This guide will walk you through the complete workflow of uploading your data, creating patterns, and using the writeback feature to update your data seamlessly. Whether you're new to Sheetloom or looking to refresh your knowledge, this step-by-step tutorial will help you get the most out of the platform.
Scenario Overview
In this tutorial, we'll work through a practical example using a stock control system for an oil company. This scenario demonstrates how Sheetloom can help manage inventory data, track items across different storage locations, and enable seamless updates back to your source data.
Our example focuses on managing oil inventory items, their quantities, and storage locations. The writeback feature will be particularly useful when you need to update information like changing where an item is stored and ensuring those changes are reflected back in your original CSV data source.
Uploading Your CSV Data
The first step in working with Sheetloom is getting your data into the system. Here's how to upload a CSV file and preview your data.
Step 1: Navigate to the CSV Page
Start by navigating to the CSV section in your Sheetloom dashboard. This is where you'll manage all your CSV uploads and data sources.
Step 2: Upload Your CSV File
Once you're on the CSV page, click the "Upload CSV" button. You'll be prompted to select a file from your local machine. Choose the CSV file you want to work with and confirm the upload.
Step 3: Preview Your Data
After uploading, Sheetloom will automatically process your file and display a preview of your data. Take a moment to review the columns, data types, and sample rows to ensure everything looks correct before proceeding.
Video Tutorial:
Creating Patterns and Stitches
Now that your data is uploaded, you'll want to create a pattern that defines how your data should be structured and queried. Patterns in Sheetloom allow you to organize your data and create reusable query templates.
Step 1: Access the Pattern Manager
Navigate to the Pattern Manager in your Sheetloom dashboard. This is your central hub for creating and managing all your data patterns.
Step 2: Create a New Pattern
Click the "Create Pattern" button to start building a new pattern. You'll be prompted to give your pattern a name and provide a brief description of what it represents.
Step 3: Associate with a Group
After creating your pattern, you'll need to associate it with a group. Groups help organize related patterns and control access permissions. Select the appropriate group from the dropdown or create a new one if needed.
Step 4: Create a Stitch
With your pattern created and associated with a group, it's time to create a stitch. A stitch connects your pattern to your data source. Click "Create Stitch" and configure the connection settings.
Step 5: Query Your Data with Athena
Once your stitch is configured, you can use the Athena table to query the data you uploaded earlier. The stitch will automatically map your pattern to the corresponding table, allowing you to run SQL queries and retrieve the exact data you need.
Video Tutorial:
Using the Writeback Feature
One of Sheetloom's most powerful features is writeback, which allows you to modify data in your spreadsheet and push those changes back to your data source. This enables a seamless two-way data flow between your spreadsheets and your database.
In our stock control example, we'll demonstrate writeback by changing the storage location of an inventory item and writing that change back to the source CSV file.
Step 1: Modify Your Data in the Sheet
Open your spreadsheet in Sheetloom and make the necessary changes to your data. For our example, you might change the storage location of an oil inventory item from one facility to another. You can edit cells, add rows, delete entries, or update values as needed. All changes are tracked and ready to be synchronized.
Step 2: Upload to Template Section
After making your edits, navigate to the Template section in Sheetloom. Upload your modified spreadsheet here. Sheetloom will detect the changes and prepare them for writeback.
Step 3: Execute Writeback
Once your modified template is uploaded, click the "Writeback" button to push your changes back to the original data source. In our example, when you change an item's storage location in the spreadsheet, Sheetloom will validate the change and update the corresponding record in your source CSV file. This ensures that your inventory data remains accurate and synchronized across your system.
Video Tutorial:
Next Steps
Congratulations! You've now completed the full cycle of uploading data, creating patterns, and using writeback in Sheetloom. For more information or support, please refer to the Sheetloom documentation.