Data Query

A data query is the saved definition of what a chart or table card should show - which metrics and dimensions to use, for which dates, with which filters, sorting, and optional comparison. It is separate from the live numbers: the query is configuration; the results appear after Jepto runs that query against your Data Model.

This article covers the building blocks, the card editor DATA tab, date ranges, filters (card and page), comparison and sort, multi-source / Unified fields, AI Edit, and troubleshooting.

At a glance

• Chart and table cards store a data query (metrics, dimensions, time, filters, comparison, sort, sources).
• Edit it under Settings -> DATA, or draft it with AI Edit - then review.
• Use Default Date Range makes the card follow the report/page date picker; turn it off for a card-specific window.
• Filters stack: card filters (always on) + page date/dropdown filters (interactive on the report).
• Field names always come from the Data Model (including custom / formula fields).
• Text, HTML, and image cards do not use a metrics data query; analysis cards are narrative, not a standard query.

What is a data query?

For a chart or table, the data query answers:

1. What to measure - metrics (clicks, spend, sessions, ...)
2. How to break it down - dimensions (campaign, device, date, ...)
3. Which period - date range and granularity (day, week, month, ...)
4. What to include / exclude - filters
5. How to compare - previous period or previous year (optional)
6. How to order results - sort (optional)
7. Which platforms - data sources tied to the card

In the card editor preview area you may see tabs such as:

• Card Preview - the chart or table as readers will see it
• Data Preview - tabular breakdown of the result
• Data Query - a read-only view of the query shape derived from the saved settings

Building blocks

Metrics

Each metric is a field from the Data Model, for example:

• googleAds clicks / spend fields
• googleAnalytics4 sessions
• unified.spend
• A custom formula field you created

In the editor, pickers may be labeled Metric, Metrics, Data to Display, or axis-specific names (Metric (Vertical Axis)).

Metrics include an aggregation (Sum, Average, Min, Max, Count, Count distinct) aligned with the field definition in the Data Model.

Dimensions

Dimensions group the metrics - campaign, country, device, channel, and so on. Time-series charts also use a time dimension (date field) plus granularity.

Optional breakdown dimensions add a second grouping (for example spend over time broken down by channel).

Time

The card's time settings typically include:

• Date / time field - often a unified or source date field
• Granularity - Day, Week, Month, Quarter, Year
• Date range source - follow the report (global) or use a card-specific range
• Date range value - presets (last30days, thisMonth, ...) or fixed dates

See Date range and granularity.

Filters

A filter is a condition on a Data Model field, for example:

• Campaign name contains "Brand"
• Country equals Australia
• Clicks greater than 0

Filters may be simple rules or grouped with AND / OR logic. Details: Filters.

Comparison

When enabled, Jepto can compare the primary range to:

• Previous period - the window of equal length immediately before
• Previous year - the same calendar window a year earlier

Useful for "vs last period" and YoY storylines on charts.

Sort and limits

• Sort By + Order (asc / desc) - rankings, top campaigns, ordered tables
• Tables also use page size / row limits for paging

Edit a data query in the card editor

Open the editor

1. Open a report.
2. Select a chart or table card (or create one).
3. Open Settings.
4. Go to the DATA tab.

Typical DATA tab controls

Exact labels vary slightly by chart type, but you will usually see:

1. Use Default Date Range - on = follow report/page dates; off = set a card-level Date Range.
2. Time dimension / Granularity (time series and many tables).
3. Dimension / Breakdown dimension (category charts, optional series split).
4. Metrics / Data to Display - add one or more metrics; optionally show aggregation.
5. Options - Comparison toggle + period; Sort By + Order.
6. Tables - Add Dimension / Add Metric, often with drag reorder.

Field pickers load from the client's Data Model. If a field is missing, fix connections or create a custom field first.

Preview toolbar

In preview you can often adjust:

• Preview Date Range
• Chart data filters (filter icon)
• Refresh

Important: Preview date/filters are for exploring in the editor. They do not permanently change the saved card until you update the saved DATA / filter settings.

Changes on the DATA tab typically autosave to the card. Live report viewers see the saved query when the report loads or refreshes.

Date range and granularity

Use Default Date Range

AI-created cards are generally set to follow the report date so the whole page stays consistent when a viewer changes the date picker.

Granularity

Granularity stays part of the saved card. When viewers change the page date range, Jepto still aggregates at the card's configured interval.

Date range expressions (examples)

Presets and relative windows you may see in saved queries or AI output:

• today, yesterday
• thisWeek, thisMonth, thisYear
• lastWeek, lastMonth, lastYear
• last7days, last30days, last90days
• Relative pairs such as 3MonthsAgo -> today
• Fixed ISO pairs such as 2024-01-01 -> 2024-12-31
• Empty / default with Use Default Date Range on -> use the report/page picker

Tip: Put the story in the card subtitle ("Spend vs previous period"), not a hard-coded date string, so the card stays correct when the page date changes.

Filters: card, page, and report

Filters in Jepto stack. Understanding the layers prevents "why is my chart empty?" moments.

Layer A - Card data filters (saved on the card)

Always applied when the card runs:

1. Inline filters - built in the card filter panel (Chart data filters), saved with the card.
2. Linked / saved filters - filters from your Filters library attached to the card (shown as chips).

Use card filters for definitions that should never change for that visualization - for example "Brand campaigns only" on a brand performance chart.

Layer B - Page filters (interactive on the report)

Filter cards on the report layout let viewers narrow the page:

Filter scope: A dropdown can target all cards on the page or a specific set of cards (targetCardIds / filter scope in product language). Use scope when one dropdown should only affect a section of the report.

Empty selection / "all selected" typically means no extra filter for that control.

Layer C - Report defaults

The report/page default date range is what cards with Use Default Date Range follow. There is not a separate third "report filters" object beyond page date + filter cards + card-level filters.

How they combine

On each run, Jepto applies the card's saved filters and any active page filters that apply to that card (AND-style combination where both exist).

Comparison and sort

Comparison

1. On the DATA tab, enable Comparison.
2. Choose Previous period or Previous year.
3. Confirm the chart type supports a clear comparison display (many time series and KPI-style cards work well).

Sort

1. Set Sort By to a metric or dimension field.
2. Choose asc or desc.
3. For "top N" style tables, combine sort descending with table page size / limits and optional filters.

Multi-source and Unified fields

Cards can use one or more connected platforms:

1. Card sources - the platform(s) attached to the card (resolved from the client's data sources at run time).
2. Unified fields - Data Model fields designed for cross-platform questions (for example shared spend or date concepts).
3. Custom / formula fields - combine metrics across sources in the Data Model with Formulas, then select the custom field like any other metric.

Practical guidance

• Prefer Unified when the Data Model offers it for your question.
• Keep filters and page dropdowns on fields that exist for those sources.
• If a metric only exists in Google Ads, do not expect it to populate a Meta-only breakdown.

AI Edit and data queries

AI Edit (in the card editor) and report-level AI can draft the same data query from a sentence.

Good prompts:

• "Line chart of Google Ads spend and clicks by day for the report date range"
• "Table of top 10 campaigns by spend with previous period comparison"
• "Donut of sessions by device, exclude direct"

What AI should do:

• Use exact Data Model field names (never invent metrics)
• Set aggregation from the schema
• Set sources from the platforms involved
• Prefer default/report date range unless you ask for fixed dates
• Add filters, comparison, and sort when you ask for them

Always open Settings -> DATA and skim metrics, dimensions, filters, and date settings before sharing the report with a client.

See also: AI Edit a Card.

Which cards use a data query?

Chart-type help articles cover visualization options (CHART / CARD / PALETTE tabs). This article focuses on the shared DATA query.

End-to-end mental model

You choose metrics and dimensions from the Data Model, optionally lock filters, sort, comparison, and granularity on the card. If Use Default Date Range is on, the report's date picker drives the window; otherwise the card keeps its own dates. On the live report, date range and dropdown filter cards can further narrow results for the page (or a scoped set of cards). AI Edit can draft the same query from a sentence; Settings -> DATA remains the manual source of truth.

Tips for better cards

1. Start from the question - "Spend by campaign last 30 days" maps cleanly to metric + dimension + date.
2. One job per card - avoid overcrowding metrics; split stories across cards.
3. Default date on - keep pages coherent for clients changing the date picker.
4. Card filters for definitions; page filters for exploration.
5. Use custom fields for reusable math - define blended spend once in the Data Model instead of re-explaining it in every AI prompt.
6. Check Data Preview when a chart looks wrong - often a filter or dimension grain issue.
7. Name fields in prompts the way they appear in the Data Model when you know them.

Troubleshooting

Related articles

• Data Model - Field catalog and custom fields
• Formula - Building custom metrics and dimensions
• Creating a Card - Add card types to a report
• Table Card / Line Chart Card / other chart articles - Visualization-specific settings
• AI Edit a Card - Natural-language edits
• Refresh Report Data - When and how report data refreshes