Datasets are the data sources used to create charts and visualizations in CORE Insights Dashboard Builder. They provide structured access to CORE's operational and financial data, allowing you to analyze information and present insights through dashboards.
Each dataset contains a selection of related fields pulled directly from CORE. These fields can be used to group records, calculate totals, and display performance metrics without creating custom reports or exporting data outside the system. Datasets serve as the foundation for all charts created in Dashboard Builder.
How Datasets Work
When creating or editing a chart, you select a dataset from the Data panel in the Chart Builder. When selected, dataset fields become available for visualization. Each chart or metric widget is based on a single dataset, although a dashboard can contain multiple charts created from different datasets.
Dataset fields represent CORE data columns and determine how information is grouped, measured, and displayed within a chart.
To build a chart, fields are dragged into the chart configuration areas that determine how the data is grouped and calculated.
Dataset Field Types
Dataset fields are generally used in the following ways:
Category
Category fields are typically text or date-based fields used to group data within a chart. These fields represent descriptive information such as client, project manager, activity item, or accounting date. When a category field is added to a chart, CORE Insights groups related records based on the selected field, allowing you to compare results across different segments. In table charts, category fields can also appear as columns when used as grouping fields. Categories determine how data is organized and displayed, helping you review performance across projects, clients, or time periods
Value
Value fields are numeric fields used to measure or summarize data within a chart. These fields typically represent quantitative information such as bill amount, hours, cost amount, or billed amount. When a value field is added to a chart, CORE Insights automatically applies a default aggregation, such as Sum, to calculate totals or measurements. This allows the chart to display summarized results based on the selected dataset and grouping criteria.
Automatic Data Aggregation
CORE Insights automatically applies default calculations when dataset fields are added to a chart:
- Numeric fields are summarized using Sum by default.
- Category fields automatically group related records.
- Charts update immediately as fields are added, removed, or changed.
Aggregation methods are configurable and can be changed (for example, Sum, Average, Count, Minimum, or Maximum) using the field options in the chart configuration area. This real-time behavior allows you to refine visualizations without rebuilding the chart.
Example: Using the Time Entries dataset, adding Activity Item as the Category and Bill Amount as the Value displays the total billed amount grouped by activity.
This allows companies to quickly identify which activities generate the highest billed value and compare operational performance across different work types.
CORE Insights includes several preloaded datasets that can be used immediately when creating charts. These datasets pull data directly from CORE and update automatically.
Common datasets include:
- Time Entries - Employee time tracking and billing activity
- Invoices - Invoice amounts, balances, and billing details
- Expense Entries - Project-related expenses
- Project Metrics (Cumulative) - Lifecycle project performance data
Datasets Dashboard Collection
CORE Insights Standard includes a Datasets dashboard collection that provides ready-to-use table dashboards for reviewing dataset information without creating charts manually. Each dashboard displays dataset records in a tabular format, allowing you to explore available data fields and understand the structure of the dataset before building custom visualizations.
These dashboards are especially useful when you want to review raw dataset information, validate data, or become familiar with available fields used in charts and dashboards.
The Datasets collection includes the following datasets.
- Projects: The Projects dataset provides a current view of project-to-date information. You can review key project metrics such as Contract Amount, Billed Amount, Cost, and available Custom Fields. This dataset helps you understand overall project performance and lifecycle financial data.
- Invoices – Summary: This dataset provides invoice-level information presented as a single row per invoice. You can review details such as Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Invoice Amount, and Root Project. This dataset is useful for high-level invoice reporting and reconciliation.
- Invoices – Detailed: This dataset provides invoice information at a more granular level. Data is presented as a single row per project or phase associated with each invoice, allowing you to analyze invoice distribution across project structures.
- Time Entries: This dataset provides detailed information about recorded time activity. You can review employee or resource information, recorded hours, cost and bill amounts, work-under-development (WUD), and related project details. This dataset supports operational and billing analysis.
- Expense Entries: This dataset provides expense transaction details, including employee or resource information, units, cost, and bill amounts, markup percentage (MU%), and associated project data. This dataset helps you monitor project expenses and cost activity.
- Payments: This dataset provides payment transaction details such as client, invoice number, payment date, and payment amount. This dataset helps you review payment activity and track receivable collections.
- Vendor Bills – Summary: This dataset provides vendor bill information summarized at the bill level. Each record represents a single vendor bill and includes details such as Vendor, Bill Number, Bill Date, Bill Amount, and Amount Paid.
- Vendor Bills – Detailed: This dataset provides line-level vendor bill information. Each record represents an individual vendor bill line item, allowing you to analyze billing details at a more granular level.
After selecting a dataset, you can create and configure charts using the Chart Builder. Check Understanding Charts in CORE Insights help article for details.