Introducing Data Builder by Power My Analytics: Blend Multiple Data Sources with Our New Data Builder
Welcome to Data Builder, Power My Analytics' powerful new feature designed to simplify how you combine and prepare your marketing data! This article will guide you through understanding Data Builder's capabilities, including creating blended datasets for comprehensive reporting across all your favorite destinations. Let's unlock the full potential of your data, together.
What is Data Builder?
Data Builder is a revolutionary tool within your Power My Analytics hub that empowers you to perform integrated data blending from multiple sources before it reaches your reports or data exports. Think of it as a crucial step between connecting your various data platforms (like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Shopify, etc.) and visualizing that data in destinations such as Looker Studio, Google Sheets, or exporting it to SQL databases and FTP.
With Data Builder, you no longer need to juggle data outside the PMA platform to get a unified view. It allows you to create custom datasets. Each dataset can contain multiple data tables, pulling information from one or more of your connected data sources. Within these datasets, you can then perform sophisticated data blends, joining tables based on common keys to create a single source of truth for your reporting needs, and display this data in your reporting destinations using the Power My Analytics connector.
Data Builder Glossary
Understanding these terms will help you master Data Builder:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Data Builder | PMA's integrated data blending tool. It acts as an intermediary step between connecting your data sources and generating reports or exports, allowing you to create custom datasets by combining and transforming data from various platforms. |
| Data Source | Platforms from which Power My Analytics extracts or pulls data. Examples include social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn), advertising platforms (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads), web analytics tools (Google Analytics 4), e-commerce systems (Shopify), and more. |
| Data Destination | Platforms or services where your processed data is sent, stored, or displayed. Common destinations include data visualization tools (Looker Studio), spreadsheets (Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel), and data export locations (BigQuery, MySQL, FTP). |
| Dataset | A container within Data Builder that groups one or more data tables. Each dataset has a unique name, is associated with one or more data sources, has a defined data range, an owner (the hub user who created it), and tracks creation and modification dates. Datasets can be edited, duplicated, or deleted. |
| Data Table | Located within a dataset, a data table holds specific information from one or more connected data sources. For example, you might have a data table for "Facebook Ads Performance" and another for "Google Ads Performance." Each data table consists of selected data fields (metrics and dimensions) from its underlying source(s). |
| Data Field | A specific metric (a quantifiable measurement, like Clicks or Spend) or dimension (an attribute that describes data, like Campaign Name or Date) that you select from a connected data source to include in a data table. This can also include custom fields you've defined. |
| Data Blend | The process of joining two or more data tables based on one or more shared "keys" (identical values in columns across the tables). This links corresponding rows, creating a unified table that combines information from the original tables for comprehensive reporting. For instance, blending Facebook Ads and Google Ads data on "Date" and "Campaign Name" to see total ad performance. |
Power My Analytics Connector | Power My Analytics' data connector to the in-house Data Builder and its datasets. By using the Power My Analytics connector in Looker Studio and other data destinations, you can create reports based on the datasets, data tables and blends you've created in Data Builder. |
Building with PMA: The Data Builder Difference
Data Builder transforms how you work with multi-source data, streamlining processes that were previously complex or external to PMA.
Before Data Builder: The Old Hurdles
Previously, combining data from different platforms often meant:
- Manually exporting data from various sources (e.g., Facebook Ads, Google Ads) into spreadsheets, then trying to VLOOKUP or merge them – a time-consuming and error-prone process.
- In reporting tools like Looker Studio, you might have had to connect multiple individual PMA sources to a single report. While PMA makes this easy, blending these sources directly within Looker Studio could be complex, requiring calculated fields or data source blending features that might have limitations or performance impacts.
- Displaying data side-by-side in separate charts or tables within a report without a true, underlying join. This meant you couldn't easily calculate combined totals or create visualizations that directly compared metrics from different sources in a single chart element.
- Relying on external ETL tools or custom scripts to perform joins before data even entered your reporting pipeline, adding another layer of complexity and potential cost.
After Data Builder: A Streamlined Approach
Data Builder and the Power My Analytics connector integrate this crucial blending step directly into your PMA workflow:
- Centralized Blending: Perform all your data blending within the familiar PMA hub, with no more exporting and manual merging.
- Simplified Reporting: Create a single, blended dataset in Data Builder (e.g., "Total Marketing Spend"). Then, connect this one dataset to Looker Studio, Google Sheets, or other destinations using the Power My Analytics data connector. Your reporting tool sees a unified data source, making report creation much simpler and more powerful.
- True Joins, Unified Insights: Because Data Builder performs actual joins on your data tables, you can create reports that show truly combined metrics (e.g., total clicks from Facebook and Google, side-by-side in one chart, or a grand total).
- Wide Compatibility: Connect data sources from PMA's extensive list of supported advertising, e-commerce, email, sales, SEO, social media, and web analytics platforms. Then, use your blended datasets in destinations like Looker Studio, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or export them to BigQuery, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Azure SQL Database, Amazon S3, and FTP.
- Efficiency and Accuracy: Automate the blending process, reducing manual errors and saving significant time.
Power My Analytics' Data Builder is a game-changer for anyone working with data from multiple marketing platforms. By allowing you to easily create datasets, configure data tables, and, most importantly, blend data from various sources directly within the PMA hub, Data Builder streamlines your reporting workflows, enhances data accuracy, and unlocks deeper insights. Start exploring Data Builder today to take control of your data and build the perfect, unified datasets for all your analytical needs!
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