Making a Dataset from Scratch

Making a dataset from scratch is a great way to get started if you know what you want your data to look like, but want to add entries later, or if you just feel like typing it in by hand. Datasets from scratch will load and visualize just like data loaded from files or links.

In order to get started, click on the 'IMPORT' link at the top of any Insight page. Select 'Create dataset from scratch' from the drop down menu and a large textbox will appear. This is where you'll enter your data.

All of the values you enter will be comma separated, so be sure that none of your values entered at this point have commas as part of the entry. For example "Transportation, method of" would be separated into two separate columns, "Transportation", and "method of"

The first line will be interpreted as a set of attribute names. Subsequent lines will be interpreted as data. Be careful when adding data so that there are the same number of values on each line, otherwise, there will be an error and Insight will be unable to make your dataset.

Also, when adding attributes, be sure to make ones that can be linked with geospacial information, either latitude/longitude, names that will match up with geospacial shape files, or through addresses that will be geocoded during import. You will not be able to add them later without starting over.

If you want to add data later, you'll need to make your dataset editable. That is, you'll need to allow Insight to add or delete records. Once you do that you can add data one of two ways.

First, you can add data through Insight by choosing 'Edit Records' from the action menu.

Otherwise, you can add data from a handheld device.