Intro to data elements
Workbooks support three element types: control elements (filters), UI elements such as buttons and images, and data elements. Data elements are elements built directly from a data source. They include tables, pivot tables, and visualizations.
While each element type has its own style of data display, the underlying data itself is always column-based.
Contents
Requirements
- To create a data element, you must have Can Edit access to the individual workbook, and be in Edit mode.
- You can also see the elements in View and Explore modes; see Workbook modes.
Creating elements from data sources
Each workbook can contain multiple elements sourced from a variety of data sources. You can pull in new data sources at any time and are not restricted to a single source per workbook or workbook page. An element's data can be sourced from cloud data warehouse (CDW) tables, Sigma datasets, uploaded CSVs, written SQL, or other workbook data elements.
Please note: Uploading CSVs and writing custom SQL are features only available to organization Admins and Creators; see account types.
Effects of upstream changes
If a data source is modified, any dependent elements may be affected. For example, if Element B uses Element A as a data source, removing a column from Element A will immediately make that column inaccessible for Element B.
See the instructions for creating new data elements.
Editing basics
The Editor panel
When an element is selected, its configuration is automatically displayed in the workbook's editor panel. A data element's view in this panel displays all of the element's available columns.
By default, all columns are listed under the COLUMNS section. To configure your element, move columns to other sections listed in the panel, using either the section's + menu or dragging and dropping the column.
You can also view your source at any time by clicking the source popup button at the bottom of the editor panel while you element is selected. Use the source popup's vertical ••• menu to view, replace or edit your source.
Maximized data element
When viewing, exploring, or editing a workbook, all data elements are minimized by default to display multiple elements in the canvas. You can maximize any data element to focus on its details and explore the underlying data.
When a visualization or pivot table element is maximized, it expands to the full width of the workbook page and displays the element's underlying data table. Because the element and underlying data are inherently linked, changes applied to one are automatically reflected in the other.
When a table element is maximized, it expands to fill the entire workbook page. The underlying data isn't displayed in a supplemental table since it's already exposed in the table element itself.
Note: Data elements can be maximized in any workbook mode (View, Explore, or Edit), but changes can be made in Explore and Edit modes only.
See Maximize or minimize a data element.
Related resources
Workbooks overview
Working with tables
Working with pivot tables
Intro to building visualizations