Connecting to Data · Legacy self-service product
Connect Your Data
Bring data from any source into Scoop for AI-powered analysis
Scoop connects to data wherever it lives—spreadsheets, cloud applications, databases, or automated reports. Choose the connection method that fits your data and automation needs, and Scoop handles the rest.
Connection Methods at a Glance
| Method | Best For | Setup Time | Automation |
|---|---|---|---|
| File Upload | Quick exploration, one-time analysis | Seconds | Manual |
| Data Email | Recurring reports from any system | Minutes | Automatic |
| SaaS Connector | Live CRM, marketing, support data | Minutes | Automatic |
| Database | Warehouse and operational data | 10-30 min | Automatic |
Quick Decision Guide
| I want to... | Use This | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quickly explore a spreadsheet | File Upload | Fastest way to start |
| Automate recurring reports | Data Email | Set and forget |
| Connect CRM, marketing, etc. | SaaS Connector | Live sync, full API access |
| Query my data warehouse | Database Connector | Direct SQL access |
| Combine multiple sources | Blended Dataset | Unified analysis |
File Upload
Best for: One-time analysis, prototyping, small datasets
| Format | Support |
|---|---|
| CSV | ✅ Full support |
| Excel (.xlsx, .xls) | ✅ Full support |
| Tab-separated | ✅ Full support |
| Google Sheets | ✅ Via link |
How it works:
- Drag and drop file into Scoop
- Preview and adjust column detection
- Confirm and start analyzing
Limits: Up to 50 MB for browser upload
Data Email
Best for: Automated ingestion of scheduled reports
Scoop provides a unique email address for each dataset. Forward reports from any system for automatic ingestion.
| Works With | Examples |
|---|---|
| CRM exports | Salesforce, HubSpot scheduled reports |
| ERP exports | NetSuite, SAP report emails |
| Marketing reports | Campaign platform exports |
| Any system | Anything with "email report" feature |
Supported attachments:
- CSV and Excel files
- PDF reports (with table extraction)
- Multiple files per email
Learn more: Data Email Ingestion
SaaS Connectors
Best for: Live connections to cloud applications
Connect directly to 100+ popular applications with OAuth authentication:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| CRM | Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Monday.com |
| Marketing | Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Marketo |
| Support | Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk |
| Finance | QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe |
| Product | Mixpanel, Amplitude, Segment |
| Operations | Jira, Asana, Airtable |
Features:
- One-click OAuth setup
- Automatic field discovery
- Daily sync (or more frequent)
- Snapshot tracking for entity data
Browse Connectors: Specific Applications
Database Connectors
Best for: Data warehouses and operational databases
Connect to databases for live queries or scheduled extracts:
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Cloud Warehouses | Snowflake, BigQuery, Redshift |
| Relational | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server |
| Cloud Databases | Azure SQL, AWS RDS |
Features:
- Custom SQL queries
- Table or view selection
- Scheduled extracts
- Incremental loading
Learn more: Database Connections
What Happens After Connection
Once your data is connected, Scoop automatically:
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Scan | Detects columns, types, dates, hierarchies |
| Clean | Identifies subtotals, hidden rows, formatting |
| Profile | Computes statistics, distributions, quality metrics |
| Index | Prepares data for AI-powered queries |
| Ready | Full analysis capabilities available |
AI Understanding
Scoop's AI learns about your data:
- Column meanings and relationships
- Potential metrics and dimensions
- Suggested visualizations
- Natural language query readiness
Choosing the Right Method
File Upload vs. Data Email
| Factor | File Upload | Data Email |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Manual each time | Automatic on schedule |
| Best for | Exploration, testing | Production workflows |
| Setup | Instant | Configure once |
Recommendation: Start with File Upload to explore, upgrade to Data Email when you need automation.
Data Email vs. SaaS Connector
| Factor | Data Email | SaaS Connector |
|---|---|---|
| Data freshness | Report schedule | Daily/real-time |
| Setup | Email address | OAuth flow |
| Flexibility | Any report format | API-defined fields |
Recommendation: Use SaaS Connector when available; Data Email for systems without API access.
SaaS Connector vs. Database
| Factor | SaaS Connector | Database |
|---|---|---|
| Access | OAuth permissions | Database credentials |
| Data | Application objects | Raw tables |
| Best for | App-specific data | Warehouse/BI data |
Recommendation: SaaS Connector for application data; Database for warehouse data.
Combining Multiple Sources
Blended Datasets
Create unified datasets by blending multiple sources:
| Blend Type | Example |
|---|---|
| CRM + Marketing | Attribution analysis |
| Sales + Finance | Revenue recognition |
| Support + Product | Customer health scoring |
Getting Started
- Identify your data source — Where does the data live?
- Check for native connector — Browse SaaS Connectors
- Consider automation needs — One-time or recurring?
- Start simple — File Upload for exploration, upgrade later
Tip: You can always change connection types. Start with what's easiest, then optimize for automation and freshness as your needs evolve.
Next Steps
- Upload a File — Get started in seconds
- Choose a Data Source — Detailed comparison
- Best Practices — Optimize your data
- SaaS Applications — Browse connectors
- Database Connections — Warehouse setup