Amazon Quicksight is a service that enables businesses to easily deliver insights throughout the organization no matter where they are. It connects and combines the data from the cloud and other sources on a single dashboard, making it easy for you to organize, visualize and share it.
The user-friendly dashboard enables you to include data from any source, including AWS data, SaaS data, spreadsheet data, big data, third-party data, etc. You can create visuals and publish the insights wherever and from anywhere you want.
Visualizing data in AWS with Quicksight is easier than you think.
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Getting Started with Data Visualization in Amazon Quicksight
Amazon Quicksight can support more than 50 datasets and 30 visuals in a single analysis and sheet. However, the limit for every analysis is 20 sheets. You can visualize data in multiple ways.
You can choose whichever field you want to visualize and allow Quicksight to find the most relevant visual type for the dataset, select a particular visual type, and then the field you want to visualize or opt for the suggestion option if you are unsure which visual type to select. It also allows you to include additional visuals by simply clicking ‘Add Visuals.’
Before you start visualizing data in Amazon Quicksight and use it to its maximum benefit, it is essential to understand the following:
Fields as Measures and Dimensions
The Fields List pane has measure fields with green icons and dimension fields with blue icons. Dimensions are data or text fields, which can be any item or attribute related to any measure and used to partition them.
Measures are the numeric values utilized for aggregation, comparison, and measurement. You can utilize a mixture of both measure and dimension fields to create a visual. For instance, overall sales (measure) by date of sales (dimension).
Field Limitations
One date field can be utilized for every visual, and this applies to every visual type in Amazon Quicksight. The same field can only be used for one dimension field well.
Searching for Fields
You have the option to search a specific field if there is a long field list. This can be done by selecting the search option above the Fields List pane and looking up the search term.
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Importing the Dataset
Quicksight also allows you to import any dataset through the ‘New Analysis’ option located at the top of the homepage. It will show you examples of datasets lists that you can import from AWS.
- You can select the ‘New Dataset’ option from the menu and then the ‘Upload a New File’ option. Simply browse the files and select the one you want to use.
- When the file is completely uploaded, it will show you a preview of the dataset and also allow you to select the options to either proceed to visualize or edit.
- Select the ‘Edit Settings and Prepare Data’ to import the dataset successfully.
Now, it is essential to also focus on certain essential areas of the page that can help you in properly visualizing your data. There are three tabs on the left – Filters, Fields, and Tables.
- Filters – This option enables you to include any filters on the basis of particular conditions on the dataset.
- Fields – This option gives you all the available features in the existing dataset. You can filter particular columns and create derived or calculated fields.
- Tables – This option allows you to view all the connected tables.
Moreover, on the column headers, you can view the features of the datatype that gets automatically assigned by Quicksight. You can edit these by selecting the data type and choosing your preferred one from the data types list. You can even rename all columns just by selecting the column name and editing it.
Steps to Visualize Data in AWS Using Quicksight
To start creating visuals in AWS with Quicksight, you can follow these simple steps:
- On the start page of Amazon Quicksight, select the analysis you want to visualize.
- Select the dataset from the list on the analysis page from the top of the Fields list panel.
- On the application bar, click ‘Add’ and select ‘Add Visual.’ This will create a blank, new visual.
- Next, select one of the following:
- You can select the fields from the ‘Fields List’ panel situated at the left side. In case this option is not visible, you can select ‘Visualize’ that will display it for you. Amazon Quicksight will produce the visual by choosing a visual type it deems most relevant to the selected data.
- You can also produce a visual by selecting your preferred visual type and the specific fields you want to populate by following these steps:
- Select the visual type icon you want to use in the ‘Visual Type’ panel
- The ‘Field Wells’ will show all the fields that have been visualized. You can click on these fields to open and edit them.
- You can then drag a specific field you want to utilize from the Fields List pane to their relevant Field Wells. You can use the measure or dimension fields through the color indicated in the target Field Well. Using a Dimension Field for populating a ‘Value’ Field Well would automatically apply the Count aggregate option on it to produce the numeric value.
- Quicksight will produce a visual based on your selected visual type.
- You can also allow Amazon Quicksight to suggest a relevant visual by using the ‘Suggested’ option from the toolbar.
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Wrapping up
Amazon Quicksight allows users to visualize their data in a range of ways based on their requirements. It enables you to view patterns in your data by creating visuals, generating insights quickly, and conducting ad hoc analysis.
It is an effective way of connecting to your data sources and visualizing it in multiple ways to generate charts and share findings throughout the organization with ease.
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