Add Environments in Nectari

An environment is a working context that defines what data and content users have access to. Each environment connects to its own set of data sources, so the same data models and views can point to different databases depending on which environment is active.

You can create as many environments as needed and switch between them at any time using the environment selector in the navigation panel. The selected environment applies to all open views. Each environment has a unique color that appears around the environment name in the navigation panel, making it easy to tell which one is active at a glance.

If you created dedicated Oracle or SQL Server database users during installation, add them to Nectari before assigning them to an environment.

When to use multiple environments

• Separate production from sandbox so users can explore and test changes without affecting live data.
• Control data access by restricting which databases and reports are visible based on the active environment.
• Isolate administration tasks by keeping administrative data sources and configurations in a dedicated environment.

Add an environment

1. In the navigation panel, select the gear icon to open the Administration page.
2. Select Env. & Data Sources.
3. In the Environments panel, select the + icon.
4. Enter an Environment Name and an Abbreviated Name.
5. Choose a color by selecting Apply, or enter a HEX code manually.
6. Select Confirm.

note

To set an environment as the default for new users, select it from the list and select Set as Default.

Common environment setups

You can create as many environments as needed. Here are the most common setups.

Production

Production

The main environment where users access live data. This is typically the default environment for all users.

• Name: Production
• Abbreviated name: Prod
• Suggested color: green

When you create the production data source, use the administrative user and the minimum permissions for the Nectari Schema.

Administration

Administration

A restricted environment for administrative tasks like managing data sources, configuring templates, or running maintenance operations. Typically only accessible to administrators.

• Name: Administration
• Abbreviated name: Admin
• Suggested color: red

When you create the admin data source, use the administrative user credentials for the Nectari Schema.

Sandbox

Sandbox

An optional environment where users can test changes, build new content, or explore data without affecting production.

• Name: Sandbox
• Abbreviated name: Sand
• Suggested color: orange

The sandbox data source can point to the same database as production or to a separate copy, depending on how isolated you want it to be.

ExampleWorking on changes in a separate environment#

Scenario

Your company just installed the Sage 100 Premium template. The BI administrator wants to customize the Executive Sales Summary dashboard before the sales team sees it. At the same time, managers are already using the existing production dashboards for their daily work.

Details

Main environment (green)
Environment used by sales managers daily for their dashboards and views.

Draft environment (blue)
Environment used by the BI administrator to customize the dashboard, adjust KPIs, and validate the numbers before publishing to the main environment.

Keep in mind

Without a separate environment, any change to a dashboard or data model is immediately visible to all users. With multiple environments, the administrator can work on changes separately while the main environment stays untouched.

Rename an environment

Make you have different and easy naming for each environment to help for...

1. In the Environments panel, select the environment you want to rename.
2. Select the pencil icon.
3. Enter the new name and select Confirm.