Zones

Zones are collections of data that can be added edited and reused across your forms i.e countries, projects etc.

The Zone feature comes with a Zone Builder providing a user-friendly interface to create, manage, and execute data extraction rules. It supports advanced filtering, sorting, and formatting options to generate structured data outputs in various formats like JSON, CSV, or a Summary of that data.

Features

🎯 Rule-Based Configuration

• Multiple Rules: Create multiple rules to combine data from different zones
• Custom Output Names: Name each rule output for organized results
• Rule Management: Add, remove, and modify rules dynamically

🔍 Advanced Filtering

• Zone Selection: Choose specific zones to extract data from
• Sheet Filtering: Target specific sheets within zones
• Search Terms: Filter data based on content
• Column Filtering: Search within specific columns
• Distinct Values: Extract unique values from columns

📊 Data Processing

• Sorting: Sort by any column in ascending or descending order
• Limiting: Control the number of rows returned
• Multiple Formats: Export as JSON, CSV, or Summary
• Custom Naming: Assign custom names to outputs

📁 Export Options

• JSON Export: Structured data with metadata
• CSV Export: Spreadsheet-compatible format
• Preview Mode: See data before downloading
• Timestamp: Auto-generated timestamps for tracking

How to Use

1. Access Zone Builder

• Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the Datazones page header
• The Zone Builder will open in a side panel

2. Create Rules

• Click "Add Rule" to create a new data extraction rule
• Configure each rule with the following options:

Basic Settings

• Zone: Select which zone to extract data from
• Sheet: Specify sheet name (optional, extracts all if empty)
• Format: Choose output format (JSON, CSV, Summary)

Filtering Options

• Search: Enter search term to filter rows
• Column Filter: Specify which column to search in
• Distinct Column: Get only unique values from a column

Processing Options

• Sort By: Column name to sort results by
• Order: Ascending or Descending
• Limit: Maximum number of rows to return

Output Options

• Output Name: Custom name for this rule's results

3. Preview & Generate

• Preview Data: Click "Preview Data" to see a sample of results
• Generate Dump: Click "Generate Data Dump" to download the file

Example Use Cases

1. Multi-Zone Report

Rule 1: Users data (active users only)
Rule 2: Products data (top 10 by sales)
Rule 3: Categories (distinct list)

2. Filtered Analysis

Rule 1: Search "premium" in products, CSV format
Rule 2: Get distinct brands from products
Rule 3: Users from specific region, sorted by join date

3. Data Validation

Rule 1: Summary of all zones
Rule 2: Distinct statuses across all zones
Rule 3: Recent entries (last 50 rows)

Output Structure

JSON Format

{
  "generated_at": "2025-06-27T10:30:00.000Z",
  "rules_count": 3,
  "data": {
    "active_users": {
      "rule": { /* rule configuration */ },
      "result": [ /* filtered data */ ]
    },
    "product_categories": {
      "rule": { /* rule configuration */ },
      "result": { /* distinct values */ }
    },
    "sales_summary": {
      "rule": { /* rule configuration */ },
      "result": { /* summary data */ }
    }
  }
}

Error Handling

If a rule fails, it will be included with error information:

{
  "rule_1_error": {
    "rule": { /* failed rule config */ },
    "error": "Zone not found"
  }
}

Advanced Features

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl + Enter: Generate data dump
• Automatic Save: Rules are preserved during session

Rule Validation

• Rules without zones are automatically skipped
• Invalid parameters are handled gracefully
• Clear error messages for debugging

Performance Optimization

• Rules execute concurrently for faster processing
• Preview mode limits data for quick feedback
• Efficient API calls with proper parameter handling

Best Practices

Rule Organization

1. Name your rules clearly for easy identification
2. Use specific filters to reduce data size
3. Test with preview before generating large dumps

Performance Tips

1. Limit row counts for large datasets
2. Use specific sheets when possible
3. Apply filters early to reduce processing time

Data Quality

1. Check distinct values to understand data distribution
2. Use search filters to focus on relevant data
3. Preview results to verify rule configuration

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "Zone not found": Check if zone exists and is accessible
2. "Sheet not found": Verify sheet name spelling
3. "No data returned": Check if filters are too restrictive