Data access

Use this category when you want to bring uploaded or source data into node formulas, or send data to an external service and return the result to the model.

These functions connect your model logic to data outside the formula itself.

Start here if…

You want to reference a measure from an uploaded table
You want to connect data using the Function Editor UI
You want to send cube inputs to an external service and return a result cube

Not here if…

You want to filter, fill, pick, or rank data after loading it → see Filtering & data shaping
You want to reshape granularity → see Dimensionality & hierarchies

Mental model

DATA returns values from a specific data table measure
API_CALL sends one or more input cubes to an external endpoint and expects a result cube in return

Common patterns

Reference a data-table measure

Use when a node should represent a measure from uploaded or source data.

DATA("DataSourceName", "TableName", "MeasureName")

Set the unit on a DATA result

Optional, use when you want to explicitly supply a unit.

DATA("Model Data", "Gross_Sales", "Price", "EUR")

Use the UI to connect data

Use the Data button in the Function Editor to build the DATA call for you.

Call an external service

Use when logic or data lives outside Valsight and returns the result.

API_CALL("https://externalServer.com/sumTwoNodes", ['Node A', 'Node B'], ["Year", "Country"])

Functions in this category

Function	Description
DATA	References a data table directly and returns its values.
API_CALL	Calls an external application with an HTTP POST request to a specified URL and returns the result to the model.

Choosing between similar functions

DATA vs API_CALL

Use DATA when the values already exist in your uploaded/source tables and should be consumed directly in the model
Use API_CALL when the values must be computed or retrieved externally and returned as a cube

Pitfalls & troubleshooting

DATA returns empty: verify DataSource, Table, Measure names match exactly
DATA is empty for specific slices: check whether your model dimensions, levels and level values match the uploaded table values (name/case)
Units behave unexpectedly: confirm whether you rely on measure metadata or explicitly set the optional unit parameter in DATA
API_CALL is unavailable: it may require enablement (for example a separate subscription or configuration)
API_CALL returns an error: ensure the response follows the expected Valsight table/cube JSON structure and includes the required result shape; otherwise Valsight can’t cast it into a node
API_CALL fails due to restrictions: check configuration limits (for example allowed URLs, payload size/row limits, and timeouts)

Function catalog: full signatures, parameters, and examples
Filtering & data shaping: select, fill, pick, rank after loading data
Dimensionality & hierarchies: make the loaded data match required output shape