TIBCO Spotfire is a great analytics platform that helps users get real-time data through its interactive dashboards and visualizations. One of the main elements of this platform use is that it is capable of refreshing data tables and dashboards of users who can always rely on the latest information. In this blog post, we will look into how to refresh data tables automatically in Spotfire and create a user-friendly experience and productive dashboards.
Why Automatic Data Refresh is Important
Data that is changed very often in real-time operational settings is the problem here. Therefore, the users need to get the most current insights to make the right decisions. Manually refreshing the data tables and dashboards is a time-consuming process, especially in the speed-oriented environments
By automatically refreshing, you don't have to keep monitoring every now and then - hence you are still informed the visuals contain the newly collected data.
Step 1: Setting Up Automatic Data Table Refresh in Spotfire
Spotfire provides two means for automatic data table refresh: scheduled data refresh and the event-triggered refresh. You can execute the procedures below to do the same:
1.1 Scheduled Data Refresh
Spotfire facilitates a schedule of data refresh using the Spotfire Server. You can set up specific data tables to refresh automatically in your Spotfire project at a certain interval that you choose.
To schedule data table refresh in Spotfire:
- Launch your Spotfire project.
- Navigate to the Data menu and choose Data Table Properties.
- In the Data Table Properties dialog select the Scheduled Refresh option.
- Determine the frequency (e.g., hourly, daily, or custom intervals) for the refresh.
- Input the start time as well as any other necessary parameters.
By scheduling the refresh, Spotfire will automatically acquire and integrate new information from the data source at the specified time frames, guiding your analysis to be accurate since these are the Nobel based on the latest information.
1.2 Event-Triggered Data Refresh
The data refresh can sometimes be triggered by an event, like the one your user is currently dealing with the dashboard or the other one that involves the project. You are able to allow data refreshes to happen based on certain conditions or user activities.
To set up event-triggered refresh:
- Go to the Tools menu and click on the Automation Services option.
- Create a fresh script that is a source of automation that updates the data table based on certain actions, such as data arriving or user clicking on a particular visualization.
- Identify the event or condition that should trigger the refresh (for example, a user clicking on a particular action or the arrival of new data).
- The correct mode of the automation should be tested and saved to make sure that a refresh is initiated if the event happens.
Using event-driven refresh you can have Spotfire automatically update data tables when necessary so that users have the most current data without them having to do it manually.
Step 2: Auto Refresh Spotfire Dashboards
Spotfire dashboards are dynamic and one of the most pertinent things is that all visualizations on dashboards are updated automatically when fresh data is available. While Spotfire does not come with a snake feature that allows you to refresh dashboards in real-time, you can schedule the updating of visualizations and the whole dashboard at given time intervals.
21 Auto Refresh Visualizations
Visualizations in Spotfire can be set to automatically refresh at the visualization levels by you configuring the visualizations that will be updated.
To configure automatic refresh for a Spotfire visualization:
- Choose the Visualization (e.g., a bar chart, table, or line graph) you want to be automatically refreshed.
- Click on the Settings icon (typically positioned at the top-right of the visualization).
- In the settings panel, look for the Auto Refresh or Refresh Interval option.
- Set the interval of refresh (e.g., every 5 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.).
- Store your modifications.
This feature will simply make the selected graphs on your dashboard be updated automatically with the newest data through the intervals you have just defined.
2.2 Refreshing the Entire Dashboard
Even though Spotfire does not provide an out-of-the-box feature to auto-refresh the entire dashboard at fixed intervals, there is a hack that you can use. The workaround is a matter of using an Information Link and a Web Player.
To make it possible for the whole dashboard to refresh by itself:
- Spotfire Server or Web Player: Make some use of the Spotfire Server to publish the Spotfire dashboard or simply make use of Spotfire's Web Player to host the dashboard.
- For a data refresh job, that is scheduled and brings back the data tables at chosen periods (as discussed in Step 1).
- Through JavaScript or the API of Spotfire, a refresh note of the visualizations can be made at regular time intervals. Setting up a script that reloads the dashboard at specified times, this is the concept.
- The last step is to actually publish the setup to the Spotfire Server, which is where the whole dashboard gets the scheduled job and your custom scripts refreshed.
Step 3: Advanced Tips for Smooth Auto Refresh Experience
- Performance Considerations: Be aware that the potential performance degradation of your Spotfire environment may be a result of frequent data refreshes, especially when massive datasets or sophisticated calculations are involved. Test addition of restrictions so that you do not compromise on performance.
- Minimize User Disruption: If you refresh the dashboards frequently make sure the refresh process is smooth and doesn't distract the user in his navigation on the dashboard. You can give real-time indicator bars with progress information or indicate to the user that the data is being updated.
- Integration with Other Data Sources: Spotfire allows for data refresh from different data sources like databases and cloud services (etc.) By setting up auto-refresh, the user's data connection should be stable to process them automatic requests.
Conclusion
The auto-refresh function for data tables and dashboards in Spotfire is very efficient for improving the hygiene level of your Spotfire environment by enabling users to always stay updated with the information. Through scheduled and event-triggered refreshes as well as setting up auto-refresh for visualizations and dashboards, you can give the users of the Spotfire system reliable, relevant, and automatic data flow.
These benefits can be fully exploited alongside automation of data updates, elimination of manual interventions and the ability to make better decisions thanks to ensuring that all involved parties have the most accurate and the latest information.
If you have any questions or need to learn more about Spotfire Automation features you are welcome to give a comment or contact the "Help Desk" for more information.
