Onboarding Call Preparation

How do I prepare my data for Noloco? Find out more below

To maximise your onboarding experience, its important to review the below information. This guide details how your data must be formatted in order to use Noloco.

Noloco works best when your datasource(s) are set up like a relational database. In fact, it is essential for Noloco to work.

The word ‘relational database’ might sound scary, but thankfully many of our available data sources can be set up as such without writing a single line of code. Once they’re setup appropriately, you can take full advantage of our no-code app builder that sits on top of your datasource to build any internal tool your organisation needs!

Thankfully our Postgres & MySQL users understand what we mean here when we use the term ‘relational database’ because that is what they are! However for our Airtable, Google Sheets and Noloco collections users out there take note of the data format we require and how Noloco will treat your datasource when the sync begins.

Google Sheets

​​Supported worksheet format

First, we must ensure that your Google Sheet(s) are formatted correctly for Noloco. Specifically, Noloco requires that:

• Column headings are in Row 1

• The first column is in Column A

• The first data row

This must be the case for ALL worksheets (sheets) within your Google spreadsheet. This includes any hidden sheets you may have in your spreadsheet. If any sheet is formatted incorrectly, the sync will fail.

Before proceeding, verify each sheet(s):

• Has a column header title for each column in Row 1

• Has at least x1 row of data starting in Row 2

• Does not have any hidden columns without a column header title

If your sheet does not follow the above format or includes any of the listed 'gotcha's', it will not work.

Once a connection is successfully established between your Google Sheet and Noloco;

• A Tab (i.e a Sheet) will become a Collection

• Column headings will become fields

• The column format will determine the field type (e.g text, number, date)

• Rows will be treated as records from that collection

Airtable

In Airtable, each table will be treated like a collection, each column will be treated like a field and each row will be treated as a record from that collection.

• A Table will become a Collection where records and fields are stored

• Columns will become fields

• The column type will determine the field type (e.g text, date, single-select etc.)

• Rows will be treated as records from that collection

For example in the screenshot below take note of the ‘Projects’ table. The first column is a text column called ‘Project Name’ and in the first row we can see we are storing the ‘Security Whitepapers' project.

Therefore in Noloco;

• The collection will be called Project

• The first field in the Project collection will be Project Name and it will be a text field

• The first record is the ‘Security Whitepapers’ Project

Noloco will automatically sync ALL tables, columns and rows stored in your Airtable base - unless you purposefully choose to not sync some tables from your base during your app setup.

Noloco collections

If you choose to build your app from scratch using Noloco collections as your datasource, you will be required to create collection(s) with fields and records for all kinds of information you would like to store & collect in your Noloco app.

For example, if you’re building out a simple sales CRM / deal tracker using Noloco collections you might need to build the following collections.

Collections:

• Opportunities (i.e Deals)

• Accounts

• Contacts

Field Names (+ their field type):

• Opportunity Name (Text)

• Opportunity Status (Single option Select)

• Associated Account on Deal (Link to Account record)

• Account Name (Text)

• Account Industry (Single option select)

• Contact name (Text)

• Contact email (Text)

Once you have created your schema (i.e your Collections and fields) you will be able to create records to store information inside of them. If you have any questions about your data before your Onboarding call, make sure to reach out to the Noloco team member that you are booked in with!