Importing from a CSV file

If the data that you want to visualize is in a CSV file - or a spreadsheet that you can save in CSV format - you can import it into a chart. The Web Client's Importer helps you to say how information in the file becomes entities and links on a chart.

To import data from a CSV file:

1. On the ribbon's Home tab, click Importer.

   
   
   

2. From your file manager, such as Windows File Explorer or macOS Finder, drag the CSV file to be imported into the Source pane.

   
   
   

   The pane changes to display the file name and the headings of the data columns it contains.

   
   
   

   Note: The Importer assumes that the first row of the CSV file contains column headings. If it doesn't, you can add them to the file yourself and restart the import process.

3. Click New specification.

   
   
   

   The Importer opens a new tab. The upper section shows a preview of the columns and data in the CSV file. The lower section shows a palette of entity types, and a design area.

   
   
   

4. Drag an entity type that represents some or all of the data in the file into the design area.

   
   
   

5. Click Continue to switch to the Mappings page.

   
   
   

   The Property mappings pane configures how values from the columns in the CSV file populate the properties of entities and links.

   The names of available properties for items in the import design appear as headings. The drop-downs below each name configure which column in the CSV file populates that property. You can add mappings for additional properties by clicking the + button next to each item type.

   
   
   

6. For each property to be given a value, map a column in the CSV file to it. For example, you might map the First column in the file to the First (Given) Name property for a Person entity.

   
   
   

7. Complete the mapping for all required columns.

   
   
   

8. Select the Identifying checkbox next to each property that the Web Client should use to identify unique records.

   This setting helps to prevent duplication on the chart if the CSV file contains the same data on multiple rows. For example, you might use a combination of First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth to identify a specific person, so that person is created only once on the chart.

   
   
   

9. Click Save.

   
   
   

10. Enter a name for the import specification, and then click Save.

    
    
    

11. Click Run to import the data from the CSV file into a chart.