The Data panel organises your data and shows how it is structured across sources.
AG Studio supports multiple data sources. This page explains how data is presented in the Data panel and how it is structured across sources. For how fields behave when used in widgets, see Using Data.
Data Panel Copy Link
The Data Panel lists the data available to the report, grouped by source. For an overview of how the Data Panel fits within the Studio interface, see User Interface.
The Data panel can be used to search for items by name. When a data pill is dragged, valid drop areas are highlighted in blue. Data pills can be dropped into widget configuration slots and Filter Conditions.
Select any data item to switch the Edit Panel to its data-field view, which displays metadata about that item.
Data Items Copy Link
Data items are fields made available in the Data Panel. A field is a data element that can be used in widgets and is one of three types: a column, a calculated column, or a measure.
- Columns are fields that come directly from the underlying data source and are typically used for categories (grouping) and, where appropriate, as values.
- Calculated Columns are fields derived from other data that return a value for each row.
- Measures are pre-aggregated calculations intended for Metrics and KPIs.
Each data item has the following properties:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Id | The unique identifier for the data item. |
| Name | The display name shown in the interface. |
| Description | Additional supporting information about the data item. |
| Data Type | The type of data the item contains, such as text, number, date, or boolean. |
| Calculation Type | The type of field: whether it is a column, calculated column, or measure. |
| Format | How the value is displayed in the interface, for example as text, currency, percentage, or a date format. |
Select any field in the Data Panel to open its data-field view, which shows the metadata for that field, including its name, description, data type, calculation type, and format.
Id, Name, and Data Type are required and configured by your developer. Description and Format are optional and also configured by your developer. Calculation Type is set automatically by AG Studio based on how the field is defined.
Data Source Copy Link
Data items shown in the Data Panel are grouped by data source. Reports can be powered by one data source or multiple data sources.
When the report uses a single data source, all fields and calculations come from the same source. Widgets can be configured without thinking about relationships.
When multiple data sources are used, data items and calculations remain scoped to their source. Calculations that reference multiple sources appear under the first source referenced in the expression.
If relationships exist between data sources, data items can be combined across sources when Configuring Widgets. If no relationship exists between selected data, the interface prevents invalid combinations.
When you use data from multiple sources, you can create widgets that combine data items from different sources. In the example below, the table widget displays product names from the Products table along with order metrics from the Order Items table, including quantity, unit price, and net sales.
Calculations Copy Link
Some fields in the Data panel are calculations rather than raw source columns. Calculations are defined by the developer and derived from other fields. They are computed at runtime rather than stored in the underlying data, so they update as the data changes. There are two types of calculations:
Calculated Columns - Non-aggregated calculations that return a value for each row. They are useful for transforming data (for example, cleaned labels), bucketing values (for example, a band), or computing flags based on logic.
Measures - Pre-aggregated calculations that compute values at the dataset level or per category. When a Measure is used without any grouping categories, it returns a single aggregated value for the entire dataset (for example, total revenue across all regions). When used with categories, it returns one value per category (for example, total revenue per region). Measures are intended for Metrics and KPIs and do not support changing aggregation at runtime.
Both Calculated Columns and Measures are derived from other fields and computed at runtime. The key difference is in their flexibility: Calculated Columns can have their aggregation method changed by users in widgets, whilst Measures have a fixed aggregation method that is predetermined by the developer.
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
 | Number data types |
 | Calculated number data type |
In the example below, the table demonstrates a measure grouped by product. Line Net (sum) is an aggregated column calculated from order items. Gross Margin % is a measure that shows the aggregated margin percentage for each product.