Live Connect Datasets
Live Connect Datasets enable real-time analytics by connecting directly to external data sources. Unlike Managed or Base Datasets, Live Connect Datasets do not store data in Qrvey; instead, queries are executed live against the source each time analytics are run.
Supported databases: Snowflake, Redshift, PostgreSQL, Databricks, MySQL, SQL Server.
Why Use Live Connect Datasets?
Live Connect Datasets are ideal when you need:
- Immediate Up-to-date, real-time data availability for analytics and dashboards.
- To avoid storing sensitive or large volumes of data in Qrvey.
- To eliminate data duplication.
- Direct access to external databases.
Key Features:
- Real-Time Data Access: Queries run live against external sources — no data is stored in Qrvey.
- Broad Source Support: Connects to most major databases.
- Always Up-to-Date: Dashboards and analytics reflect the latest data from the source.
- No Data Duplication: Ideal for sensitive or large datasets where storage in Qrvey is not desired.
- Compliance Friendly: Supports data residency and compliance requirements by keeping data at the source.
- Easy Integration: Can be used in dashboards and reports for real-time analytics.
- Quick Setup: Simple connection and configuration process.
Use Case
Real-time dashboards and always-fresh reporting.
Create a Live Connect Dataset
To create a new Live Connect Dataset, follow these steps.
- Click the New Dataset button.
- Choose the Live Connect option from the Data tab.
Any existing connections which support Live Connect will be listed as possible Data Sources. - Choose a Connection. You have two options:
- Choose an existing connection from the list.
- Click the Create New Connection at the bottom of the window.
This method, rather than going through the Connections tab, limits source selections to those supporting Live Connect.
- Click Next.
- Choose a Database.
For some sources you will need to choose a Schema from a list of tables or views. Alternatively, you can write a SQL Query in order to perform joins and formulas. - Click Save once the data source is selected or the custom query is written and tested. You will be directed to the main Datasets page.
Change the Data Source
Click the three-dot menu on the data source pill and select one of the following options:
- Edit Connection Settings - Modify the properties of the connection, without going to the Connections page.
- Edit Query - Select a different table or view from the same Connection or changing the source SQL query.
- Switch for Another Data Source - Choose a data source from a connection other than the one currently in use.
- Rename - Give your data sources an alias or more user-friendly name.
Change Dataset Columns
Changing the columns in the Live Connect Dataset does not change the query executed for the dataset, it impacts the presentation layer only. Data types are inherited from the source database. To make changes to data types, either change the source object or use the SQL Query option with CAST or CONVERT syntax as appropriate for your source.
- Show/Hide Columns — Uncheck the box to the left of the column. It will be unavailable in any widgets including charts, metrics, and tables.
- Rename Columns — give them user-friendly, descriptive names, for use in Qrvey widgets.
- Change Geolocation — Click the Change Geolocation button to map columns to addresses for map charts.
- Visualization Format — Numeric and date columns can have the default display format changed.
Choose the Visualization Format
The system will pick a format for displaying date and numeric data in visualizations based on a smart algorithm. While this default format can be changed every time that a chart is created based on this data, you can also choose a different format for it at design time. For example, if a numeric data column contains currency data, it may make sense to choose a Currency format for it, which will add the currency symbol before it and format it with two decimal places.
Note: For date type columns you can choose from the pre-defined formats or enter a custom format directly in the field.
Automatic Column Links
Any dataset column can be configured so that it automatically presents a link to a selected URL when it is used in a visualization. A common use case for this feature is where a column contains a location and you want the column to always link to a map site, showing the location on the map. For more information, see Column Links.
Configure Geolocation Groups
The Geolocation Groups feature displays address information in map charts.
Use Formula Builder with Live Connect Datasets
Formula Builder provides two modes for creating formulas:
- Standardized Syntax — (Most Common) This mode enables you to create formulas using a standardized syntax that is compatible with any database connected to the Qrvey platform.
- Data Engine Syntax (Advanced) — Uses the specific syntax of the database.
Optimize Live Connect Configuration
The performance of your live connection may vary depending on the size of the dataset and the size of the database cluster. Performance issues may occur if the database cluster is not sized appropriately for the dataset. We recommend that your live connect data source returns results in under 30 seconds to prevent timeout errors.
To ensure optimal performance, scale the infrastructure of your live connect data source by:
- Loading a smaller dataset, if possible.
- Increasing the database cluster.
- Increasing the query timeout of your database engine.
Limitations and Considerations
- Performance depends on the speed and availability of the external data source.
- Some advanced features (for example, transformations, calculated fields) may be limited or unavailable.
- Data is not stored in Qrvey; historical analysis or snapshotting requires a Managed Dataset.
- Not all data sources or query types are supported.
- Live Connect Datasets cannot be used as sources for Base Datasets.
- Data Views cannot be created from Live Connect Datasets.