Excel File Dataset

Version

Functions

Excel dataset refers to Excel files as the data source.

With these files as data sources, admins can use FineBI to present data and perform data analysis.

Super admins can add server datasets in the decision-making platform. While for ordinary users, they need to be assigned permissions by super admins.

Log in to FineBI as the super admin, choose System Management > Permission Management > Global Setting, enable Hierarchical Authorization and Data Connection Control, and click Save.

Log in to FineBI as the super admin, choose System Management > Permission Management > Common Permission Configuration, select the specific permission carrier from Dept./Role/User List, select the System Management tab, and enable the Use permission of Data Connection.

The server dataset supports two formats for Excel files: XLS and XLSX.

The server dataset supports three methods for calling Excel files, and you can select as needed.

1. Server file: Excel files that are stored under the path %BI_HOME%\webroot\WEB-INF\reportlets of the FineBI project

2. Local file: Excel files that are stored on your computer, which will be automatically saved under the path %BI_HOME%\webroot\WEB-INF\reportlets\excel of the FineBI project after being called

3. Remote URL file: Excel files that are stored on a server, which can be called through the URL

Server File

Store the prepared Excel file under the path %BI_HOME%\webroot\WEB-INF\reportlets of the FineBI project.

Log in to FineBI as a user with permissions, choose System Management > Data Connection > Server Dataset, hover your cursor on Create Dataset, and click File Dataset.

1. Set the dataset name, which cannot be empty and cannot be the same as that of the existing dataset.

2. Select Excel as the file type.

3. Select Server File as the file source and choose the Excel file under the reportlets directory.

Local File

Log in to FineBI as a user with permissions, choose System Management > Data Connection > Server Dataset, hover your cursor on Create Dataset, and click File Dataset.

1. Set the dataset name, which cannot be empty and cannot be the same as that of the existing dataset.

2. Select Excel as the file type.

3. Select Local File as the file source and choose the Excel file prepared on your local computer. After successful upload, a prompt box pops up saying "Upload Excel successfully".

The uploaded file is automatically saved under the path %BI_HOME%\webapps\webroot\WEB-INF\reportlets\excel of the FineBI project.

Note:

If there is a file with the same name in the excel folder, the upload would fail.

Remote URL File

Store the Excel file on a server and obtain the URL for the file.

Note:

Ensure that the FineBI project can successfully access this file, otherwise the call fails.

Log in to FineBI as a user with permissions, choose System Management > Data Connection > Server Dataset, hover your cursor on Create Dataset, and click File Dataset.

1. Set the dataset name, which cannot be empty and cannot be the same as that of the existing dataset.

2. Select Excel as the file type.

3. Select URL as the file source, enter the URL address, and click Test Connection. After successful connection, a prompt box pops up saying "Connection succeeded".

Note:

If the URL address contains Chinese characters, it should be encoded first. Enter the encoded address in the platform to enable normal access.

1. You can customize the dataset function.

2. You can choose whether the first row of the Excel file contains column headings.

Click Save to save the server dataset.

Failed Upload of Local File

The local file upload fails and it prompts “Import_Users2.xlsx already exists”, but the file is not used under Server Dataset > File Dataset in the system.

You have called a file with the same name by using the method of local file.

After a local file is called, it is automatically stored in the FineBI project. When the file dataset is deleted under System Management > Server Dataset, the file in the FineBI project is not deleted.

Therefore, upload failure may occur due to the existence of a file with the same name.

Go to the path %BI_HOME%\webroot\WEB-INF\reportlets\excel of the FineBI project, find the file with the same name, delete/rename the file, and then re-upload the file.