Our recent redesign simplifies the data transfer experience by combining raw and modelled data sources into a single object - data feeds.
If you see Data Feeds in the left navigation sidebar, go to this article.
These new features are being released gradually. If you don't see them in your account yet - no worries - they’re coming soon!
With PowerMetrics, you can connect to the data that matters most to you, whether it be on premise or in the cloud. From web services to files stored on your computer, servers, or in your data warehouse, we help you get the data you need to understand your business and help it grow.
When you connect to your data, you bring it into PowerMetrics, resulting in a data source. The metrics you create refer to the information that’s in your data sources.
This article introduces you to using data sources to create metrics and answers the following questions:
What sources of data can I connect to?
With PowerMetrics, you can connect to your data from many sources:
- Uploaded local files:
Get data from local files, for example spreadsheets, and files sent as email attachments. We support the following file types: XML, Excel, CSV, and JSON.
- Cloud file sharing services:
You can bring data into Klipfolio from several cloud file sharing services, for example, Google Drive, Google BigQuery, Dropbox, Box, Microsoft OneDrive, and Microsoft Sharepoint.
- Cloud applications:
Get data from all your essential cloud services. See a list of data services you can connect to using Klipfolio.
You can create data sources for popular services either by selecting from our pre-built options or by custom-building using your own queries.
You can skip data source creation altogether by connecting to your data with instant metrics. Instant metrics are available for several, popular services (and we're adding more all the time). When you add an instant metric, you enter credentials to connect to your service account and we create and model your data source for you. See "Modelled data sources for instant metrics" for more information.
- REST/URL - Open Web Service Connections:
Our Data Services page only lists services for which we have dedicated, built-in connectors, however, we’ve verified connections to over 400 services. If you can’t find the pre-built connector you’re looking for, you can still connect to services using our REST/URL connector. It connects to most APIs that use the REST protocol and one of these authentication methods (if authentication is required): Basic HTTP authentication, 2-Step authentication, API Key authentication, and OAuth authentication.
If you want to learn more, take a look at the video and articles below:
Video introduction to APIs
Guide to REST API data sources
About JSON and XML data sources
- SQL databases:
Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to manipulate and extract information from an SQL database. PowerMetrics enables you to connect to an SQL database and execute an SQL query to retrieve information to create a data source. Learn more.
- FTP/SFTP:
Access data on your servers to build a data source using our FTP/SFTP connector. Learn more.
How do I connect to my data in PowerMetrics?
This article includes general information on how to connect to your data and create data sources. There are too many connection options to describe each of them in detail here. For example, you might want to connect to a service, like Facebook or Google Analytics, or to a database, or to a local file. For detailed information on how to connect to all kinds of data, refer to this section of our Knowledge Base.
In PowerMetrics, you connect to your data and create modelled data sources:
Modelled data sources for instant metrics
When you add an instant metric, we create and model the data source for you. To ensure the integrity and accuracy of your instant metrics, note that the underlying data in these modelled data sources is managed by Klipfolio PowerMetrics and cannot be edited. You can, however, modify the data source name and share it with colleagues.
Navigate to your list of data sources by clicking your Account Name in the left navigation sidebar and selecting Data Sources. To see the details for a managed data source, select the data source from the list. You can tell which data sources are managed by Klipfolio by referring to their Type in the data source list (see below).
From the managed data source details page, you can edit the data source name, share the data source with others, or click the link beside Uses data source to go to the details page for the raw data source that the managed data source is based on.
Go here for more details on connecting to your data when adding instant metrics.
Modelled data sources for custom metrics
The method for connecting to and modelling your data when creating custom metrics depends on the data service you choose. Go to this section of our Knowledge Base for detailed instructions by data service.
Some data services, for example, Google Analytics and HubSpot, support both instant and custom metrics. For those data services, you'll connect to your data, define the data to be queried, and model the data source before, optionally, creating a custom metric. For services that only support custom metrics, the method used to connect to and model your data is slightly different. Learn more about creating custom metrics.
When creating custom metrics, you can either create a data source and model it before you add custom metrics or as you build custom metrics.
If you choose to create a modelled data source first, you can select it later when you're ready to create some metrics.
To create metrics from an existing modelled data source:
- Select the data source from your list of data sources to open its details page (accessed by clicking your Account Name > Data Sources in the left navigation sidebar). Click Create metrics.
OR
- Click the + button beside Metrics in the left navigation sidebar and, on the Where is your data? page, click Use an existing data source. Then, select the data source you want from the list.