What Are Datasets?

Datasets are self-service data models that you build specifically for your data visualization and analysis requirements.

A dataset can be based on one table, spreadsheet, or file. Or a dataset can be a self-service data model that contains multiple tables with relationships defined between the tables.

You can create datasets from data from files that you upload, or SaaS applications, Oracle Analytics reports, and many relational and big data sources that you build connections to. See Data Sources Available for Use in Datasets.

Datasets are subsets of the file or data source's data that you curate and shape to meet your specific analytics and visualization needs. A dataset contains data source connection information, tables, the columns you specify, and the data enrichments and transformations that you apply.

You can use a dataset in multiple workbooks and in data flows. If you change a dataset, changes affect all workbooks and data flows that use the dataset.

When you create and build a dataset, you can:

• Choose between many types of connections or spreadsheets.
• Create datasets based on data from multiple tables in a database connection, Oracle data source, or a local subject area. And create datasets based on data from tables in different connections and subject areas. For example, you can build a dataset that includes tables from an Autonomous Data Warehouse connection, tables from a Spark connection, and tables from a local subject area.
• Specify joins between tables.
• Transform and enrich the columns in the dataset.