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Create Insights with the Insights Builder

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

  • Use Insights Builder to create an insight in Data Cloud.
  • Link data for unified individuals.

Before You Begin

In this module, we assume you have the proper permissions to create insights in Data Cloud (formerly known as Customer Data Platform). We recommend reviewing Data Cloud Insights Using SQL and Data Cloud Insights before you begin creating insights. Don’t try to follow the steps in this module in your Trailhead Playground. Data Cloud isn’t available in the Trailhead Playground.

Insight Builder

To enrich and use data brought into Data Cloud, you can create calculated and streaming insights using SQL (Structured Query Language). Familiar with SQL, but don’t know how to write it? You can still build both calculated and streaming insights using Insights Builder in Data Cloud. This tool allows you to build your SQL statements using drag and drop. Check out this video to see how you can create an insight using Insights Builder.

Create a New Insight

To help guide you through using Insights Builder, let’s review the steps you follow and the questions you need to answer with each step. First, let’s create a new insight.

  1. Click the New button from the Calculated Insights tab in Data Cloud.
  2. Select Create with Builder and then Next.

You are now on a blank canvas. While SQL requires an understanding of keywords and syntax, Insights Builder helps guide you through options in a drag-and-drop interface. Let’s walk through these steps. First up: selecting objects. 

Select Objects

Start by answering: What data do you want to use as the base of your search? Do you want to query sales data or customer data? Once you have identified that data, complete these steps.

  1. Click Select Objects to select that data model object.
  2. Locate your data model object—for example, unified individuals—and then click Next.

Join

Next ask yourself: What additional data needs to be included in your search? If no additional data is needed, then you can skip these steps. If you do have additional data, add the join node to your query with these steps. 

  1. Click the + icon next to your selected object.
  2. Click the node, Join. Join Node being selected in the insights builder.
  3. Search the objects in your data model for that data source—for example, party identification or sales order. Once found, click Next.

Now that you have added the join node, it’s time to answer a few more questions and complete the necessary steps.

Question
 Description
 Steps

What data do you want from one data source versus the other?

Join Type

The join type identifies what data you are looking for. All data or matches in one or both sources. The UI text tells you exactly what data you should expect from choosing a left, right, inner, or full join. 
  1. Click either Left Join, Right Join, Inner, or Full.

How does that data connect?

Join Keys

Identify how the data connects by identifying a foreign key in each data object.  
  1. Click the + button to select a foreign key from each data source.
  2. Once selected from the dropdown of each data source, click Apply.
  3. After you have added an API name prefix, click Apply.

Unified Profiles

One last question: Are you using identity resolution and unified profiles? For example, in the video in this unit, NTO was using the unified individual DMO to start its SQL expression. If you are doing the same, you first need to connect your unified individual DMO to the unified individual link DMO (also known as a bridge table), before joining with any other DMOs. 

Why? Because your engagement data (or other DMO) has an individual customer ID and not a unified individual ID. Essentially it knows your original data, not your data that has been unified because of identity resolution rulesets. This is why the unified individual link DMO needs to be joined first. This helps the system connect the dots between the engagement and unified individual DMOs.

Note

Your DMO might be named something different as the label names can change. It’s important to look at the API name and identify the DMO that links your individual DMO to the unified individual DMO.

Aggregate

Now let’s move on to another required step to create your insight: the Aggregate node. The aggregate function performs a calculation on a set of values in Data Cloud and returns a single value. In the builder, you need to identify two key features, measures and dimensions. Here’s what you need to answer and the steps you need to take. 

Question
 Description
 Steps

What metrics are you looking for? 

Measures

Select the metric you are looking for and the field to base that metric on, like sales order.
  1. Under Measures, click the + button. Select a metric function from the list and then the field you wish to calculate.
  2. Click Next.
  3. Name your metric and then click Apply.

How do you want the system to group the data?

Dimensions

Select what field or piece of data you want to use to organize the data. 
  1. Under Dimensions, click the + button. Select the field you wish to group by and then Next.
  2. Name your metric and then click Apply.

Next Up: Enhance Your Insights

Now that you know how to create your insight, in the next unit we review the remaining builder options to enhance your insights.

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