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Data Entities

In Amorphic BI, Data Entities are the structural components that bridge the gap between your raw data and your visual Assets. They define how the application connects to, interprets, and stores information. By separating the physical connection from the logical data structure, Amorphic BI provides a flexible environment where data can be modeled once and reused across multiple analyses and dashboards.

Data Sources

A Data Source is the entry point for your data. It defines the physical connection parameters required for Amorphic BI to reach your information. This entity stores the "where" and "how" of the connection—such as the database type, endpoint, and credentials—without modifying the data itself.

Data Sets

In the Amorphic BI application, data sets are powered by SPICE. A Data Set is the logical layer that sits between your Data Source and your Assets, defining exactly what information is available for analysis. Unlike a direct query, a SPICE dataset imports and compresses your data into an optimized, in-memory storage layer.

  • Performance Acceleration: By using SPICE, the application delivers near-instant response times for visual interactions. The data is stored in a highly available, parallel-processing engine that eliminates the need to query the underlying database every time a user interacts with a dashboard.

  • Data Modeling: This layer allows you to shape your data before it reaches your Assets. You can join multiple tables, rename fields for clarity, and create calculated fields that are pre-computed within the SPICE engine.

  • Refresh Schedules: Because SPICE is an in-memory snapshot, you can configure refresh schedules to ensure your Data Sets are regularly synchronized with any changes in the underlying Data Source.