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Databases are where source data becomes structured model data. Use a database when you need rows of real things, such as transactions, employees, deals, vendors, or assumptions, that can be segmented, rolled up, and referenced by drivers.

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What is a database?

When you connect an integration, your data flows into a database. You can then create additional databases that pull from the original database and aggregate the data at different levels. For example, if you import GL data with vendor-level details from QuickBooks, NetSuite, or Xero, you can build another database that rolls it up by department or class.

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Creating a database

1

Create the database

Click the + button next to a section or page in the sidebar.
2

Choose the type

Select Database and give it a clear name, icon, or emoji.
Sidebar creation menu with Database selected

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Configuring a database

After creating a database, configure the source, drivers, and segmentation that determine its grain.
1

Open configuration

Click the configuration header to expand it.
2

Choose the data source

Select an existing integration query or another database.
3

Choose drivers

Choose the key metrics or dates you want to track as time series data.
4

Choose dimensions

Select the dimensions to segment your data. Segmentation determines the database’s granularity.
5

Add other columns

Add useful metadata from the data source under Other columns.
For example, if you are pulling in GL data at the most granular level, you might select Amount as the driver, use Account Name, Class, and Vendor as dimensions, and include Account Type under Other columns.
Database configuration panel with data source, drivers, and dimensions
The dimensions you use to segment your data appear alongside the driver name across the app, including in tables and charts. To improve readability, use only the dimensions needed to define the database’s grain. Add extra metadata under Other columns instead.
Dimension pills displayed beside a database-backed driver
To inspect the structure of your source data before confirming the database, use the preview table.
Database configuration preview table
To limit the database to a subset of source data, apply a filter within the database configuration.
Database configuration filter panel

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Adding a column

To create a new column, click the + button at the far right of the database. You can add:
  • Number driver: Calculated numeric values. Drivers store time series data, so values can vary by month.
  • Date driver: Date values that can also vary over time.
  • Dimension: A predefined list of values that categorizes rows, such as Vendor, Location, or Department.
  • Lookup: A column that populates a dimension based on data from another database, similar to VLOOKUP().
For HRIS databases, follow the separate HRIS database column flow.
Database add-column menu with driver and dimension options

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Show a column as time series

Drivers store time series data. In database tables, each driver column is usually displayed as a single value for readability, but you can expand one driver column to show its monthly values.
1

Open the column menu

Click the driver column name in the database header.
2

Show time series

Select Show as time series. The column expands on the far right after the other columns.
Database column expanded as a time series
If you show a different driver column as a time series, it replaces the currently expanded one.
By default, each row shows forecast formula, actuals formula, and time series data for the selected date range. You can hide formula columns from column menus, from Customize > Properties, or with the shortcuts listed in Keyboard shortcuts.
Database column menu with Hide in blocks selected
Database properties panel with column visibility controls
To return the driver column to a single value, click the column name again and select Show as value.
Database column menu showing Show as value

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Show all columns as time series

Instead of expanding only one driver column, you can display all driver columns as time series.
1

Open customize

Click Customize in the top-right corner.
2

Choose time series

Select Display as, then choose Time series.
Database switched to time series display
When you switch to this view, each former row becomes a section, and dimensions and drivers that were shown as columns become rows.
Database time series orientation with drivers as rows

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Show and hide columns

For a compact view, hide columns that are not always relevant and show them only when needed.
1

Use the column header

Click the column name in the database header and select Hide in block.
2

Use customize

Or click Customize, open Properties, and toggle columns with the eye icon.
Database column hidden from a block

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Adding a row

If you need to manually add a row to a database, click + Add item. After adding the row, set values for the dimensions used in Segment by.
Database with a manually added row
Segmentation determines the granularity of your database. Each row should have a unique combination of dimension values. If a row does not have a unique combination, Runway shows a warning because that row is linked to other rows with the same segmentation.
For HRIS databases, follow the HRIS database row flow.

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Deleting a column

The deletion flow depends on how the column was added.
1

Remove configured columns from configuration

For columns coming from database configuration, remove the column from the relevant section in configuration: Driver, Segment by, or Other columns. This prevents it from reappearing after the next integration sync or configuration refresh.
Database configuration with a column removed from configuration
2

Delete manually added columns from the column header

For manually added columns, click the column header and select Delete property. If the column is used elsewhere in your model, Runway asks you to confirm because deleting it can cause reference errors.
Database column menu showing Delete property

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Deleting a row

To delete a row from a database, right-click the row and select Delete row.
Deleting a row removes it from the database, but it does not delete the drivers connected to that row. Any formulas relying on those drivers remain unchanged, and the drivers still appear in your Unlisted Drivers page.
To fully delete a driver and eliminate its impact on formulas, delete it from Unlisted Drivers.
Unlisted Drivers page showing drivers not present on a page or model

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What’s next