There are many data sources that don't provide direct, software API connections. You are probably using at least one. If you've got data but are in need of a way to get it to NinjaCat we can help. Some data sources provide reports via URL links. NinjaCat can pull the data from that URL source and make that data available for Reports and Dashboards. Connect the URL and fill in the details in the network settings. Then you direct NinjaCat to the specific data you need to pull by using what we call a "Mapping". The following steps will lead you through this process.

Section Links

Connecting a URL Custom Data Network

Connecting to the URL Link

Set Data Format

Create a URL Custom Data Mapping

Using URL Custom Data in a Template

Connecting a URL Custom Data Network

1. Go to the Setup Settings

2. Follow the instructions in the article How To Add a Direct Network Connection, selecting "Custom URL" as the desired network

Connecting to the URL Link

1. Go to the Setup Settings

2. Select the new URL Custom Data Network you just created in the previous steps

3. Click on "More Actions" near the top right

Click on "Edit Mapping"

4. Click on the "Add Mapping" button near the center

5. FILL IN THE NEEDED INFORMATION IN EACH OF THE REQUIRED FIELDS

• Web Link - The URL that you wish to retrieve data from.

NinjaNote: CSV output format is supported (and JSON output is not supported). This can provide access to all data from all of their accounts, however, if they have a different URL per advertiser, see the below “Allow account URL Override”

NinjaNote: If the URL allows you to filter the data by date, you can use the following placeholders {startdate} and {enddate}. These two dates will get replaced by the date range specified on the widget in the template editor. To change the format of the date, you can use the following {startdate:Y-m-d} which will format the date to be 2018-01-01. Please take a look at the following link to see the available date formats.

• HTTP Method - Select the HTTP method for this request: ‘get’ or ‘post’
  • ‘get’ = retrieve data from the server
  • ‘post’ = send data to the server (typically need this method if there is content needed for ‘HTTP Headers’ ‘Request Body’ field)

NinjaNote: No limitations by utilizing either method. Typically utilize ‘get’ but the customer should know this information depending on what they’d like to do with their data.

• HTTP Headers (optional) - Enter the HTTP headers for this request. The expected format is {Name} : {Value}, a new line will represent a new header value. This is information that we’re passing to the URL.
• Request Body (optional) - Enter the HTTP message body for this request. The placeholders {startdate} and {enddate} are enabled for this field. Examples of content: API key, start date & end date, security purposes, filter the data, etc. This is information that we’re passing to the URL.

NinjaNote: The above fields for Request Method, HTTP Headers, Request Body comes down to how their URL works. Customers will know what information they need and where it’s supposed to be passed. Through these fields, we’re giving them the options of if the information needs to be in the header, body, URL, etc. NinjaCat can’t dictate this.

NinjaNote: Typically, names will need to match, and the casing will matter. Depends on how the customer’s system works

 6. Click the "Fetch" button near the bottom right

Set Data Format

1. FILL IN THE NEEDED INFORMATION IN EACH OF THE REQUIRED, NEWLY REVEALED FIELDS

• Allow account URL override(Toggle) -  If the customer has a unique URL per advertiser, then this setting should be enabled. A data source connection would be required at the account level for those advertisers who require a different URL, and the URL should be inserted into the “URL Override” field (along with any other overrides needed for the Header HTTP and Body Request, etc).
• Header Row - Enter the row number in the CSV where the header can be found. The first row is considered to be row 1. Your CSV must include a header row.
• Starter Row - enter the row number in the CSV where the header can be found. The first row is considered to be row 1. Your CSV must include a header row.
• Column Delimiter - Is the CSV comma-separated or semi-colon separated? This is typically auto-detected for you but you can override it.
• Pull Period - Specify if data should be pulled periodically, or if there is a date column specified for each row. Options below (if a date column is available, might as well just use the date column)!
• Date Column - In order to determine the date of the data, you must specify which column in the data represents the date.
• Date Format (optional) - Enter the format of the date that will be coming back from the CSV. Please take a look at the following link to see the available date formats.

• Account Column - ONLY IF the data in your google sheet needs to be filtered before being brought into NinjaCat; select the column in the sheet that contains the data you will filter on. If you want to include all rows leave the field at "-- No Filter --"
•  Account Matching - ONLY IF you've selected a filter column from your sheet will the "Account ID Type" drop-down menu show up. Select from the drop-down menu what account-specific signifier needs to be matched by data in your sheet in order to get through the filter.
• NinjaCat ID: Unique ID per advertiser in NinjaCat that is found at bulk by the “Export CSV” button in your Account Library. This unique ID must exist in your data set to be able to match the data to the appropriate advertiser in NinjaCat.
• Account Name: An exact match of the account name in your data set to what is set up in NinjaCat. ex. Starbucks - Denver in NinjaCat must be listed as Starbucks - Denver in your data set.
• Specify at the Account Level: This method would be used if there is a unique URL associated with each advertiser. In this case, you would need to enable the “Allow Account URL Override” setting- discussed earlier in this article, and build a data source connection at the account level where this unique URL would be inserted.
• External ID: Unique ID per advertiser on the client’s end which can be inserted in the External ID field at the account level for each advertiser. This unique ID must exist in your data set AND in the external ID field to be able to match the data to the appropriate advertiser in NinjaCat.

Unpivot Key Columns (optional): Select the key column you want to unpivot the data by.

2. Click the "Save" button near the bottom right

Create a URL Custom Data Mapping

FILL IN THE NEEDED INFORMATION IN EACH OF THE NEWLY REVEALED, REQUIRED TABS

DIMENSIONS Tab -- Repeat the instructions below for each dimension you need to pull from your sheet

1. Click the "Add Dimensions" button near the center or top right

     2. Fill in the needed fields in the "Dimension Editor" pop-up window

• Name - A title for the Dimension that will be visible in the Template Builder
• Header Mapping - Select the actual column from your sheet that contains the right data for the Dimension
• Aggregation Mapping - (If appropriate) The common Dimension set that this data could fall under if being combined with data from other data sources
• Display As - The specific format that the data from the sheet should be represented as

3. Click the "OK" button near the bottom right of the pop-up window after all the fields are filled

METRICS Tab -- Repeat the instructions below for each dimension you need to pull from your sheet

     1. Click the "Add Metrics" button near the center or top right

     2. Fill in the needed fields in the "Metrics Editor" pop-up window

• Name - A title for the Metric that will be visible in the Template Builder
• Header Mapping - Select the actual column from your sheet that contains the right data for the Metric
• Display As - The specific numeric format that the data from the sheet should be represented as
• Calculate totals as... - For combining metric values choose Summation or Average
• Aggregation Mapping - (If appropriate) The common Metric set that this data could fall under if being combined with data from other data sources

3. Click the "OK" button near the bottom right of the pop-up window after all the fields are filled

Advanced Tab - The only setting found here is the Refresh Hour. Instead of letting this integration’s data from yesterday refresh at the default hour (sometime between 12:00 and 3:00 AM), you have the option to override this time. We will always load in yesterday’s data at some point in the day, no matter which time is selected here.

Using URL Custom Data In a Template

1. Access the NinjaCat Template Builder

2. Add a data widget to the template

3. Click on "Add Data Source" near the top right

4. Click on "Custom URL" from the list of data sources

5. Select the desired Mapping from the field labeled "Mapping - Select a Mapping" in the "Google Sheets" pop-up window

6. Click the "Close" button near the bottom right of the pop-up window

NinjaNote: Once a mapping is selected in the pop-up window, two buttons will now be available below the "Mapping" field. The "View Mapping" button will give you a view of the Dimensions and Metrics available through the Mapping. The "Edit Mapping" button will take you to the Edit Mappings area and allow you to make changes to the Mapping itself. When done you will be returned to the NinjaCat Template builder.