Analytics Connector

The GrowthPath Analytics Connector connects Cin7 Core to Zoho Analytics, Microsoft Power BI, and other data warehouse tools for advanced reporting.

Key Features

• Powerful ETL layer for historical data cleanup and consistency across multiple Cin7 Core instances and legacy data
• Supports multiple instances, converts different base currencies to a common reporting currency
• Built on the GrowthPath Application Server — a robust, very high-volume integration platform using parallel API connections and a sophisticated cache
• Advanced tables offering critical reporting not possible with standard Cin7 Core endpoints as used by other data integrations
• Rolling updates every two hours, automatic integrity checking, very high volume capability
• Tables published by PostgreSQL, enabling Power BI and most modern analytics tools
• No co-tenanting — your data and computational resources are isolated on a client-specific server stack hosted on AWS Kubernetes

Table Schema

View the latest table schema from a test server.

Currently the Analytics Connector prepares more than 25 tables. They are not just a copy of Cin7 Core’s master data and transactional data, but include tables which combine data for insights beyond Cin7 Core’s reporting. For example, an overview per order of what has been shipped, invoiced, is in fulfilment, credited, and returned.

Data Transformation

The Connector allows for a client-specific transformation layer which can correct and adjust historical data on the fly. For example:

• Standardise attribute values across instances (e.g., “Gray” in one system, “Grey” in another)
• Spread Shopify discounts into the net price of the order for better margin analysis
• Correct historical data errors and badly-designed attributes

Integrity Checking

The Connector has automatic integrity checking. Web-based APIs are not as reliable as traditional high-speed integrations running on the same server. The GrowthPath connector verifies data accuracy after each sync cycle.

Architecture

Cin7 Core API ──→ GrowthPath Cache ──→ ETL Layer ──→ PostgreSQL Tables
                                                         │
                                                         ├── Zoho Analytics (via API)
                                                         ├── Power BI (via PostgreSQL connector)
                                                         └── Any analytics tool (via PostgreSQL)

Zoho Analytics Integration

Zoho Analytics is a cloud-based data warehouse and reporting tool. The GrowthPath connector uses a robust API connector with excellent retry capability (this is open-sourced).

Video Tutorials

• Using Zoho Analytics to calculate the value of invoices without matching shipments
• Part 1: Analytics Connector with Zoho Analytics
• Part 2: Analytics Connector with Zoho Analytics

Power BI and Other Analytics Tools

The GrowthPath connector populates a cloud PostgreSQL server (dedicated, not multi-tenant). This provides a high-quality set of tables for use with Microsoft Power BI and as a feed for other analytics tools. The tables have relationships defined so Power BI can help link data from transactional tables to master data tables.

This avoids having to write a custom integration into Cin7 Core’s API. The GrowthPath connection uses an advanced and robust connection that is much more tested than a one-off integration made by an analytics vendor.

Example Reports

Unmatched Revenue and COGS

Annoyed by invoices without COGS in the reporting period? With the Analytics Connector, you can run an as-of report for any date in history, showing invoices without matching COGS at the date you want (or vice versa: shipments without invoices). This is a very difficult report with standard tools.

Multiple Instances

If you have one Cin7 Core instance where products have a colour attribute “Blue” and another where the same colour is coded as “BL”, the Connector can combine these to a common colour or common tag without needing to change historical data.