How to Use the Data Browser
The Data Browser has been one of the main navigation tools in AggData Premium for many years, but with version 2.0, we have made it more dynamic, added several features, and directly integrated the exporting ability, so you can quickly download a catalog of list metadata. Below, we will go over the main features, with details on the various fields, filters, and other options available. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact support@aggdata.com.
Navigating the Data Browser
When you first load up the Data Browser, you will see a standard table structure that displays each list in our library with various metadata fields about each list.
Pages can be quickly navigated through to see other lists in the table. The total list count will be updated as you make changes to the filters.
Every column can be sorted ascending or descending. By default, the table will be sorted by the List Name, ascending. Please note that values are blank for some lists in certain columns, and when sorting ascending, the blanks will appear first.
You can alter the number of rows that are shown per page in the table, including an option to show all rows at once.
This button lets you add or remove columns from the table. The List Name is the only required column, though by default, the table will also include List Id, Category, and Records.
This button allows you to filter what shows in the table in various ways, and also what is exported.
When you select a list (or use the top checkbox to select all visible lists), it gives you the option of exporting the current table data to a CSV file.
Each row describes an individual list, and clicking on their list name will bring you to the list page so you download the data or see additional information.
Columns
The following columns are available to include in the Data Browser table, and subsequently in any exported file. Note that the order of the columns is set and not adjustable; the column button simply allows you to show or hide certain fields. To do so, simply select the columns you wish to include, or deselect columns that you would like to exclude. The List Name column is the only required field for the Data Browser. Following is a description of the available fields:
List ID - The primary identifier of the list. It will not change, even if other fields, like the List Name, do change over time. It is also the primary key for accessing data through the API.
List Name - A short, descriptive name of the company that is represented by the list.
Source URL - The website where the data was collected for the list. This is helpful to distinguish between lists that have very similar names, or to verify where the data is sourced.
SIC - The numerical SIC code for the given list. Typically, lists will only have one SIC code.
NAICS Code (Primary) - The number of the NAICS code assigned to this list. This is not a required field so not all lists will have an assigned NAICS Code (Primary).
NAICS Code (Secondary) - The number(s) of one or more additional NAICS codes assigned to this list. This is not a required field so not all lists will have an assigned NAICS Code (Secondary).
Category - A comma separated list of one or more categories that describes the business of the list. These are categories that AggData maintains and assigns. We try to have as few categories per list as possible, but still ensure that the locations for the business are described completely. A few notable categories:
closed - If a business is closed completely, either by closing or selling and rebranding all of its locations, all categories are removed and replaced with the “closed” category.
distributor-* - There are several “distributor” categories, which describe lists that have distributor locations in them. Some of these lists will have normal store locations as well.
Last Updated - The date when the list was most recently updated with new location data.
Parent List ID - Some lists are in a parent/sublist relationship (example: Kroger). For any sublist, this field will designate their parent’s List ID.
Parent List Name - Some lists are in a parent/sublist relationship (example: Kroger). For any sublist, this field will designate their parent’s List Name.
Headers - A comma separated list of all included field names for the most recent version of a list. See the POI Data Dictionary (formally AggData) for details on the individual fields.
Country - A comma separated list of countries that include at least one location in the list.
Records - The number of records in the most recent version of the list. This does not include the count of locations in any sublists. If the value is blank, that represents a zero, which could mean the list is an empty parent, or a list that is affected by COVID temporary closures.
Filters
Filters allow you to reduce the number of lists that are visible in order to narrow down the scope to just the data you are interested in. The table dynamically changes as filters are added and changed. Filters are not saved through sessions, so if you refresh the page, everything will be reset. There are several different filters to choose from, and multiple filters can be applied simultaneously. In terms of logic, the rule of thumb is:
Multiple values within a single filter represent an OR condition. For example, 2 categories means that the set will include any lists that are in at least one of those two categories.
Multiple filters represent an AND condition. For example, if a category and a country are chosen as filters, then the set will only include lists that exist in that country and in the chosen category.
Following are the filtering options:
Category - Filter by the category field. The filter is set up in a tree format, with Parent Categories that can be selected. If a Parent Category is selected, it is as if every category under that parent has been individually selected.
List Name - A text filter of the List Name. As you type, any list that has the typed string as any part of its List Name will be included. Generally, letter variations will be treated the same; for example, typing in “cafe” will include all List names with “Cafe” or “Café” in the name. The filter is not case-sensitive.
SIC - Filter on the SIC code numerical value. Currently only one value can be used in the filter, but partial matches are allowed.
NAICS - Filter on the NAICS code (Primary or Secondary) numerical value. Currently only one value can be used in the filter, but partial matches are allowed.
Last Updated - This is a simple date range to filter by the Last Updated Date for each list. Only one of the date values is required.
Records - Set the minimum and/or maximum number of records a list can have to appear in the table. Both values are not required; for example, you could set the minimum value to 1 to quickly remove all of the empty parents.
Country - Includes every list that has at least one location in the selected country(s).
Headers - Includes every list that has at least one of the selected headers. Some headers will be in every list, but some headers are less common. For example, this filter could be used to find all lists that include an email_address field.
Remove Closed - Checking this filter will remove every list that is in the “closed” category.
Remove Distributor - Checking this filter will remove every list that is in at least one of the distributor categories. It does not keep lists that have some store locations and some distributor locations.
Exporting
At anytime while working with the Data Browser, you may select and export the current List Metadata in the displayed table. The quickest way to do this is to check the box on the left side of the header column. This selects all of the lists in the table and gives the option to export. You can also select specific lists and only export those rows. A few notes on the export feature:
All exports will be in the CSV format.
The export will retain any columns and filters that are currently selected.
The export will not retain the current sort order. It will simply sort the data by the List Name in the exported file.
Any blank values will remain blank in the export, but still retain the selected column schema.