Interact with User-Backed Embeds

This article covers the purpose and introductory interactions with user-backed embedded analytics powered by Sigma.  

If you are a Sigma user looking to implement this feature for your own application, visit User-Backed Embedding.

Summary of Content

The Basics
      What's Sigma?
      What is a user-backed embed?
      What can users do?
      How fresh is the data?
Explore an Embed
Create a Document from an Embed
Browse Documents
Edit and Publish Documents
Download Data from an Element
Rename a Document
Move a Document
Delete a Document
Send an Export to Email, Slack or Cloud Storage
Schedule a Document Export
Refresh Your Data
Bookmark an embedded workbook

The Basics

What's Sigma?

So you're new here: Welcome! In a single sentence, Sigma is a platform used by organizations to structure, analyze, and visualize their data.

If you're reading this, it's most likely because someone has shared their Sigma powered analytics with you.

What is a user-backed embed?

Users-backed embedding allows Sigma users to give you access to their data by displaying it directly in their own application as an embed. This allows you to view and interact with that data, gaining insight from the analytics they built for you.

What can users do?

The permissions granted to you by the embed's author determines what users can do with an embed. You may be limited to viewing a static element. You may be able interact with the data and manipulate what's shown. You may even be able to create copies of the embed to further explore and edit as your own saved documents. You can add favorites as well. 

You also may be able to download data and/or schedule exports. 

When you explore an embed the underlying data is protected. Any actions you  take won't modify the original embed, only what is visible to you. Don't worry, you can't break anything.

If you do create your own documents from embeds, changes to an underlying workbook will not effect your document(s). They will, however, effect the original version of the embed.

How fresh is the data?

Sigma works with live data. It refreshes every time you reload the page. You can also manually refresh individual elements (We call tables and visualizations elements).

In some cases, however, an embed's author may choose to only refresh the underlying data on a custom cadence. If you have questions about the freshness of your data, contact your embed's provider.

Explore an Embed

When you view an embed you may see a single element or multiple elements on one or more pages. What you see depends on what the embed's author has chosen to display and the permissions you have been assigned.

To explore an element on a page, click the expand button in the element's inline toolbar.

When an element is expanded, you may have access to an editor panel on the left. This panels contents varies depending on the type of visual element you are looking at:

Create a Document from an Embed

To create a document from an existing embed:

1. Click Save As, located in the bottom right corner of the embed.
   
   
   
   
2. Choose a destination.
   Note: Your My Documents folder is only visible to you. Saving in a workspace will allow other users with the appropriate permissions to access your document.
   
   
   
   
3. Click Save.

Browse Documents

Your documents can be accessed from the menu in the bottom left corner of the embed. If you have an original embed open, the name of the embed is listed at the top with a navigation menu below.

If you have a document open, the documents action menu is at the top. Click Browse Documents to open the navigation menu. 

Open a Document's Source Embed

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click the Back to ... link at the top of the menu.
   
   
   
   

Edit and Publish Documents

1. Open the document.
2. Click Edit, located in the bottom right corner of the embed.
   
   
3. Make your changes.
4. Click Publish.
   
   

Download Data from an Element

1. Hover your cursor over the element.
2. Click the more () button in the element’s inline toolbar.
3. Select an option from the menu's Download submenu.
   
   
   

Rename a Document

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click Rename.
4. Enter a new name.
   
   
   
   
5. Click Rename.
   
   

Move a Document

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click Move.
4. Choose a destination.
   
   
   
   
5. Click Move.
   
   

Delete a Document

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click Delete.
   
   

Send an Export to Email, Slack, or Cloud Storage

Users can export a doc to email, slack, or cloud storage before or after saving their work. 

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click Send now.
4. Follow the Send now modal's prompts.
   Note: For more information about the fields, visit Sigma's Send and schedule documentation for workbooks.
    
   
   
   
5. Click Send.
   
   

Schedule a Document Export

1. Open the document.
2. Click the menu.
3. Click Schedule export.
4. Click Add Schedule.
   
   
   
   
5. Follow the Schedule Exports modal's prompts.
   Note: For more information on the prompted fields, visit Sigma's Send and schedule documentation for workbooks.
    
   
   
   
6. Click Create Schedule.
   
   

Refresh Your Data

1. Hover your cursor over the element.
2. Click the more () button in the element’s inline toolbar.
3. Click Refresh data.

Bookmark an embedded workbook

In the context of an embedded workbook, the Bookmark your changes, Personal bookmarks, and Manage bookmarks options are located at the bottom right in the Save As menu. This does not apply to page or element embeds.

For more information see Bookmarks in embedded workbooks. 

What to learn more about Sigma? Visit our website