Orientation for spreadsheet users

Built presents a spreadsheet-like interface for your data, however Built is much more powerful than a spreadsheet. If you are a spreadsheet user, here are some tips for transitioning to Built.

Direct access to Built's cloud data warehouse

Unlike traditional spreadsheets that are standalone and unconnected to shared data stores, Built directly connects to your application data. Built pushes calculations, filters, sorts, and more to the data warehouse for execution, instead of on your local device.

Columns, not cells

In traditional spreadsheets, you work in cells, by contrast, in a Built table, you work in columns. All commands are applied to an entire column, using other columns as inputs. Calculations made in each column are applied to every row. Every cell in a column is defined by the same formula.

To create a worksheet calculation in a table, you create a new column and enter the formula into the formula bar. For more information see Create and manage tables.

Groupings in tables

Groupings in Built tables let you analyze rows of data based on shared values within a single column. Any column in a table can be used to define a grouping. When used to define a grouping, the column's individual rows merge into single cells based on their distinct values. Subsequently, the rows of data to the right of the group column in the table are bundled into groups based on each unique value in the key column. You can then calculate group aggregates based on the cell values within each row in the group.

Table groupings are an alternative to a spreadsheet pivot table. However, Sigma also provides pivot tables. For more information see Working with pivot tables.

Aggregate functions in groupings

Aggregate functions are special functions that summarize all the rows that make up a group. For example, you can sum all of the values of a column, or count all of the values for each grouping of a column. As such, aggregates always refer to columns that make up a grouping, meaning that the same aggregate will provide different results based on what grouping it is associated with.

Formulas and functions

To create a calculation in Built, create a column and enter the formula into the formula bar, just like a traditional spreadsheet. The formula is then applied to every row of data in that column and can be edited at any time.