Problem Statement
In the current Glide environment, app developers face a significant limitation when attempting to display data from different sources on a single page. The platform restricts each page to a single data source, which means that app creators cannot easily pull relevant information from another source and display it alongside the primary source data. This limitation becomes particularly challenging when creating applications that require comprehensive data analysis or cross-referencing information from various datasets.
For example, consider an app designed to manage customer relationships (CRM) and integrate with a separate database for marketing analytics. The CRM might pull customer contact information, purchase history, and service interactions from one data source. However, the marketing analytics data, such as customer engagement metrics or campaign results, might be stored in a different data source. Both sets of data are highly relevant to each other, and their simultaneous display would provide a more complete and actionable overview for the user.
The current recourse is to create a relation between the two data sets. But what if I want to pull relevant data from a Big Table into page using a Glide Table and filter the Big Table’s information based on two matching data entries from both sources (e.g. using the filter function to match information from the container’s source with the Screen source)?
Use Case: Allowing Containers to Be Source-Specific
Scenario: Displaying Multi-Source Information on a Single Page
Objective: To provide users with a seamless experience by enabling them to view comprehensive information from multiple sources on a single page, enhancing data-driven decision-making and improving user engagement.
Proposed Feature - Source-Specific Containers:
- I would like to use source-specific containers within Glide. This feature would allow him to designate a container on a page that pulls data from a different source than the rest of the page.
- For instance, while the main page continues to pull customer contact information from the CRM data source, a separate container on the same page could be configured to pull engagement metrics from the marketing analytics data source.
- This setup would enable the display of both datasets side-by-side on a single page, providing the end user with a more holistic view of the customer’s profile, combining both transactional and behavioral data.
Benefits of the Feature:
- Improved User Experience: End users can see a more comprehensive set of information without navigating away from the page, enhancing the app’s usability and user satisfaction.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Business owners and marketers can make more informed decisions by viewing all relevant data in a single view, reducing the time spent switching between different datasets.
- Increased App Flexibility: Developers can create more dynamic and functional apps by integrating multiple data sources more effectively, allowing for richer and more versatile applications.
- Streamlined Workflow: Users benefit from a streamlined workflow where related information is accessible in one place, minimizing distractions and interruptions in their data review processes.
Implementation Considerations:
- Data Syncing and Performance: Glide should ensure that containers pulling data from different sources do not negatively impact app performance. Proper data syncing and caching mechanisms would be essential to maintain a smooth user experience.
- User Permissions and Data Security: If the app pulls data from multiple sources, Glide should provide clear guidelines on managing permissions and securing data across different containers.
- Developer Interface: Glide’s builder interface should offer an intuitive way for developers to set source-specific containers, with clear indicators and options to select the desired data source for each container.
Conclusion
By allowing containers within Glide Apps to be source-specific, developers can create more powerful and user-friendly applications that provide users with a comprehensive view of relevant data. This feature would significantly enhance the flexibility and functionality of Glide Apps, catering to diverse use cases where multi-source data integration is critical.