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Connecting to your data in PowerMetrics

 

Our recent redesign simplifies the data transfer experience by combining raw and modelled data sources into a single object - data feeds. We’re gradually releasing this new feature to our customers.
If you see Data Feeds in the left navigation sidebar, you're in the right place. If not, go here.

 

With PowerMetrics, you can connect to the data that matters most to you, whether it be on premise, in the cloud, stored in a data warehouse, or accessed from a semantic layer. No matter where your data lives, we'll help you get the information you need to understand your business and help it grow. You can see a full list of the data sources Klipfolio PowerMetrics connects to on our Integrations page.

This article includes:

What data services can I connect to?

With PowerMetrics, you can connect to your data from many sources:

  • Uploaded local files:
    Connect to data in your local files. We support the following file types: XML, Excel, CSV, and JSON.
  • Data warehouses and databases: Connect to data in a data warehouse and create metrics to add to your catalog in PowerMetrics. Our direct to warehouse integration gives you secure data storage (in your warehouse), data governance, single source of truth data, and advanced scalability (data volume is only limited by the capacity of the underlying warehouse). Learn how to connect to data in data warehouses.
  • REST/URL - Open Web Service Connections:
    Our Data Services page 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 and data feeds
    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 feed. Learn more.
  • FTP/SFTP:
    Access data on your servers to build a data feed using our FTP/SFTP connector. Learn more.

How do I connect to my data?

This article includes general information on how to connect to your data. 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. Go to these sections in our Knowledge Base for more detailed information:

Connecting to your data and adding instant metrics

Connecting to your data with instant metrics is fast! All you need to do is select a service, sign into your account, and choose the instant metrics you’re interested in. You can add instant metrics for many popular services. Go here for more detailed information on connecting to your data for instant metrics.

Connecting to your data and creating data feeds and custom metrics

When you connect to your data for custom metrics, you create data feeds. Data feeds connect the source data from your files, databases, applications, and services to your custom metrics. Learn more about data feeds.

The method for connecting to your data and creating data feeds for custom metrics depends on the data service you choose.

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 by signing into your service account, choosing the data you want to retrieve (in the query builder), and modifying the data (if needed) in the data feed editor. Once the data feed has been created, you can use it to build custom metrics.

For services that don’t include instant metrics (only custom metrics), for example, file upload and REST/URL, the method used to connect to your data and create data feeds is slightly different (and varies according to the service).

Go to this section of our Knowledge Base for detailed instructions by data service.

Connecting to data in your warehouse and creating direct to warehouse metrics

When you create direct to warehouse metrics, you:

  1. Connect PowerMetrics to your data warehouse. The first time you connect, you enter identifying information, for example, an account ID, project ID, or database name (depending on the requirements for the warehouse service). This creates a secure, reusable account connection. You’re given a webhook URL to call to clear the cache and automatically update data in alignment with your data warehouse. You can also select a TTL value as part of a cache expiration strategy. When you’re finished with these one-time steps, you’re ready to configure your metric.

     

  2. Configure your metric. Select the table/view that includes the data you want for the metric. Then, choose a measure, dimensions, and a date/time column. All other settings are auto-selected for you based on best practices but you can modify any or all of them as desired. You can, optionally, enter a name and description, change the metric’s service icon, and certify the metric to show that it’s approved for use by others in your organization.

     

  3. Save the metric to add it to the metric catalog. After saving the metric, it’s immediately added to your metric catalog, where those with access permissions can consume it for analysis, dashboards, and reports.
    Learn more about connecting and creating direct to warehouse metrics.

Connecting to data in your dbt Semantic Layer project and creating dbt Semantic Layer metrics

When you create dbt Semantic Layer metrics, you:

  1. Connect PowerMetrics to your dbt Semantic Layer project. The first time you connect, you enter identifying information, such as the environment ID and dbt Cloud service token. This creates a secure, reusable account connection. You’re given a webhook URL to use in your webhook setup to clear the cache and update data in alignment with your dbt project. When you’re finished with these one-time steps, you’re ready to import your dbt Semantic Layer metrics into PowerMetrics.

     

  2. Select the metrics to import. You’re presented with a list of the metrics that are associated with the account connection you created. Select the metrics you want to import into PowerMetrics.

     

  3. Add the selected metrics to the metric catalog. Click “Add metrics” to immediately add the selected metrics to your metric catalog, where those with access permissions can consume them for analysis, dashboards, and reports.

     

  4. Optionally, adjust metric display properties. After adding dbt Semantic Layer metrics to your metric catalog, you can modify their data format, set a favourable trend, change their display names, add a description, and change their service icon. Perhaps most importantly, you can also certify the metrics for use in your organization.
    Learn more about connecting to a dbt Semantic Layer project and creating metrics.

Connecting to data in a semantic layer and creating semantic layer metrics

When you create semantic layer metrics, you:

  1. Connect PowerMetrics to your semantic layer service. The first time you connect, you enter identifying information, for example, a host URL and API key. This creates a secure, reusable account connection. You’re given a webhook URL to call to clear the cache and automatically update data in alignment with your data source. You can also select a TTL value as part of a cache expiration strategy. When you’re finished with these one-time steps, you’re ready to configure your metrics.

     

  2. Configure your metric. Select the cube, table, or view (based on the semantic layer service) that includes the data you want for the metric. Then, choose a measure, dimensions, and a date/time column. All other settings are auto-selected for you based on best practices but you can modify any or all of them as desired. You can, optionally, enter a name and description, change the metric’s service icon, and certify the metric to show that it’s approved for use by others in your organization.

     

  3. Save the metric to add it to the metric catalog. After saving the metric, it’s immediately added to your metric catalog, where those with access permissions can consume it for analysis, dashboards, and reports.
    Learn more about connecting to a semantic layer and creating metrics.
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