Getting started with Basedash

7:28

Ready to turn raw SQL data into beautiful, interactive dashboards—without writing code? In this step-by-step tutorial, Chris shows you how to connect a data source, create a high-level KPI dashboard, and build a dynamic product-level view in BaseDash. Follow along with the free demo database or hook up your own—either way you’ll master the basics in under 8 minutes.

What You’ll Learn

  • Hook up a PostgreSQL/MySQL (or demo) database in seconds

  • Generate KPIs, charts & tables with plain-language prompts

  • Use variables for interactive, entity-level analysis

  • Edit AI-assisted SQL queries for granular control

  • Chat with your schema for ad-hoc answers—no dashboards required

Transcript

Introduction

Chris:

Hi, I'm Chris, and in this video, I'll show you how to build your first dashboard in Basedash.

Follow along as we build two dashboards for an e-commerce company:

  1. A high-level metrics dashboard

  2. An individual entity view for a product

We'll be using a Basedash demo database, so you can follow along if you'd like.

Connect Your Data Source

To get started, we need to add a data source.

  • Go to the top left corner, select Data source, then click Add data source.

  • You can connect to various databases, but we’re using the clothing store demo database.

  • Once selected, you’ll see the schema sync and a list of tables.

  • Rename the data source to Acme Clothing Store Demo, then save it.

Now we're ready to create our first dashboard.

Create a High-Level Dashboard

  • Go to the top right corner, click Dashboard.

  • We’re creating a high-level dashboard for our e-commerce business.

  • Name it Acme Limited, then click New Chart.

KPI Card: Total Sales

  • The data source is preselected as Acme Clothing Store.

  • In plain language, enter: Total Sales.

  • Basedash generates the SQL query automatically.

  • You can adjust the chart type and data format.

Trend Line: Sales Over Time

  • Add a time-based chart to visualize sales over time.

  • Basedash automatically adds a date range variable at the top (daily, weekly, last 90 days, etc.).

Pie Chart: Orders by Category

  • Add a pie chart to display orders segmented by product category.

Quick KPIs

Add more indicators:

  • Total number of customers

  • Total number of products

  • Most recent orders

Now we have a high-level dashboard showing:

  • Number of sales

  • Sales trends

  • Order categories

  • Customer and product counts

  • Recent orders

Style and Organize the Dashboard

  • Click Done Editing.

  • Add a color and icon to your dashboard.

  • Favorite it to pin it to the top of your dashboards list.

Build the “Product View” Dashboard

  • Create a new dashboard named Product View.

  • Add a variable so you can select a specific product.

Add a Product Selector Variable

  • Name the variable: product.

  • Link it to the products table in the demo database.

  • This shows all products and their IDs for selection.

Detailed Row View

  • Choose a specific product to view detailed values for that row (e.g., baby onesie).

  • Display this using the detail chart type.

Sales History for the Selected Product

  • Add a chart showing sales over the last few months.

  • If the volume is low, try using a table instead of a time bar.

Show Related Products in the Same Category

  • Add a chart that pulls other products in the same category.

Category Name Indicator

  • Add a simple indicator to show the name of the category.

  • Example: Pocket square belongs to the Accessories category.

Now you can:

  • Dive into any product

  • See its category and recent sales

  • View related products

  • Access row-level product details

Go Deeper with Natural-Language SQL

  • Click on a product and use the Edit SQL Query button.

  • A chat interface appears with SQL on the right.

  • Example prompt:"Only show products in the category where the price is higher than the selected product".

Basedash rewrites the query to match.

  • You can view results (e.g., all products more expensive than the $16 baby onesie).

  • You can revert changes and rerun previous queries if needed.

Final Touches

  • Give the Product View dashboard an icon and mark it as a favorite.

Now you have:

  • A high-level overview dashboard

  • A detailed product view dashboard with filtering and product insights

Bonus: Chat With Your Data

You don’t always need a dashboard!

Try chatting directly with Basedash:

  • "What tables do I have in this database?"

    → Basedash shows tables like products, categories, customers, orders, and order items.

  • "How are customers related to orders?"

    → It explains that customer_id in orders maps to the customers table.

  • "How many orders did we get last month?"

    → It runs the query and returns: 16 orders in February.

This is a powerful way to interact with your data without building a dashboard.

Invite Teammates & Next Steps

Now you’re ready to:

  • Invite a teammate to Basedash

  • Let them explore or build their own dashboards

Thanks for watching—and have fun exploring your data!