Data Cards Overview
Data Cards are card-based visualization components that you use to present data in a compact, scannable format. Each card encapsulates a single piece of insight -- a metric, a chart, a summary, or a snippet of live data -- and multiple cards are organized into collections called decks.
Use Data Cards when you need to present concise, at-a-glance information. They are ideal for KPI dashboards, status boards, metric summaries, and any scenario where users need to scan multiple data points quickly without navigating through full-page applications.
What Is a Data Card?
A Data Card is a self-contained visual component that connects to a data source and renders a focused view of that data. Cards are intentionally compact -- each one answers a single question or presents a single metric. This design encourages clarity and makes it easy for users to absorb information at a glance.
Cards support multiple content types:
- Metric cards -- Display a single numeric value with optional trend indicators.
- Chart cards -- Render a compact visualization such as a sparkline, bar chart, or pie chart.
- Summary cards -- Show a text-based summary or key-value pairs drawn from your data.
- Table cards -- Present a small tabular dataset with essential columns.
What Is a Deck?
A deck is an ordered collection of Data Cards. You group related cards into a deck to create a cohesive view of a topic, workflow, or domain. For example, a "Sales Performance" deck might include cards for total revenue, deals closed, pipeline value, and win rate.
Decks give you control over layout and ordering, so you can arrange cards in the way that makes the most sense for your audience.
Key Capabilities
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Card Builder | A visual editor for creating and configuring individual Data Cards. |
| Deck Builder | A tool for assembling cards into decks with customizable layouts. |
| Chart Settings | Fine-grained control over chart type, colors, axes, labels, and formatting. |
| Live Data | Cards pull data directly from your federated sources through the Datafi platform. |
| Governed Access | Platform policies are enforced on every card, so each user sees only the data they are authorized to view. |
Common Use Cases
- Executive Dashboards -- Assemble a deck of high-level KPI cards that leadership can review in seconds.
- Team Status Boards -- Create a deck for each team that surfaces the metrics and statuses most relevant to their work.
- Monitoring Panels -- Build cards that track system health, pipeline throughput, or error rates in real time.
- Client Reports -- Arrange branded cards into decks that present governed data to external stakeholders.
Every Data Card respects the row-level and column-level policies defined in your Datafi workspace. You do not need to configure additional security -- the platform enforces access control automatically.
How Data Cards Fit into the Platform
Data Cards operate on the same federated data layer as the rest of the Datafi platform. When a card renders, it queries your connected sources through the Coordinator and Edge architecture, applies all applicable policies, and displays the result. This means you get live, governed data in every card without any data movement or duplication.
Next Steps
- Card Builder -- Learn how to create cards, build decks, and configure chart settings.