Automating getting figures out of a card

DataSquirrel
DataSquirrel Contributor
in Connectors

We're loading some of our data into Domo from Postgres, and then giving some clients Domo log-ons to explore their data. They're quite happy with this, but sometimes need to extract specific values or results from a Sumo or API card to forward on to their boss or colleagues. In plenty of cases, the target user does not want and would not use a Domo logon, so we need to send numbers.

 

To be clear: The issue here isn't primarily about cost. If we had an infinite license for users, these (important) people would still not want to deal with the raw pages, they only want a few numbers in a different format.

 

I can write queries from scratch against the original Postgres data to replicate the results, but this is problematic in several ways:

 

* Beast modes in Domo don't exist in the source database.

 

* Filters have to be reviewed and replicated as where clauses.

 

* I'm not always finding the figures agree exactly when they ought to.

 

* There's no connection between the card and my query, so card changes cannot flow through to my query. Redundant (read "inconsistent") logic always ends in tears.

 

The ideal would be to pull the data from the card using Domo's CardAPI. But there is no such API. There is a DataSet API, but that's not going to help. Apart from Beast Modes, we already have the data, we need the figures from the card.

 

Another option is Domo Everywhere/Embed, but you need a Domo logon to get at table view and filters....so that defeats the purpose.

 

So far as I can tell, the only Domo-native option we've got is to manually export a card and then craft an email to match. Sometimes, we need to do aggregations not found in the original, like roll up data into two week intervals with week numbers not based on a January 1 calendar. We need the figures from the card.

 

I did look at the scheduled reports but, again, no raw numbers - just an image with a link to the source page. (The scheduled reports are pretty nice, they just aren't a good match for this problem.)

 

Is there some way of automating getting figures out of a card, as configured? And, to make life simpler, we use KPI and Sumo cards. The options for Sumo cards appear to be more limited.

Comments

  • MarkSnodgrass
    MarkSnodgrass Coach

    I'm not sure if this will solve your issue, but here is an idea to consider:

    Instead of using Sumo cards, use the Pivot Table card. It is currently in Beta, but you can request it from your account manager. It is more powerful than a Sumo card and may allow you to put the numbers in a format that you are wanting. Here is documentation on it:

    https://knowledge.domo.com/Visualize/Adding_Cards_to_Domo/KPI_Cards/Building_Each_Chart_Type/Pivot_Table_-_BETA

    Next, add the end user who doesn't have a Domo login as a Social user. These are free and provide limited functionality, but would allow them to receive the scheduled report and be taken directly to the pivot table. 

    Hope this helps.

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  • DataSquirrel
    DataSquirrel Contributor

    The new Pivot Table KPI card sounds like a masterpiece, very exciting. We'll put through a request to trial the beta.

     

    Do you know if there's any other way to automate pulling data out of a card? Either now or on the horizon?

  • user083952
    user083952 Member

    I too am interested in finding a way - via any API - to get the data "behind" a card.  E.g. if the card contains a chart - a table/list/array (any representation of the raw data) of the numbers from which the chart has been built.  I think I understand from this thread that this is not possible.  Have I got that right?

  • DataSquirrel
    DataSquirrel Contributor

    As far as I can tell, there is no way to get the results of a card other than viewing the card and manually exporting the results. The cheapest form of "automation" here may be to write a step-by-step procedure for a human, and then get someone to do the work by hand. It's a clerical task, so it shouldn't take the most expensive person in the office to perform.

     

  • DataSquirrel
    DataSquirrel Contributor

    I just noticed that that the Domo Developer Studio Data API does provide a query language for extracting aggregates, and other results, from a DataSet. The docs also mention SQL queries without joins are suppoted:

    https://developer.domo.com/docs/dev-studio-references/data-api

     

    This is not the same a targetting a card, but it could serve much of the same purpose. I haven't tried it out yet to see how involved it is to hook into this API from our side. Just thought I'd add a note here as the feature hadn't been mentioned. If anyone has experience with the Data API, I'd be curious to hear more about it.

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