Getting started with DataLens

This section outlines how to connect to a data source, create your first dataset, build multiple charts for data visualization, and place them on a dashboard.

Getting startedGetting started

To get started with DataLens:

If you have any technical questions about the service, contact Yandex Cloud support. To ask for advice, discuss the solution to your problem or best practices of the service, write to the DataLens chat in Telegram.

Create a connectionCreate a connection

Connections contain information about data source access parameters, such as the DB host IP address and port. You can create datasets based on connections.

To create a connection:

1. Go to the DataLens home page.

2. Click Create connection.

3. Under Databases, select the ClickHouse® connection.

   1. In the window that opens, select Specify manually for the connection type and provide the following connection parameters:

      • Host name: rc1a-ckg8nrosr2lim5iz.mdb.yandexcloud.net
      • HTTP interface port: 8443 (default)
      • Username: samples_ro
      • Password: MsgfcjEhJk

   2. Enable Allow subqueries in datasets and queries from charts.

   3. Click Check connection and make sure you get a green check mark.

   4. Click Create connection.

      

   5. In the window that opens, click Create workbook.

      

   6. Enter Quick start for the workbook name and click Create.

   7. Select the workbook you created and click Create.

   8. Enter Sample ClickHouse for the connection name and click Create.

Wait for the connection to be saved.

Create a datasetCreate a dataset

A dataset describes a set of data and its structure. It is created by connecting to a data source. A dataset is used when creating the following widgets:

• Charts: To visualize data.
• Selectors: To filter data.

To create a dataset based on the Sample ClickHouse connection:

1. In the top-right corner of the connection page, click Create dataset.

2. Drag the MS_SalesMiniTable table to the workspace.

   

3. Navigate to the Fields tab.

4. Create a measure for the order amount. To do this, select Sum for the Sales field in the Aggregation column.

   

5. Create a measure for the number of orders:

   1. Rename the OrderID field as OrderCount: click the field name, delete the current name, and enter the new one.
   2. Select Number of unique for the OrderCount field in the Aggregation column.

6. Change the data type for the ShopAddressCoord field: select Geopoint in the Type column.

   

7. Save the dataset:

   1. In the top-right corner, click Save.

   2. Enter Sales Dataset for the dataset name and click Create.

      

Create a column chartCreate a column chart

Charts visualize the data from a dataset as tables, diagrams, or maps.

To create a chart based on Sales Dataset:

1. Click Create chart in the top-right corner of the dataset page.

2. Add the product subcategory to the chart. To do this, drag the ProductSubcategory field from Dimensions to the X section.

3. Add a sales measure to the chart. To do this, drag the Sales field from Measures to the Y section.

4. Sort the chart by sales in descending order by dragging the Sales field from Measures to the Sorting section.

5. Save the chart:

   1. In the top-right corner, click Save.

   2. In the window that opens, enter the Sales by subcategory name for the chart and click Save.

      

Create an area chartCreate an area chart

1. Copy the chart you created in the previous step:

   1. In the top-right corner, click → Save as copy.

      

   2. In the window that opens, enter the Sales by week name for the new chart and click Save.

2. Select Area chart as the visualization type.

   

3. Replace the product subcategories with the order date on the X-axis. To do this, drag the OrderDate field from Dimensions to the X section and hold it over the ProductSubcategory field until the latter turns red.

4. Add the product category to the chart. To do this, drag the ProductCategory field from Dimensions to the Colors section.

5. Display a week by week chart:

   1. Click the calendar icon next to the OrderDate field in the X section.

   2. In the Grouping field, select Rounding → Week.

      

   3. Click Apply.

6. Remove sorting by sales: click (the icon appears when you hover over the field) next to the Sales field in the Sorting section.

7. In the top-right corner, click Save.

   

Create a map chartCreate a map chart

1. Copy the chart you created in the previous step:

   1. In the top-right corner, click → Save as copy.
   2. In the window that opens, enter the Sales map name for the new chart and click Save.

2. Select the Map visualization type.

3. Add the coordinates of the points of sale to the map. To do this, drag the ShopAddressCoord field from Dimensions to the Points (Geopoints) section.

4. Change the point size based on the number of orders. To do this, drag the OrderCount field from Measures to the Point size section.

5. Change the point color based on the sales measure. To do this, drag the Sales field from Measures to the Colors section.

6. Add the following fields to the Tooltips section:

   • ShopAddress
   • ShopName
   • Sales
   • OrderCount

7. In the top-right corner, click Save.

   

Create a dashboard and add charts to itCreate a dashboard and add charts to it

A dashboard is a page or multiple pages that contain widgets. It allows you to group your charts in the same place and add captions and titles to them.

To create a dashboard:

1. Go to the Quick start workbook by clicking its name in the chart path.

   

2. In the top-right corner, click Create → Dashboard.

3. In the panel at the bottom of the page, hold down Chart and drag it to the required area.

4. In the window that opens, click Select.

5. Select the Sales map chart.

   

6. Click Add.

7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 to add the Sales by subcategory and Sales by week charts.

8. Adjust the size of the charts with your mouse and place them on the dashboard as you prefer.

   

Set up chart filteringSet up chart filtering

Add filtering by the Sales map chart to the dashboard to filter other charts:

1. Click in the top-right corner of the Sales map chart.

   

2. Enable the Filtering option.

   

3. Click Save.

By default, the chart used for filtering filters data in all charts on the current dashboard tab that share the same dataset.

Add a selector to the dashboardAdd a selector to the dashboard

Selectors are filters that affect the results of queries in the linked widgets.

To add a selector to a dashboard:

1. In the panel at the bottom of the page, hold down Selector and drag it to the required area.

2. Add the calendar selector for the order date:

   1. Select Sales Dataset.

   2. Select the OrderDate field.

   3. In the Header field, enter Order date.

   4. Enable Range.

      

   5. Click Save.

3. Position the selector on the dashboard wherever you like.

4. Save the dashboard:

   1. In the top-right corner of the dashboard, click Save.

   2. Enter Sales for the dashboard name and click Create.

      

Learn how a dashboard worksLearn how a dashboard works

1. Apply cross-chart filtering on the dashboard:

   1. Click a point on the map in the Sales map chart. This will filter the linked charts by the selected dimension.

      

   2. Clear chart filtering by clicking the selected point once more or in the top-right corner of the chart.

2. Use the Order date selector:

   1. In the Order date selector, enter the period start and end dates: 01.01.2019 - 31.01.2019.

   2. This will filter data by the OrderDate field in all charts on the current tab that share the same dataset.

      

   3. Clear selector filtering by clicking in the right corner of the selector.

Share the dashboardShare the dashboard

You can grant access to your dashboard to other users:

1. Add users with a Yandex account to DataLens:

   1. In the left-hand panel, select Service settings.

   2. Under User management, click Invite users.

      

   3. Enter the email addresses of the users you want to invite, e.g., login@yandex.com.

      You can send invitations to any email address. Invited users will be able to select the appropriate Yandex account once they accept the invitation.

   4. Click Send invitation.

   Once the user accepts the invitation and selects the account for login, they can log in to your organization and start using DataLens. The user will get the datalens.creator role in the organization with the current DataLens instance.

2. Configure access permissions for a workbook:

   1. In the left-hand panel, select Collections and workbooks.

   2. Click next to the Quick start workbook and select Access.

      

   3. Click Add user.

      

   4. In the window that opens, select a user or user group, specify the appropriate permission, and click Save. The user or user group will be granted permissions to this object.

You can make the charts and dashboards you create publicly available, so any user can follow a link to view a published object without logging in. You can embed published dashboards and charts into your website or app using iframe.

What's nextWhat's next

• See the tutorials with DataLens usage examples.
• Read about service concepts.
• View an example of a ready-to-use dashboard.

ClickHouse® is a registered trademark of ClickHouse, Inc.