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The CSV File data source accepts .csv files uploaded directly through the interface. No external service is contacted at any point — uploaded files are parsed and stored in a dedicated cache table. Connecting it brings manually curated datasets, mapping tables, conversion targets, or ad-platform exports into Adriel dashboards without wiring a recurring sync.

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Before you connect

The following are required:
  • One or more .csv files. Other formats, such as XLSX, are rejected at upload time.
  • A consistent column structure across all files in the same data source — the same header names and the same column count.
Two file requirements must be met before connecting, or the upload is rejected:
  • The file extension is limited to UTF-8 encoded .csv format. If the file is not suitable, change the format or extension in the file settings before connecting.
  • The column header row (row 1 by default, or the row set in Header Row) must not contain empty columns.

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Connect CSV File

1

Open the data source

On the Data Sources page, search for CSV File and select it.
2

Name the data source

The name field defaults to default. Keep it and click Submit, or replace it with a distinguishable name for this upload and click Submit.
3

Set optional fields

Set an Alternative Channel Name to control the display name for the channel. Set a File Name to Filter to restrict the data source to files matching a name pattern. Header Row, Rows to Remove at Bottom, and Currency can also be set in the creation form — see Advanced settings.
4

Choose an update method

Select how new uploads are merged. Append (default) adds rows and stamps them with file_id and filename provenance. Upsert merges on a declared primary-key column. Replace swaps the cache table contents with each new upload.If the CSV will be split by column, Upsert with Unique Identifier Columns filled in is recommended. Replace also works, but each upload then replaces every row, so a split data source whose value is not in the new file loses its earlier data and becomes empty. See Split by Column.
5

Upload the files

Drag and drop one or more .csv files into the upload area, or browse to select them. Each file is processed individually — if one upload fails, the others continue. The first upload establishes the column schema and triggers type inference.
6

Finish

Close the settings tab. The connection saves and connects automatically once the uploads complete, and the data source is immediately available for dashboards.
To add or remove files later, open the data source settings from the Connected data sources list, add or delete files, then close the tab — changes save automatically. Every later upload must match the original column structure; files with different headers are rejected, so create a separate CSV File data source for a differing layout.

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What gets imported

Column types are inferred on the first upload from sampled rows. Numeric columns become metrics and text columns become breakdowns. Column names matching *_id, percent, pct, or % are forced to text to preserve formatting. Type inference runs once and persists for the lifetime of the data source. For the complete field list and limits, see the CSV File data reference.

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Date field and format

If the CSV file includes a date column, open the data source’s settings after it is created. Under Select a date dimension, choose that column in Dimension. The dashboard date filter uses this column. Adriel then fills in Format automatically, but only when the column’s values match one of the supported date formats. A column in any other format fails.

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Advanced settings

Three fields under General > Advanced Settings, below Custom Channel Settings, control which rows of the file are read and which currency its values are in. All three can be set in the creation form when creating the data source, and later in the settings of an existing one. Existing CSV File data sources are unchanged until these fields are updated.
Header Row is a row number, while Rows to Remove at Bottom is a row count. A Header Row of 4 means the headers are on row 4 of the file. A Rows to Remove at Bottom value of 2 means the last two rows of the file are skipped.

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Validation

Only whole numbers can be entered. Header Row accepts 1 or more, and Rows to Remove at Bottom accepts 0 or more. In the creation form, only digits can be typed. A value outside these ranges is rejected with an error message on save.

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When changes take effect

In the settings of an existing data source, changes to these fields are saved only after clicking Save at the bottom of the page. File uploads and deletions still apply immediately.
  • Header Row and Rows to Remove at Bottom apply from the next upload. Files uploaded before the change are not reprocessed. To apply new row settings to an existing file, delete the file from the data source and upload it again.
  • Currency applies right away to data already uploaded, with no re-upload needed. Refresh the dashboard to see the change.
Deleting a file with the ✕ icon in the file list takes effect immediately, with no confirmation. When re-uploading a file to apply new row settings, delete the old file first. Uploading the same file again without deleting it adds its rows a second time, which doubles the values.

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Convert values to the reporting currency

Metrics whose Type is Currency in Data Display are converted to the workspace or teamspace currency, the same way as for Google Sheets. Custom exchange rates are applied when configured. CSV metrics have no Type set by default, so conversion only works after the cost and revenue metrics are set to Currency.
1

Set the source currency

In the data source settings, open General > Advanced Settings and select the file’s currency in Currency. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
2

Set the metric type

Open Data Display and set Type to Currency for each cost or revenue metric.
For how the reporting currency and exchange rates are resolved, see Multi-currency reporting.

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Split by Column

Split by Column creates a separate data source for each value of one column in the CSV. For example, a report that covers several campaigns, channels, or advertisers can be split by that column, so that each campaign, channel, or advertiser has its own data source. The CSV File data source itself stays as it is and keeps every row.
1

Upload the first file

Upload at least one file to the CSV File data source. Split by Column lists the columns of the uploaded files.
2

Open Split by Column

Right after the first upload, click Split by Column in the upload panel. For an existing data source, open Setting, then go to General > Advanced Settings > Split by Column.
3

Select the column

Each column is listed with its number of values, such as Campaign (3 values). A column with no values or with more than 50 values shows its name only and cannot be selected. Select the column to split by. The choice is saved right away.
Each value gets a data source named <CSV name> - <value>. For example, a CSV File data source named Q4 report split by a Campaign column with the value Brand creates Q4 report - Brand. A CSV can have up to 50 split data sources.
The split column cannot be changed or cleared after it is selected. To split the same data by a different column, create another CSV File data source.
Each upload to the CSV File data source, and each file deletion, updates its split data sources:
  • A new value gets its own data source automatically, as long as the CSV has fewer than 50 split data sources.
  • A value that is no longer in any file keeps its data source, which shows as Empty and has no data. Widgets that use it show a warning. Uploading a file with that value fills it again.
  • Rows with no value in the split column stay in the CSV File data source only. The message shown is “Some rows have no value in the split column. They are only in this CSV, not in any of its split data sources.”
A split data source takes its settings from the CSV File data source: the date column under Select a date dimension, Currency, Type and aggregation in Data display, Channel name and Icon under Custom Channel Settings, and Data Blending under Data integration. A change to these on the CSV File data source applies to every split data source. On a split data source itself, only its members and teamspaces can be changed, and files cannot be uploaded to it. Its settings show “The settings of a split data source come from its CSV. Change them on that CSV.” A split data source has no Disconnect or Delete option of its own. Its row action menu (three-dot icon) only has Setting. Disconnecting the CSV File data source sets all of its split data sources to Lost connection, and reconnecting it restores them. Deleting the CSV File data source deletes its split data sources with it. A teamspace whose Data sources tab is set to Auto gets new split data sources automatically. In a teamspace set to Manual, add the split data sources by hand, even when the CSV File data source is already in it. See Teamspace settings. Filter conditions and custom breakdown label conditions are set per data source, so a condition on the CSV File data source does not cover its split data sources. To apply a condition to a split data source, include that data source in the condition.

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Troubleshooting

The file’s headers or column count do not match the data source’s established schema. Reformat the file to match, or create a separate CSV File data source for the differing layout.
Type inference runs once during the first upload and persists. If the original sample included non-numeric values, or the column name matches an ID or percentage pattern, the column stays text. Re-create the data source after fixing the source file to change the inferred type.
Browser-based uploads are bounded by browser memory. For files in the high hundreds of megabytes or larger, use Amazon S3, File from SFTP, or Custom URL Import instead.
When Rows to Remove at Bottom is lower than the number of total or summary rows at the end of the file, a leftover row can put text such as Total into the date column. The whole widget then fails with this error and keeps showing its previously cached values. Set Rows to Remove at Bottom to cover every total and summary row at the end of the file, click Save, then delete the file and upload it again.
Header Row and Rows to Remove at Bottom apply only to files uploaded after the change. Delete the file from the data source and upload it again.
Uploading the same file again without deleting the old one first adds its rows a second time. Delete the copies of the file from the file list, then upload the file once.
Check three things: Currency is set under General > Advanced Settings and saved, each cost and revenue metric has Type set to Currency in Data Display, and the dashboard has been refreshed since the change.
Its value is no longer in any file of the CSV File data source. This happens when the files with that value were deleted, when a Replace upload did not include the value, or when the uploaded file does not have the split column. In the last case, every split data source is empty, and the message shown is “The split column is no longer in the uploaded file, so its split data sources are empty. Upload a file that has this column.” Widgets that use an empty split data source show “This split data source has no data: its value, or the split column, is no longer in the files of its CSV. Upload a file with this column and value to that CSV to fill it again.” To fill it again, upload a file with the split column and that value to the CSV File data source. To list every empty split data source, select Empty in the Status filter of the data source list.
The teamspace’s Data sources tab is set to Manual. Split data sources are added automatically only to teamspaces set to Auto, so a Manual teamspace does not get them even when the CSV File data source is in it. Add the split data sources to the teamspace by hand.
The CSV already has 50 split data sources, which is the maximum. Empty split data sources count toward the 50. A value beyond the limit gets no data source of its own.

CSV File data reference

Fields, type inference, and limits for the CSV File data source.

CSV File FAQs

Common questions and expected behaviors for the CSV File data source.

Split a report into one data source per campaign

Questions about Split by Column, empty split data sources, and the 50 limit.

How to connect Custom URL Import

Pull CSVs from a URL on a schedule instead of uploading by hand.

How to connect Amazon S3

Connect larger or scheduled file batches from an S3 bucket.