Create a Dataset Using Excel

This guide walks you through creating a dataset in AIV using Excel files. Excel spreadsheets are widely used for tabular data, and AIV lets you use them directly as dataset sources.

What You’ll Learn

• What an Excel file is and when to use it
• How to prepare and upload your Excel file
• Three ways to create a dataset: simple selection, custom query, or with parameters

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What is Excel?

Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet application that stores and organizes data in a table format. Excel files (.xlsx, .xls) are commonly used for reports, lists, and structured data that you can import into AIV.

Characteristic	Description
Format	Binary (xlsx) or legacy (xls)
Structure	Worksheets with rows and columns
Use case	Reports, lists, data exchange

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, complete these steps:

• Download the sample file: excel.zip
• Extract the zip archive
• Upload marathon.xlsx into AIV

Need help uploading? See the Upload guide for instructions.

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Steps to Create a Dataset Using Excel

Complete Step 1 (Navigate to the Dataset Section) and Step 2 (Create a New Dataset) from the Create Dataset guide, then choose one of the three methods below.

Method	Best for
Method 1: Simple	Loading all Excel data with no changes
Method 2: Custom SQL Query	Filtering, selecting columns, or transforming data
Method 3: With Parameters	Letting users filter data at runtime (e.g., in dashboards)

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Method 1: Simple — Select File and Use Default Data

Use this method when you want to load all data from your Excel file without filtering or custom queries.

Step 1: Select Excel as the Data Source

1. Choose Excel Files as the data source type.

   

Step 2: Connection Selection

For details on file selection and tab options, see Connection Selection for Excel, CSV, and JSON.

1. Click Select Existing Files.
2. Search for your Excel file (for example, marathon.xlsx).
3. Select the file from the list.

4. Open the Output Columns tab to review column names and data types.

   

5. Open the Preview Results tab to verify the data.

Step 3: Save Dataset

1. Click Save.

2. In the Save Dataset dialog, optionally rename the dataset and select the destination folder.

3. Click Save Dataset to confirm.

   

Step 4: View Your Dataset

1. Go to the Dataset Grid view.

2. Search for your dataset by name.

3. Your dataset is now available for use in dashboards, reports, and visualizations.

   

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Method 2: Custom SQL Query

Use this method when you need to filter, transform, or select specific columns using a custom SQL query.

Step 1: Select Excel as the Data Source

Same as Method 1: Simple. Choose Excel Files as the data source type.

Step 2: Connection Selection

1. Click Select Existing Files.

2. Search for marathon.xlsx and select it from the list.

3. Enable SQL Query—the system generates a base query automatically.

   

4. Modify the query to filter columns, add conditions, or transform data as needed.

5. Open the Output Columns tab to review column names and data types.

6. Open the Preview Results tab to verify the query output.

Step 3: Save Dataset

Same as Method 1: Save Dataset: Click Save, optionally rename and select the folder in the dialog, then click Save Dataset to confirm.

Step 4: View Your Dataset

Same as Method 1: View Dataset. Go to the Dataset Grid view and search for your dataset. Your dataset is now ready for use in dashboards and reports.

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Method 3: With Parameters (Dynamic Filtering)

Use this method when you want users to filter data at runtime (e.g., by category, region, or date range).

Step 1: Select Excel as the Data Source

Same as Method 1: Simple. Choose Excel Files as the data source type.

Step 2: Connection Selection

Same as Method 2: Connection Selection. Click Select Existing Files, search for your Excel file (for example, marathon.xlsx), select it, and enable SQL Query.

Step 3: Add Parameters to the Query

1. Update the SQL query to include a parameter placeholder:

   SELECT * FROM marathon WHERE Category IN ({{Category}})

2. Click Preview Results.

3. When prompted, enter a value (for example, Running) for the parameter.

4. Click Submit to view the filtered data.

5. Verify the output in Preview Results.

Step 4: Save Dataset

Same as Method 1: Save Dataset. Click Save, optionally rename and select the folder in the dialog, then click Save Dataset to confirm.

Step 5: View Your Dataset

Same as Method 1: View Dataset. Go to the Dataset Grid view and search for your dataset. When used in dashboards or reports, users will be prompted to enter parameter values to filter the data dynamically.

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Related Guides

Explore other ways to create datasets in AIV:

Data Source	Guide
Drag & drop	Create Dataset
CSV	Dataset using CSV
JSON	Dataset using JSON
Parquet	Dataset using Parquet
NoSQL	Dataset using NoSQL
Flat files	Dataset using Flat files
Google BigQuery	Dataset using Google BigQuery
Google Sheet	Dataset using Google Sheet
External sources	Dataset using External sources
Stored Procedure	Dataset using Stored Procedure
View	Dataset using View