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Introduction

Data sources are self-explanatory: it represents a piece of data. You can visualize data sources using tiles, or process them using data processors. On MyBoardToday, data sources come in two types: internal and external. Internal data sources are stored on MyBoardToday, it is editable, meaning you can create new data entries to internal sources. It is useful when the data should be hosted by your web pages. External data sources are data fetched from outside MyBoardToday, e.g. Google Calendar, DropBox, or Airtable. External data sources are not editable (you cannot create new data entries). They are useful when you need to analyze and visualize external data. A data source can be used by one or more tiles or data processors. You can perform all data source management (create, modify, remove, list) in the configuration panel.

Using Internal (Editable) Data Source​

Internal data sources are stored on MyBoardToday. The data format is hierarchical (JSON). You must specify its schema (fields, and their type) before creation.

What can an internal data source do?​

  • Edited (create/modify/delete a data entry)
  • Processed by a data processor
  • Visualized by a tile

Creating internal data sources​

When creating a data source, you have the option to choose whether it is internal or external. This choice cannot be changed later on. Then you need to fill out the name of the data source, and its schema. A schema defines the fields and structure of the data source.

Specifying schema of internal data sources​

A schema defines the fields and structure of an internal data source. Specifically, for each field, you need to define the following values:

  • Field name: the name of the field
  • Field type:
    • Text: One line text
    • Long Text: Multi-line text
    • Rich Text: Multi-line text with formatting (itallic, bold, bullet points, etc)
    • Number
    • Composite: This field has children fields
    • Multiple Choice: Users can select one or more choices
    • Single Choice: Users can only select one choice
    • Email Address
    • QR Code: This field stores the data for a QR code
    • Bar Code: This field stores the data for a Bar code
    • Percent
    • Quantity with Unit: This field contains two parts: the metric unit and its value. For example, 10 CM or 120 Ton.
    • Currency: This field has two parts: three letter currency code (USD, EUR) and amount
    • Date: This field stores a date, e.g. 1st August 2022
    • Time: This field stores a time, e.g. 11:20 PM
    • Datetime: This field stores date and time, e.g. 11:20 PM, 1st August 2022
    • File: This field stores an uploaded file asset
    • Image: This field stores an uploaded image asset
    • Checkbox
    • Color
    • Month
    • Week
    • Password
    • Phone Number: This field contains two parts: country code and phone number
    • Geo Location: This field is a composite field that contains several sub fields: Country, State, City, Postcode and Address. Among which, Country, State and City fields are automatically populated with all the major locations in the world.
    • URL
    • Single Choice of Another Internal Source: This field can reference one entry from another internal source. For example, an "Order" source can have a "Product" entry, while "Product" is another internal source.
    • Multiple Choice of Another Internal Source: This field can reference multiple entries from another internal source. For example, an "Order" source can have multiple "Product" entries, while "Product" is another internal source.
    • Multiple Choice of Other Source with Counter: Similar to Multiple Choice of Another Internal Source, this field refers to another internal source with a counter. For example, an "Order" source can have multiple "Product" entries, and each entry is associated with an amount.
  • Field description: description of the field about what it means
  • Required: if the field is mandatory
  • Default value: the default value of this field

Example Schema​

Here is an example schema of source "Customer":

  • Name (type: composite, required)
    • First Name (type: text, required)
    • Middle Name (type:text)
    • Last Name (type:text, required)
  • Age (type: number, required)
  • Address (type: text, required)

Common Use Cases​

The internal data source is a powerful tool to build your own data solutions. You can create surveys, customer databases, inventory databases, invoices, quizzes, etc. It is usually combined with a "Complex Grid" tile to view the records, and an "Input Form of Editable Source" to add new records.

Using External Data Source​

External data sources are not stored on MyBoardToday. They are from other websites. An external data source fetches data from a data connection. Therefore you must create a data connection first beforehand. Two formats are supported currently as external data sources: JSON and CSV. You do not need to specify a schema to use an external source since it is automatically inferred.

What can an external data source do?​

  • Processed by a data processor
  • Visualized by a tile

Creating external data sources​

Since the data source fetches data from a data connection, please first create a data connection. Afterward, when creating a new data source, choose the external type. This type cannot be modified later on. There are many types of external data sources, e.g. Calendar entries from Google Calendar, file from DropBox, etc. You can find the reference guide on every type under this page.

Common Use Cases​

External data source usually serves as the data source for data analysis. A common flow is to first process the external data source into the desired format, then visualize using data tiles.

Data Source Management

Creating a data source​

Go to the configuration panel -> click on "Data Sources" on the left menu -> click on "Add Source" in the top right corner. You need to first choose if a source is internal or external, which cannot be modified later.

Modifying a tile​

Go to the configuration panel -> click on "Data Sources" on the left menu -> Find the data source row you would like to modify -> Click on the gear icon to modify

Deleting a tile​

Go to the configuration panel -> click on "Data Sources" on the left menu -> Find the data source row you would like to delete -> Click on the cross icon to delete

External data source types​

We offer a rich library of external data source types on MyBoardToday. You can find reference guides on all of them under this page.

Report Bugs, Request New Features, and Win $50 Every Month

We value your precious feedback. Please contact us when you find a bug or would like to request a new feature. (In the main panel, click on the bob logo on the top left corner, then in the Dropdown menu click on “contact for bugs or new features”). Every month we will select an “opinion leader” and reward him/her with $50 in cash.