## Introduction [Preset](https://preset.io/) is a modern business intelligence (BI) and data visualization platform based on **Apache Superset**. It allows users to create interactive dashboards and explore data with a no-code interface, SQL-based queries, and advanced visualization options. Preset is designed for organizations that need an **open-source, cloud-based, and scalable** analytics solution, making it a great alternative to traditional BI tools. <br> ![[Tooling Preset.png]] *Home page of a report page in Preset (Apache Superset)* ## Features - **Data Connectivity**: Connects to a wide range of databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, and other cloud or on-premises data sources. - **Interactive Data Visualization**: Offers multiple chart types, including bar charts, heatmaps, scatter plots, and geospatial visualizations, enabling users to create customized dashboards. - **SQL-Based Queries**: Allows analysts to write and execute SQL queries directly within the platform for advanced data exploration and transformation. - **Real-Time & Scheduled Data Updates**: Supports both live querying and scheduled updates to ensure dashboards reflect the latest data. - **Security & User Access Control**: Implements role-based access control (RBAC) and integrates with Single Sign-On (SSO) providers like Okta, Google Workspace, and Active Directory. - **Data Blending & Metrics**: Enables users to create calculated fields, custom metrics, and apply filtering across multiple datasets. - **Collaboration & Sharing**: Allows team members to share dashboards via links, embed them into applications, and comment on insights in real-time. - **Custom Themes & Extensibility**: Supports custom themes, branding, and extensions through API integrations and custom visualization plugins. ## Applications - **Marketing Analytics**: Tracks campaign performance, customer segmentation, and conversion rates using integrations with Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and CRM platforms. - **Financial Reporting**: Provides insights into revenue, expenses, profit margins, and cash flow trends with dynamic, interactive reports. - **Sales Performance Tracking**: Analyzes sales trends, customer acquisition costs, and pipeline performance by integrating with databases and CRM tools. - **Operational Dashboards**: Monitors KPIs related to logistics, supply chain efficiency, and internal business operations. - **Embedded Analytics**: Offers API access and iframe embedding for integrating analytics into custom applications, portals, or SaaS platforms. - **E-commerce Insights**: Helps businesses track customer behavior, product sales, and inventory levels by connecting with databases or third-party e-commerce platforms. ## Best Practices - **Optimize Database Queries**: Use indexing, caching, and optimized SQL queries to improve dashboard performance. - **Utilize Filters & Drill-Downs**: Enable interactive filtering and drill-down features for a more granular analysis of data. - **Implement Row-Level Security (RLS)**: Restrict access to sensitive data by defining access policies based on user roles. - **Standardize Data Models**: Ensure consistency across reports by defining reusable datasets and standard metrics. - **Monitor Query Performance**: Use built-in query performance monitoring tools to identify slow-loading dashboards and optimize SQL execution. - **Automate Report Refreshes**: Schedule periodic data refreshes based on business needs to ensure reports stay up to date. ## Pricing Preset offers both an **open-source** version (Apache Superset) and a **cloud-hosted** solution with enterprise support. - **Preset Cloud (Free Tier)**: Limited dashboard features, basic connectors, and community support. - **Preset Cloud Team ($20 per user per month)**: Advanced team collaboration, role-based access control, and scheduled queries. - **Preset Cloud Enterprise (Custom Pricing)**: Dedicated support, enterprise security, custom integrations, and private deployments. > [!NOTE] > The open-source version **Apache Superset** can be self-hosted for free, but requires technical expertise for setup, maintenance, and security configurations. ## Usage We have the [[Preset]] setup operational at two clients and aim to make it our default setup going forward for all clients, independent of size. %% Owner: Philip Boontje %%