An illustrative quarterly report. Compare the finished numbers with the source rows behind them.
Showing Q3 FY25 report view.
| Department | Actual | Budget | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate | $335,000 | $312,000 | +$23,000 |
| Operations | $219,500 | $218,000 | +$1,500 |
| Research | $158,000 | $150,000 | +$8,000 |
| Total | $712,500 | $680,000 | +$32,500 |
Correction in this quarter: Operations includes -$4,500 to reverse a duplicate shared-services charge before the report is refreshed.
Wdata stores the rows, a parameterized query selects the period, a connection refreshes the spreadsheet input, and cell links carry the result into a document. Each action changes a different layer.
Source ready
Select the period and aggregate its rows.
SELECT department,
SUM(actual) AS actual,
SUM(budget) AS budget
FROM wdata.expense_ledger
WHERE period = :period
GROUP BY department:period = Q3 FY25The refresh updates the input sheet; calculations stay on their own sheet.
Refresh replaces unlocked input rows with the latest query result.
=input_actual - budgetMake corrections in the source, where the next refresh picks them up.
The published table and narrative share a source.
| Destination | Published | Pending |
|---|---|---|
| Operations actual | $224,000 | — |
Operations actual is $224,000 for Q3 FY25.
Pending link change:
Connection refresh and link publication are separate actions.
Correct the source, then refresh the connection.
Wdata holds the source rows, spreadsheet calculations turn them into figures, and links carry those figures into the report.
Wdata fact table
| Department ID | Period | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OPS | Q3 FY25 | 224,000 |
| OPS | Q3 FY25 | −4,500 |
| CORP | Q3 FY25 | 335,000 |
Wdata dimension table
| Department ID | Report label |
|---|---|
| OPS | Operations |
| CORP | Corporate |
department_idThe query filters to the period, joins the department mapping, and totals the activity.
SELECT d.report_label,
SUM(l.amount) AS actual
FROM ledger l
LEFT JOIN departments d
ON l.department_id = d.id
WHERE l.period = :period
GROUP BY d.report_labelCheck unmapped keys and source totals before the result feeds a report.
Query results refresh into a spreadsheet sheet. Connected cells stay protected; they are not the place for a manual correction.
Separate sheets calculate variances and reporting totals. Numeric formulas stay numeric; native formatting controls their presentation.
Source cells feed the document tables and narrative. After review, publishing the links updates the document, so nothing is copied by hand.
Chains can orchestrate imports, query runs, and connection refreshes through configured connectors. Permissions, parameters, exception handling, and review points still need deliberate design.
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