Optimiza tus Decisiones con Metabase

Data alone has no value until we transform it into useful information for decision making. In the world of databases, having tools that allow us to visualize and analyze data effectively is essential to extract valuable knowledge. Metabase is a powerful and accessible solution that allows us to connect to different data sources and create interactive dashboards without the need for advanced programming skills.

What is Metabase and why is it important for data analysis?

Metabase is an open source data visualization system that allows you to connect to multiple types of databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, DB2, among others. Its main advantage lies in its ease of use and the speed with which we can implement it to transform data into valuable information.

The importance of Metabase goes beyond being a simple MySQL client. This tool allows us to:

• Create attractive and easy to understand visualizations.
• Connect to multiple data sources simultaneously.
• Share dashboards with work teams.
• Parameterize queries for dynamic analysis.
• Make decisions based on up-to-date data.

As the instructor mentioned, Metabase was a key ally during his transition from CTO to CEO, helping him make important data-driven decisions.

Metabase Installation and Configuration

Installing Metabase is surprisingly simple. Although it requires Java, we don't need to program anything in this language, just run a JAR file. There are two main methods to install it:

1. Using Docker
2. Running the JAR file directly

For installation using the JAR file, we follow these steps:

mkdir mbcd mbjava -jar metabase.jar

Once executed, Metabase will be available at http://localhost:3000. This process is so simple that we can easily implement it in services such as Amazon S3, Heroku or other cloud providers.

Connecting to our MySQL database

After completing the initial Metabase registration, we can connect to our MySQL database with the following parameters:

• Name to identify the connection: A descriptive name (e.g. "PlatziSQL Chido").
• Host: localhost (or the server address)
• Port: 3306 (standard MySQL port)
• Database name: The exact name of the database
• Username and password: Login credentials

Once the connection is established, Metabase automatically starts analyzing the data to provide preliminary visualizations, identifying patterns and presenting information that might be relevant.

How to create effective queries and visualizations in Metabase?

The true power of Metabase is revealed when we start creating our own custom SQL queries and visualizations.

Creating SQL queries

To create a new query, we simply select the database we want to connect to and write our SQL query. For example:

SELECT SUBSTRING(name, 1, 1) as letter, COUNT(*) as totalFROM productsGROUP BY 1ORDER BY 1;

This query shows us how many products begin with each letter of the alphabet. When executed, Metabase presents the results in tabular format, but with a simple click we can transform it into a graphical display such as a bar chart.

The interesting thing about this example is how the visualization allows us to identify patterns that would not be evident in a data table. In this case, we observe that there is a disproportionate amount of products starting with the letter "S" (418) compared to other letters such as "A", "E" and "I" (which are around 130-140 products each).

Use of variables in queries

One of the most powerful features of Metabase is the ability to parameterize queries using variables. For example:

SELECT DATE_ADD(created_at, INTERVAL 0 DAY) as date, SUM(total) as totalFROM build_productsWHERE TO_DAYS(NOW()) - TO_DAYS(created_at) < {{days}}GROUP BY 1ORDER BY 1;

By including {{days}} in our query, Metabase automatically creates a field where we can specify the number of days we want to analyze. We can set this variable with:

• Name: days
• Type: Number
• Default value: 20

This allows us to dynamically change the time range of our analysis without modifying the SQL query, making it easier to explore data for different periods.

TO_DAYS function: a powerful tool for comparing dates

The TO_DAYS() function mentioned in the previous example is extremely useful for working with dates in MySQL:

SELECT TO_DAYS(NOW());

This function converts a date into the number of days elapsed since "day zero" of the Gregorian calendar, which greatly facilitates the comparison of dates using simple arithmetic operations.

How to create effective dashboards for decision making?

Dashboards are organized collections of visualizations that allow us to monitor key metrics at a glance.

Creating and organizing dashboards

To create a dashboard in Metabase:

1. Save a query you have created
2. Select the option to add to dashboard
3. Create a new dashboard or select an existing one
4. Organize and resize the visualizations according to your needs.

Dashboards can contain multiple visualizations from different databases, allowing us to have a comprehensive view of our business on a single screen.

Collaboration and permissions

Metabase facilitates teamwork by allowing us to:

• Add collaborators with different levels of permissions
• Create user groups with specific access
• Share dashboards and queries
• Set permissions to view, edit, or manage content.

This collaborative capability is fundamental to creating a data-driven culture in the organization, where different teams can access information relevant to their work.

The journey from creating charts to generating actionable insights is a fascinating one. Transforming data into valuable information allows us to make decisions based on hard facts rather than intuition. Regardless of our professional role, understanding this process helps us to be more effective in our work and to maximize the value we can extract from our data.

Have you used Metabase or other similar tools to visualize your data? Share your experience and how these tools have transformed the way you work with information.