Updated March 4, 2023
Introduction to Metabase
The following article provides an outline for What is Metabase? Otherwise called metadata or metadatabase, this is an open source business intelligence tool used to store data about data either for a specific purpose with all the configuration information from different sources. Questions about the data can be clarified easily and can be made into any formats based on the users demand so that tables, graphs or any visual representation of the data can be made from this metadata. Since it is an open source, anyone can use the code by downloading it and modify it so that newer updates can be made into the tool.
What is Metabase?
- A tool to share data and form different conclusions of the same from the analytics within the tool is called Metabase. SQL or any other coding is not needed in this tool and anyone can form meaningful conclusions about the data by asking any questions or summarizing about the data. Filters can be applied to the data and needed data can be browsed throughout the table or the visualization in the tool so that information can be easily found out from the tables. It is very easy to create graphs and tables to make the visualization meaningful to the people who browse through the data.
- It is very easy to make color code-based graphs or filters in the table so that user can grasp an idea of the data easily. Area based filters can be applied to the data. When the data is complex that normal graphs and tables cannot understand the data easily, queries can be used to build the data using user interface and help the users. The interface with SQL helps the users to know the data with the complexities. Alerts can be set up in the tool so that when the data is out of control, alerts can be sent to all the team members in an organization.
Uses of Metabase
- Data can be made in any formats needed by the users whether in graphs or tables or any visual representation so that Metabase is a go to tool in the business.
- When the users have any questions or clarifications related to the data, they can post it on the dashboard so that any users who see the questions can look into the same and respond. Or they can come back later and check for the details in the dashboard. This platform makes it easy to share the questions or insights about the data within the team with the help of dashboards.
- Different forms of the table can be found out from the homepage or dashboard and the user can use the same in the data if they find it appealing. This setting is saved as automatic and the users can incorporate the same in the reports as well. An area to see the dashboards or tables and graphs can be set up and the user can share the same in a link to the team members. This helps everyone to update the table if needed and make the table more interactive.
- An important use of Metabase is that the users can connect the tool with other databases and the list can be seen in the dashboard. This helps to collect data from different databases and form a conclusion about the same with the help of visualization.
Importance of Metabase
- As a business intelligence tool, Metabase plays an important role in sharing the data and making it known among the peers. The code is freely available so that modifications can be made and used it in other ways to make the data to be understood in a better manner. Dashboards help to share the data and make conclusions of the same.
- If the number of questions asked by the users are more, query can be created for the same to arrange the questions in a way so that important and time bound questions are answered first. A replica of the questions posed can be created with the help of query pointing it to the metadata so that answers can be collected from the same.
- An ideal business intelligence solution must be friendly and available anywhere so that the stakeholders can use the same in meetings without any knowledge of the same. This helps them to search for a simple yet available business intelligence solution and hence metadata is an ideal one. It is faster than most of the other tools and available even in mobile phones with lesser features. This helps the users to understand the flow of data in an easy manner.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Given below are the advantages and disadvantages of Metabase:
- Using Metabase does not require much technical knowledge. This makes the users to look into the dashboards for any information and form a clarification of the same.
- Deployment of the application always is not needed as the entries in the dashboard can be arranged easily. Analytics makes the data less complex and the graphs makes it look good for the business presentations.
- Databases can be easily added to Metabase and the connection is made secure with encrypted details. This can be controlled by the administrator and the details can be stored so that the tool functions normally without asking the encryption details.
- Coming to the disadvantages, users should do data mapping before updating the same into the tool. The data should be arranged and fed into the tool.
- When the data becomes complex, SQL is a must and it cannot work without the queries in the system. Also, the basic version is not available in Windows and it works only in mac systems unless it is upgraded.
- Data cannot be easily integrated from any databases without doing the data mapping. Connectors are available but background work is needed to make the tool work effectively.
- The enterprise version is priced based on the server with a rate of $10000 that has all the privileges and a commercial license. If the tool has to be used in business, it is better to use an enterprise version.
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