This article explains six key steps that will help you get started quickly using Data Studio.
Start with a report
Reports let you visualize your data, gain insights, and share those insights with others.
Instructions
When you sign in to Data Studio, you'll see the home page with the Reports tab selected. All the reports to which you have access appear in the middle of the screen. The plus buttons let you create a new blank report, or start with a pre-built report template.
Create a report
- In the top left, click
.
- Select Report.
In a moment, you'll see the report editor, with the Add data to report panel open.
Add data to the report
Data sources let you manage connections to your data and configure the fields you can use in your report.
When you create a new report, the Add data to report panel opens. This lets you A) add an existing data source, or B) create a new data source.
A) Connect to sample Analytics data
- In the Add data to report panel, click My data sources.
- Select the
[Sample] Google Analytics Data
data source. - In the bottom right, click Add.
- The data source is added to your report.
- A table appears with fields from that data source.
- To change the table's data and style, use the properties panel on the right.
- To rename your report, in the top left, click Untitled Report and enter a new name.
B) Connect to your data
- In the Add data to report panel, click Connect to data.
- Select the kind of data this data source will provide, for example, Google Analytics or Sheets.
- If prompted, click Authorize to allow Data Studio to access your data on your behalf.
- Provide your account details.
- In the bottom right, click Add.
- A table appears with fields from that data source.
- To change the table's data and style, use the properties panel on the right.
- To rename your report, in the top left, click Untitled Report and enter a new name.
Add charts and controls to the report
Use the menus and toolbar to add components to the report canvas. Use the properties panel on the right to configure the data and style options for the selected items.
Instructions
- In the toolbar at the top of the editor, click Insert and select a chart, or select one from the toolbar.
- Select any of the available charts.
- Move and resize the chart, as desired.
- Add or change the dimensions and metrics by clicking the fields in the properties panel, or dragging and dropping them from the Available Fields panel (to the right of the properties panel).
View your report
See your report the way it looks to other viewers.
Instructions
View mode lets you see all the data and use any interactive controls you've placed on the report to change that data. You can't change the structure of the report in view mode.
Switch between view and edit modes
- In the upper right, click
VIEW. You are now in view mode.
- To return to edit mode, click
EDIT.
Share the report
Share reports with other viewers. Collaborate with other editors.
Instructions
Editors need to sign into Google to edit the report but viewers don't need to be signed in.
Share a report
- In the upper right, click
.
- Specify the people and/or groups with whom you want to share your report.
- Use the advanced options to change how individual addresses can access the report.
Share the data source
Let other people create their own reports based on your data source.
Instructions
To share a data source, you must access it directly from the DATA SOURCES home page (not via the report). You must be signed into Google to view or edit a data source.
Share a data source
- In the upper left of your report, return to the Data Studio HOME page by clicking the logo
.
- On the left, click DATA SOURCES.
- Locate the data source you selected in step 2.
- On the right, click More
.
- Click
Share.
- Specify the people and/or groups with whom you want to share your data source.
- Use the advanced options to change how individual addressees can access the data source.
Use caution when sharing a data source with edit access. While sharing does not grant access to the underlying data, modifying a data source could cause it to be incompatible with existing charts that use that data source. Sharing a data source with view access lets people create reports without being able to change its structure.
Key concepts
Here's a recap of the terms and concepts used in this article and throughout this Help Center.
Concept | What it does |
---|---|
Report |
A Data Studio file that contains a collection of components whose purpose is to present to viewers information and insights derived from your data. Learn more about reports. |
Component |
A widget you add to a report to display your data, such as charts, tables, and interactive date range controls and filter controls. Data components get their information from a data source. You can also annotate your report with text, shape, image, and embedded content components. |
Connector / Data source |
Connecting to your data involves two components that work together:
Learn more about connecting to your data. |
Field |
A column of data. There are 2 basic kinds of fields in Data Studio:
Learn more about fields in reports. |
Credentials |
The mechanism by which a data source determines who can see the data it provides. There are 2 credential options:
Learn more about data source credentials. |
View mode / Edit mode |
|
Sharing and file access |
When you share reports and data sources, you determine how other people can access the file:
The advanced sharing options let you control other aspects of file access, such as the ability to download the data or print the report. The link sharing options let you share your files more broadly around the internet. Learn more about sharing. |