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Overview

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1. Import a new CSV file through the Report Builder process
2. Import a new CSV file through the View Builder process

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Import Methods

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1. The user defines any converters to be applied to the data, creating additional fields in the final table.
2. Yellowfin creates a table that is listed in the View Builder, allowing the user to select it, as they would any other table from the selected source connection. This table will be available to any View built on the writable source connection.
3. The user selects the CSV table and adds it to the View like they would any other table, joining it to other tables, etc.
4. The user defines any default formatting and relationships between fields, such as drill down, through the standard View Builder steps, rather than the CSV step.

Setup

Writable Data Source

Yellowfin requires a Data Source connection to be defined as writable in order to write the contents of the CSV file to a table in the database. Often the writable connection will be pointing to an empty database, created solely for the purpose of importing CSVs or caching views. This is to ensure that any imports are kept separate from the main data sources.

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Often when working outside of a Development, QA, or Production instance of Yellowfin, you may have a need to import CSV files on a temporary or trial basis. An example of this would be trialling CSV file formats on a temporary setup, or perhaps creating sample content in a Proof Of Concept (POC) type scenario. In this situation you may not want, or be able, to set up a stable database for the purpose of storing CSV data. A temporary solution to this would be to create a writable HSQL database, similar to the one you can install Yellowfin into. In order to do this, follow these steps:

Note: HSQL databases are not stable and should never be used as part of a long term solution.

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Prepare CSV File

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1. Column Based - ensure the data in your CSV is stored as columns, with no empty columns or rows at the start of the file (if examining through a spreadsheet tool).
2. Date Format - the date format recognised by Yellowfin is yyyy/MM/dd, so for example: 2014/08/31. If possible, it's a good idea to ensure your dates are stored in this format. Yellowfin does have converters available as part of the import process, but ensuring your dates are in the correct format to start will avoid extra work during import.
3. No Totals - the CSV columns should not have any column or row totals applied, or other calculations and formats that may be lost during import, or mistaken for data values (rather than totals).
4. Consistent Data per Column - ensure that the data contained in each column is the same type throughout the file. This will ensure that Yellowfin can correctly identify and assign the field type for each column. For example, if you have a date column, and all the data is dates, except a few records that have the text "N/A", remove the text and leave that empty. This will mean Yellowfin recognises the field as a date, rather than text.
5. File Format - Yellowfin will only accept CSV files, no XLS, XLSX, or other formats will be accepted.Character Set - Ensure your file uses UTF-8 character set so that Yellowfin recognises all the characters contained in the file.
   
   

Don't

1. Crosstab/Pivot - do not attempt to import data that is in crosstab/pivot format as Yellowfin will examine the file as though it was in column format and as such will store the data in an unintended and unusable structure.
2. Totals - do not apply totals to your fields, as Yellowfin will not differentiate them from the rest of your data.
3. XLS - do not store your data in XLS or XLSX formats as Yellowfin will only read CSVs.