Create a connection and schedule the data imports

In this example, a marketing analyst creates a connection to a database that contains key data. After this connection is set up, the analyst can use the same connection to pull additional data. Follow these instructions to create a connection for data import.

Create a connection

Minitab Connect offers hundreds of connectors that can bring data into the platform. This example shows how to connect to a database. Your specific steps will depend on the connector that you select. For more information on specific Minitab Connect connectors, go to Connections.

From the Home screen , select the Minitab Connect button to open the Navigation pane. Under Tables, select Add New Table. Or, from the Home screen, select the Add button under Tables.
On the Dataset tab, under Datasets, search for MySQL or the connection that you want to create.
On the Setup tab, enter the following:
1. Under Name, enter the name that identifies the table.
2. Under Folder, select the folder that stores the table or create a new folder.
3. Under Status, select whether the table is in development or production.
You can also enter optional fields, which are helpful to describe your data set.
Under Connection, select New Connection and enter the Name that identifies the connection.
Under Setup, enter the Hostname and Port.
Select Next.
Under Setup, enter the Username and Password. Contact your IT department if you do not know the database username and password.
Select Next.
Under Setup, select your Database.
Select Save.

Now the analyst can pull the data using this connection. From the Navigation pane, under System > Connections, you can see all the data connections that are currently set up.

Schedule data imports

Next, the analyst specifies how often to retrieve the database data. If you import data from a different type of connector, then your steps will be different.

Under Connection, select where to import the data from.
Under Update Frequency, select the how often you want to import the data pull.
On the Setup tab, select Type of Pull, then select Next.
- Single Table to pull data from one table
- Multiple to pull data from multiple tables
- All to pull data from all data sources
For this example, the analyst selects Single Table. If you select Multiple or All, you need to specify the other data sources to use.
Under Setup, you can specify whether you want to use your own SQL. Under Skip to SQL, select one of the following:
- No to use the default setup steps. A step-by step process walks you through the options.
- Yes if you are familiar with SQL and want to enter your own code.
Under Table, select the table that contains the data, then select Next.
Under Setup, select the data fields, then select Next.
Under Setup, add a filter if you like, then select Next. For example, you can enter a filter for Date if you want to specify a date range.
Select Save to run the data pull.

When you save the table, the Prep Tool

opens. You can display your notifications to see if the data have imported properly. Select Reset Config

to see the data.