Datasets define the information used in an Auclio application.

A dataset contains a collection of objects that share the same structure. Each object represents one business item, while properties define the information stored for that object.

For example, a CRM application could include:

• an Accounts dataset containing company objects;
• a Contacts dataset containing people;
• an Opportunities dataset containing potential sales;
• an Activities dataset containing calls, meetings, or tasks.

Each object in the Accounts dataset could include properties such as:

• Account name
• Account owner
• Country
• Industry
• Number of employees
• Annual revenue
• Customer status

Datasets, objects, and properties #

Three concepts are important when working with data in Auclio.

Dataset #

A dataset represents one type of business information, such as accounts, projects, requests, expenses, or incidents.

All objects within a dataset use the same set of properties.

Property #

A property defines one piece of information associated with an object.

For example: Account name, Country, and Annual revenue could be properties in the Accounts dataset.

Object #

An object is one individual item within a dataset.

For example, one company is an object in the Accounts dataset, while one project is an object in the Projects dataset.

A simplified dataset could look like this:

Each row represents an object, and each column represents a property.

How datasets are used in applications #

Datasets provide the data displayed and managed through widgets.

For example:

• a Table widget can display multiple objects from a dataset;
• a Form widget can create or edit an object;
• a Text Grid widget can display the properties of a selected object;
• a Card widget can present key information about an object;
• a Button widget can trigger an action related to an object.

A dataset does not automatically appear on an application page. It must first be connected to one or more widgets.

Dataset data sources #

Depending on the application setup, a dataset can contain data managed directly in Auclio or retrieve data through a connection to another system.

For example, a dataset can use:

• objects created and managed in Auclio;
• objects retrieved from an M-Files vault;
• information provided through another supported connection.

The available properties and configuration options may depend on the selected data source.

Relationships between datasets #

Applications often use more than one dataset.

Relationships connect objects from different datasets. For example:

• a contact can belong to an account;
• a task can belong to a project;
• an expense can belong to an employee;
• an incident can belong to a location.

Using relationships helps avoid entering the same information repeatedly and makes it easier to display related objects across pages and widgets.

For example, instead of entering an account name manually for every contact, an object in the Contacts dataset can reference an object from the Accounts dataset.

Planning a dataset #

Before creating a dataset, define:

• what type of information the dataset should contain;
• what one object represents;
• which properties are required;
• which properties are optional;
• whether objects need to be related to another dataset;
• who should be able to view or edit the objects;
• whether the data will be managed in Auclio or retrieved through a connection.

Keep each dataset focused on one type of object. Avoid combining unrelated information in the same dataset.

For example, use separate Accounts and Contacts datasets instead of storing several contacts directly as properties of an account object.

Naming recommendations #

Use clear and consistent names.

For datasets, use plural names that describe the objects they contain:

• Accounts
• Contacts
• Projects
• Requests
• Expenses

For properties, use specific names that describe the value:

• Account name
• Project owner
• Request status
• Due date
• Annual revenue

Avoid vague names such as Information, Value, or Details unless their meaning is clear from the context.

Before changing or deleting a dataset #

Before changing or deleting a dataset or property, check where it is used. Removing it may affect pages, widgets, workflows, or permission rules that depend on it.

See Create a dataset for step-by-step instructions on adding a dataset and configuring its properties.