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Using tables

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Think of tables as scalable and easy-to-navigate databases that resemble spreadsheets. With a table, you can curate data from multiple sources, such as through a file upload, chain, or API integration. Based on the intent of the information, you can create fact or dimension tables.

  • Fact tables generally contain information to build up over time, such as for general ledger entries or other transactional data.
  • Dimension tables contain relational information, such as rollups by department or small sets of data used for mapping, like dates for fiscal year accounting.

After you create a table, you can include multiple data sets, append columns, such as to track reference notes or dates. To view and manage your tables from Wdata Home , select the Tables tab.

Note: To view a table in its folder on the All tab from Wdata Home, select the Tables tab, hover on the table's row, and click Go to Source .

Create a table

When you create a table, you define its columns, or schema. When you add a dataset to the table, its data maps to the table's columns. To set up the schema, upload a file with the columns to include—such as exported from another data source—or manually add details about the individual columns. 

Step 1: Create the table

  1. Click Create , and select Table .
    Create Table
  2. To help identify the table and its intent, enter its name and description.
  3. Select whether to create a fact or dimension table.
    Note: After you create a table, you can edit its name, description, or type from its Table Properties panel.
  4. Select the folder to save the table in. To save that table at the root, select No Folder Selected.

Step 2: Define the table's columns

To define the table's columns, you can:

  • Upload a delimiter-separated values file with the columns to add.
  • Select a sheet from Spreadsheets with the columns to add.
  • Manually add and set up columns.

new-table-choose-source.png

To upload columns from a file:

    1. In Add columns from source, select Upload File.
    2. Browse to and select the file with the columns to use.
    3. Select the delimiter used to separate the file's values—comma (,) tab, semicolon (;), or pipe (|).
    4. To verify the data in the file for the table, click File Preview.
    5. Edit the name, description, ID, or data type of each column as necessary. For example:
      • To help clarify the column's data and intent, edit its header name, description, or ID.
      • To use numerical text data as a decimal or integer in the table, update the column's type. If you change a column's type, verify it corresponds to its actual data.
      Note: For reference, you can view the first row of each column under Source Value. When you edit a column's name, you only update how its header appears in the table, not the source file. 
    6. Under Import Format, select the format of imported dates, timestamps, and decimals:
      • For each Date and Timestamp column, select how its imported data appears.
      • For each Decimal column, select the number format of its data.
    7. For a dimension table, select Key for the column with a unique identifier—such as ID—to prevent duplicates. To combine multiple values into a unique identifier, select Key for their columns.
      Note: Before adding columns to a dimension table, you must remove past uploads. 
    8. Arrange the order in which the columns should appear in the table. To adjust the column's position, select whether to move it up, down, or to the top or bottom from its menu.
Note: To not include an uploaded column in the table, click its Remove Column .

To upload columns from Spreadsheets:

  1. In Add columns from source, select Spreadsheet.
  2. Select the spreadsheet and sheet with the columns to use, and click Add Data.
  3. Edit the name, description, ID, or data type of each column as necessary. For example:
    • To help clarify the column's data and intent, edit its header name, description, or ID.
    • To use numerical text data as a decimal or integer in the table, update the column's type. If you change a column's type, verify it corresponds to its actual data.
    Note: For reference, you can view the first row of each column under Source Value. If you edit a column's name, you update how its header appears in the table, not the source sheet.
  4. Under Import Format, select the format of dates, timestamps, and decimal values in the sheet:
    • For each Date and Timestamp column, select how its data appears in the sheet.
    • For each Decimal column, select the number format of its data in the sheet.
  5. For a dimension table, select Key for the column with a unique identifier—such as ID—to prevent duplicates. To combine multiple values into a unique identifier, select Key for their columns.
    Note: Before adding columns to a dimension table, you must remove past uploads. 
  6. Arrange the order in which the columns should appear in the table. To adjust the column's position, select whether to move it up, down, or to the top or bottom from its menu.
Note: To not include a column from the sheet in the table, click its Remove Column .

To manually add a column, click Add Column, and enter its details:

  1. To help identify the column's data and intent, enter its header name, description, and ID.
  2. Select the column's data type, such as to use numerical text data as a decimal or integer in the table.
    Note: Make sure you select the correct data type. For example, to enable time-tracking calculations, select Decimal for a column used to track months. After you add a column, you'll have to un-import all datasets to change its data type.
  3. Under Import Format, select the format of imported dates, timestamps, and decimals:
    • For each Date and Timestamp column, select how its imported data appears.
    • For each Decimal column, select whether its data uses a period (.) or comma (,) for decimals.
  4. For a dimension table, select Key for the column with a unique identifier—such as ID—to prevent duplicates. To combine multiple values into a unique identifier, select Key for their columns.
    Note: Before adding columns to a dimension table, you must remove past uploads. 
  5. To adjust the column's position within the other columns, select whether to move it up, down, or to the top or bottom from its menu.

Step 3. Upload data and set permissions

  1. After you set up the table's columns, click Create Table.
  2. Verify the data from any uploaded file or spreadsheet maps correctly.
  3. Apply any tags and values your organization tracks for the dataset.
  4. Click Add Data.
  5. To append additional data to the table, click Add Data on the Datasets right panel, and upload the datasets.
  6. To share the table with others, click Permissions , and select permissions for each collaborator.

Create a table from an existing table

To create a table with the same or similar columns as another table, create a copy of the existing table:

  1. From Home , select Copy from the table's menu.
    using-tables_04.png
  2. To help identify the table and its intent, enter its name and description.
  3. Select the folder to save the table in. To save that table at the root, select No Folder Selected.
  4. Click Save Table.
  5. Edit the table's columns and add any datasets as necessary.
  6. Click Save .

Open a table

From Wdata Home , you can see details about tables on the All or Tables tab, such as when they are created and last modified. From the Details panel, you can see additional information about the selected table, including its datasets and any dependent queries. To open a table, double-click its row, or select Open from its menu.

Preview a table's data

When you open a table, you view details about its columns, but not the data from its datasets. To view the datasets' data, preview the table:

  • From the table, click Preview on the toolbar.
  • From Wdata Home , right-click the table, and select Preview from its menu.

Share a table with another workspace

To enable owners of other workspaces to view a table or use it in a query, you can share it. When you share a table, any edits to its data must still be made in its native workspace.

Note: From Wdata Home, you can view which tables are shared from other workspaces.
  1. From Wdata Home , right-click the table, and select Share from its menu.
    table-share.png
  2. Select the workspaces to share the table with.
  3. Click Grant Access.

Delete a table

If you no longer use a table, you can remove it from the workspace.

  1. From Wdata Home , select the table, and verify no dependents appear in the Details panel.
  2. Right-click the table, and select Delete from its menu.
  3. Enter Delete.
  4. Click Delete.
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Think of tables as scalable and easy-to-navigate databases that resemble spreadsheets. With a table, you can curat...