falls below its goal.
  • Any other question type returns a result.

To learn how to configure alerts, see here.