Augmentations can be managed by a Company Administrator and by users that the company admin grants special permissions.
What is the purpose of Data Augmentations?
Data augmentations enable you to extend a dataset provided by an external data provider via a native data connector by adding additional fields. For example, if you are working with a sports statistics data provider but need to include extra elements such as player headshots, flags, or team logos—data not available in the external data provider’s API—you can use augmentations to enhance the data source that feeds your graphics.
How do Data Augmentations work?
To manage data augmentations, Viz Flowics utilizes Google Spreadsheets as both the data source and primary editing interface. We use Google Spreadsheets for their simplicity and ease of use, allowing you to manually add or update fields as needed.
The process involves an import and export mechanism to seamlessly integrate your augmented data. You can import your extended dataset into Google Sheets, where you can make necessary adjustments or add additional information. Once your data is ready, it can be exported back into Viz Flowics, where it enhances your existing data sources and enriches the graphics you create.
This approach provides a flexible and user-friendly way to enhance your datasets with additional information, ensuring that you can easily incorporate supplementary data into your graphics.
Please note that the following Data Connectors DO NOT support to be augmented:
JSON Get
JSON HTTP Push
JSON Local
JSON Streaming Push
ATOM / RSS Feed
Below, you will find a comprehensive guide on how to create and manage Data Connector augmentations.
1. Associating a Google Account
To associate your Google account, follow these steps:
Click on your user photo.
Select "Social Accounts."
Click on the "+" button.
Select the Google social account.
Associate a Google account and Enable Google Drive Access.
2. Adding an Augmentation
Only company admins and users with special permissions enabled can manage augmentations.
To add a new Augmentation:
Navigate to Data Connectors (top menu)
Select Data Augmentations
Click on Add
Click on Edit to make changes to the newly created augmentation.
Click on the Export button
Select the Google account on which the augmentation Google Sheet will be created
Create a new spreadsheet
Add a name to the spreadsheet and create
Find your created Augmentation in the Data Augmentations section
3. Updating Data
Enter your Google Sheet and update the data you want to sync. Note that if you are going to upload images, you need to upload them to the Assets Library, and then copy and paste the link into your Google Sheet.
Then you can share the permissions to read or be able to edit. To make a Google Spreadsheet public, you need to click on File >> Share >> Get link change >> Anyone with the link
4. Syncing Data
Once the necessary data has been added to your spreadsheet, it is necessary to import it to your augmentation. To carry out this process, it is necessary to follow the following steps:
Within the module of your augmentations, select "Import".
Select your Google account.
Select the spreadsheet.
The changes made to the spreadsheet will be displayed.
In this section, you can see in detail the updates, insertions, and deleted data in the cells.
Once the changes have been confirmed, they must be imported into the augmentation.
Once the data import is complete, a message will appear with a summary of the process.
5. Use cases
Adding images for Teams Logos and Players
Adding images for Teams Logos and Players
When the data provider does not deliver information such as an image or the name of a team/player, among others, this may cause some data to not be displayed within a graphic, so it is necessary to enrich this data by adding that information through augmentation.
The images to be displayed in the graphic need to be uploaded to the assets library first before adding the data to the Google Sheet, since the URL, which will be added to the Google Sheet, will be taken from there.
To learn more about uploading files to the Asset Library, click here.
Adding the data to your Google Sheet
Once you have the information about the team/player that you would like to add, it is necessary to add this data to your Google Sheet in order to update your augmentation and see the changes in your graphic.
Once these steps are completed, you need to sync your connector, and you will see the image of the team/player that was just added.
Adding Custom Names.
Adding Custom Names.
Using the augmentations, you can edit Teams/Players names or add nicknames and display them in your graphics.
This action must be performed from the Google Sheet and then update your augmentation.
Within your Google Sheet, there are three columns with the names: English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
This applies to:
Teams.
Competitions
Player
Positions
To switch between these three languages in your graphics editor and take the values from the Google Sheet, you need to do the following within your graphics package:
Select All Scenes.
In the Language option, select one of the three languages, which correspond to the three languages shown in the Google Sheet.
Adding fields to the Google Sheet
To change the language of a competition or add a nickname to a player and have this change reflected in your graphic, you need to enter this information in lenguage cells.
In the following graphic, we are going to change the language of the position name. To do so, Follow these steps:
In the Google Sheet, within the language cell (English, Spanish or Portuguese), enter the text you want to display in your graphic.
Update your augmentation. To learn how to update your augmentation, click here.
Make sure that the language in your scenes matches the one where you entered the text; in this case, it is English.
Select your connector.
Click the update button.
This is the same process for changing the names of players/teams.