The Spreadsheet add-on uses dimension names to connect the data from your spreadsheet to your data in the cloud. Defining a range of rows and columns in your spreadsheet tells Cube where to look and which dimensions to use when fetching and publishing data.
You can use any type of dimension in your range, including tags, formulas, and attributes. Cube will recognize them if their names match exactly those listed in your Cube web portal.
Before building a range in your spreadsheet, you'll need to install the Cube spreadsheet add-on.
There are three ways to define a range in the Spreadsheet add-on:
- Use Select to register a range when dimension names are already in rows and columns
- Add a New range to a blank sheet by telling the Spreadsheet add-on which dimensions to insert
- Open previously saved reports or templates
Select a range
Select is best for defining a range in pre-formatted spreadsheets. The range of cells selected must include dimension names exactly how they appear in Cube in either row or column headers. Learn more about getting your spreadsheet ready to use with Cube.
1. Highlight the cells in all columns and rows that contain your dimensions.
You can select your range with or without data and formulas. Cube will automatically replace data in the cross sections of the rows and columns defined in the range.
In the image below, dimensions for Accounts, Product, and Market appear in the row headers, and Scenario and Time dimensions appear in the column headers.
2. Then click Select, then Select Range in the Cube Spreadsheet add-on.
3. If successful, you'll receive a confirmation message that your range was set, and the Spreadsheet add-on will display the dimensions in columns, rows, and filters.
If the range wasn't set, Cube may not have been able to identify dimensions in the rows and columns. Dimensions may have been missing, or the names may have been listed incorrectly. Use the validate feature in the Spreadsheet add-on to quickly see which dimensions Cube recognizes and which need to be updated.
You can also reference this guide to troubleshoot range selection issues.
4. Click Fetch Data to retrieve data to your range. You'll receive a confirmation message in the Spreadsheet add-on that your fetch was successful.
Learn more about fetching data from Cube.
Build a New range
Quickly create ad-hoc reports using New to select which dimensions you want to use to build your range. This option works best in a blank sheet.
1. Build a range from scratch quickly by clicking + New in the Spreadsheet add-on.
2. Then, drag your top-level dimension categories and drop them into Columns, Rows, or Filters. Using the menu that opens, select which sub-sections of dimensions should be included in this report.
Looking to use tags in your range? Tags will be listed under their parent top-level dimension. Select them just as you would any other dimension.
3. Fetch data to your sheet to add the row and column headers to this sheet, then automatically pull your data down from the cloud.
Open a template
Use existing templates and reports to quickly open regularly used reports or those used across teams. Learn more about creating and saving templates. Use this option in a blank sheet.
1. Click Open in the Spreadsheet add-on.
2. Choose the template you would like to open from the list.
Not seeing the template you expect in the list? The sharing settings may have been adjusted. Here's how to share templates with your company.
Learn how to create templates.
Add additional ranges to a sheet
After defining an initial range, you can add as many additional ranges to a sheet as you would like. This is useful if you are fetching and publishing in different areas or creating multiple visualizations on a single single sheet.
Add an additional range using the plus button in the right corner.
Learn more about using multiple ranges.