Using your data in Sidekick: FAQs

1. How do I get my data into Sidekick?

During the open beta, eligible Builder Pro customers can submit data for mySidewalk to review and prepare for use in Sidekick.

Start with the submission link here. Sign in, complete the form, and submit your data file with a short explanation of what you want to do. If the data come from another source, download the file you want to use and submit it. We are not able to process data using a link to the source website.

Our team reviews your submission and prepares your data for Sidekick. When your data are ready, we'll add them to a project in your organization's mySidewalk account and email you with guidance for getting started.

If your file can't be processed, we'll email you to explain what needs to change. Update the file and submit it again the same way. If your data aren't a fit for the beta, we'll explain why, and your customer success manager can help you think through other options.

2. What kinds of data can I use?

You can submit data your organization collects or data you obtain from another source. Examples include resident survey results, program and referral data, and published community datasets such as ALICE. Tabular files, such as CSVs and Excel spreadsheets, are a starting point for review.

A good-fit dataset contains the measures, places, and time periods you need, with enough explanation for our team to understand them. You don't need to do all the preparation yourself: our team can transform and aggregate suitable data. 

The beta is best suited to work where quarterly or less frequent updates meet your needs. A published survey used for planning and briefings is a better fit than a daily feed used to monitor activity as it happens.

Do not include personally identifiable information or protected health information in your submission. Provide community-level or aggregated data suitable for this use.

3. How do I tell Sidekick which dataset to use?

Open the project containing your data. In the Sidekick message box, click the paperclip, select Choose from project, check the dataset, and click Add file. Send your question with that dataset attached.

Having a dataset listed in your project is not the same as attaching it to your question. If Sidekick asks you to provide data you know is in the project, check that you've attached it to the conversation.

You can continue asking follow-up questions in that conversation without attaching the same dataset to every message. When you start a new conversation, attach the dataset you want to use there.

Here is a video walk-through to use Sidekick with your data.

4. What if I don't know what to ask?

A good place to start is by asking about the data:

Sidekick can explain what the data measures, which places and time periods it covers, and suggest questions to explore.

You can also start with a question from your day-to-day work—the kind you might ask a colleague.

For example, if your data is survey data:

Choose a suggestion or follow up on something in the answer. Naming your goal, such as preparing a partner briefing or planning outreach, helps give the conversation direction. You don't need a special prompt formula to get started.

5. Can Sidekick make charts and maps from my data?

Yes. Sidekick can use prepared datasets to create charts and maps that help you explore and explain the results. Ask for the measure, time period, and geography you want to see.

The available visualizations depend on your dataset. A map needs geographic information, and a comparison over time needs data for the periods you're comparing. Review the labels, units, time periods, and source information to make sure the result answers your question.

You can edit the presentational details like titles, labels, and units in the report interface, but if you want to change the data and geographies inside of a visualization, you'll have to ask Sidekick to make those edits. 

6. Can I use my data alongside mySidewalk's community data?

Yes. Sidekick can use your prepared data alongside mySidewalk's community data to help you understand the broader context.

For example, you might explore referral patterns alongside community demographics, or use ALICE data alongside poverty measures to explain financial hardship.

Attach your dataset and describe the connection you want to explore. For example, if you added ALICE data, you might prompt Sidekick with:

Review whether the places, time periods, and definitions are comparable. Two measures may describe different populations or different aspects of the same issue. Ask Sidekick to explain those differences before drawing conclusions.

7. Can I use my data in Build?

Yes. You can use prepared datasets in Sidekick Build to develop a briefing, needs assessment, grant narrative, or other deliverable grounded in your data.

Open the project, choose Build, attach the dataset, and describe what you need to produce. Include the audience, purpose, geography, and time period. If you want supporting community data, say so.

Use Ask when you want to explore the data or answer a question. Use Build when you're ready to work toward a complete deliverable. Review and refine the result with your knowledge of the community before sharing it.

8. Who can access my data?

Your prepared dataset is added to a project in your organization's mySidewalk account. Only people with access to your organization's mySidewalk account can access the dataset, through the project it lives in.

mySidewalk staff have the access needed to review, prepare, and support your data. Sidekick's AI providers process content to produce responses, but your prompts, data, and work products are not used to train AI models.

Before sharing a deliverable, review which data it includes and who should receive it.

9. How do I update a dataset or correct an error?

During the open beta, use the data submission form to provide the corrected file. Include the project and dataset name, what changed or looks wrong, and the relevant measure, place, and time period.

If you experience an issue while using Sidekick, contact support or your customer success manager, and include the conversation link and what you expected to see. Our team will investigate the issue and provide you an update.