Create a Reusable Data Source
Locating our connectors and creating a new data source each time you create a report (opens in a new tab) can be both time-consuming. This is why it’s beneficial to create reusable data sources. Reusable data sources allow you to save time and ensure consistency across your reports. They can be shared and reused in multiple reports, promoting efficient collaboration and maintaining a consistent data model within your organization.
Data source in Adzviser vs in Looker Studio
In the context of Adzviser, a data source represents an entire platform, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, and more. Adzviser allows marketers to connect to 🔗 unlimited accounts (opens in a new tab) within each data source platform.
However, in the context of Looker Studio, a data source (opens in a new tab) is more granular and represents an individual account from a particular platform. For example, if a marketer manages three Facebook Ads accounts, they will need to create three separate "data sources" in Looker Studio, one for each account. Despite this, in Adzviser, these three Facebook Ads accounts are collectively considered as a single data source because they all belong to the same platform 📊📈.
Data source vs Connector in Looker Studio
In Looker Studio, there is a difference between a data source and a connector despite their close association. 📚 Read more about their differences in Google Help Docs (opens in a new tab).
Connectors:
A connector acts as a bridge 🌉 between Looker Studio and your underlying data sources, such as Facebook Ads, Organic Instagram Insights, and more. Adzviser is a connector provider (opens in a new tab) for Looker Studio, enabling these connections.
Data sources:
A data source is created when you use a connector to connect to specific data. It represents a particular instance of a connector, such as an account in Facebook Ads, a profile in Instagram, or a property in Google Analytics.
Connector and Data Source Analogy:
Think of Looker Studio as a library 📖.
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Connectors (Library Cards) 🔑: A connector is like a library card that gives Looker Studio access to specific sections of data (e.g., BigQuery, Google Analytics, Google Sheets).
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Data Sources (Books) 📚: A data source is like a specific book you check out with your library card. It represents a particular instance of data, customized and ready to share.
Embedded data sourcs vs reusable data source
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Embedded data sources are created and edited within a specific report, making collaboration easier and simplifying asset management, as they are shared or copied along with the report.
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Reusable data sources are created from the home page, can be used across multiple reports, and allow for a consistent data model, but only shared users can edit them.
Read more about the distinctions between embedded and reusable data sources here (opens in a new tab).
How to create a reusable data source
Finally, after understanding the distinctions between these terms, let's create a reusable data source. Follow the simple steps below:
- Sign in (opens in a new tab) to Looker Studio
- Click + Create and then select Data source. (Screenshot)
- Complete authorization and authentication (opens in a new tab)
- Select a workspace (opens in a new tab)
- Name your new reusable data source (Screenshot)
- Click Connect
- Select and use this reusable data source next time when creating a report (Screenshot)
