How to Populate Your Dashboard Without Data Connections

So, if there are no data connections, how can you update your dashboard?

We've made it as easy as possible to populate your dashboards with data—without needing to open firewalls, adjust security settings, or transfer sensitive data elsewhere for analysis. With Output Charts, you only provide the end result—the insights you want to deliver.

Method 1: Manual Data Entry ✍️

The simplest way to update your dashboard is manually while editing your charts. Each chart has its own settings, including a data input option.

Steps to Manually Update Data:

1. Click on the database database icon in the chart toolbar to open the data editor.
2. Enter your dataset in JSON format following the provided example.
3. Not comfortable with JSON? No problem! You can also:
   • Provide data in CSV format
   • Type values directly into the raw data field and click on the 🪄 magic wand button
4. Our AI-powered formatting will convert your input into a properly structured dataset for your chart.

This method is great if you prefer hands-on control over your data or if updates are infrequent.

Method 2: Automated Updates via API 🚀

For paid subscribers, we provide an API to update chart data programmatically. This is ideal for keeping dashboards fresh and up-to-date without manual intervention.

How to Use the Chart Data API:

1. Get an API Key from your profile page.
2. While editing your dashboard, click on "View API Call" in the chart toolbar to see a sample request for updating that specific chart.
3. Use the following example to update a Pie Chart displaying pharmacy cost breakdown dynamically:

const updateChart = async () => {
  const response = await fetch(
    'https://api.outputcharts.com/update-chart-data',
    {
      method: 'PUT',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': 'Bearer [YOUR API KEY]',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        chartId: 'cfc6f2cc-4e7a-41b1-a869-9012cfebe7a9',
        data: [
          { "name": "Generic", "value": 72.0 },
          { "name": "Brand", "value": 18.2 },
          { "name": "Other", "value": 9.7 }
        ]
      })
    }
  );

  const result = await response.json();
  console.log(result);
};

updateChart();

Understanding the API Call:

• chartId – This is the unique identifier for the chart you are updating.
• Authorization Header – Replace [YOUR API KEY] with the key from your profile.
• data – The new dataset for your chart.

Automate Data Updates with Scripts & Cloud Functions ⏳

With the API, you can integrate updates into your workflow:
✅ Set up an AWS Lambda function to fetch new data daily and update your charts.
✅ Use a cron job to run a shell script that makes an API request using curl.
✅ Connect with any backend service that needs to push fresh data to your dashboards.

With Output Charts, you stay in control of your data—we don’t store credentials, require access to your database, or track your sensitive information. Just plug in your results, update when needed, and share your insights effortlessly.