Parabola basics
You can build just about any type of data automation you can imagine in Parabola — from processes that update dashboards in real time to automations that can update your Shopify instance or send an email alert to your team at a regular cadence.
There are four fundamental components to building Parabola Flows:
- Steps that pull data in from sources like emails, PDFs, databases, systems like Netsuite and Shopify, or wherever else you get data
- Steps that transform data like Edit Columns, Remove Duplicates, or Add Math Column
- Steps that send data out to destinations like email, Slack, Parabola Tables, and databases
- Cards to document processes
Now that you’re familiar with the basics of Parabola, let’s dive into step 1: pulling in data.
Parabola Fundamentals: Automating Any Data Process
Parabola is a powerful tool that lets you automate just about any type of data process—whether it’s:
✅ Creating a sales & inventory dashboard
✅ Sending automated emails
✅ Updating Shopify every 10 minutes
The 4 Types of Steps in Parabola
Whenever you're building in Parabola, you start with a blank canvas and use four key step types:
1️⃣ Importing Data
- Pull in data from any source, including:
- CSV files
- Emails & PDFs
- APIs & Databases
2️⃣ Transforming Data
- Manipulate data in any way you’d manually do in a spreadsheet, such as:
- Editing columns
- Removing duplicates
- Applying math formulas
3️⃣ Exporting Data
- Once your data is cleaned and structured, send it where it needs to go:
- Parabola Tables (to populate dashboards)
- Emails, databases, APIs
4️⃣ Documenting Your Process
- Add cards to the canvas for better documentation
- Helps teams easily understand the workflow when shared
Next Steps in Parabola University
Now that we've covered Parabola’s core functionality, the next lesson will focus on pulling in data from different sources.
Check out the building challenge below to practice setting up your first workflow! 🚀