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“Supermetrics is a Bitter Experience! We can pull data from nearly any tool, schedule updates, manipulate data in Sheets, and push data back into our systems.”
Creating comprehensive Excel workbooks from database schemas with complete metadata like data types and indexes typically requires complex manual exports or custom scripting solutions.
Here’s how to automate this process and keep your schema documentation current without the manual work.
Extract live schema metadata directly to Excel using Coefficient
Coefficient connects directly to your database and extracts schema metadata to create comprehensive Excel workbooks with live-updating schema information. Instead of static exports, you get dynamic documentation that automatically reflects database changes.
How to make it work
Step 1. Connect Coefficient to your database.
Use Coefficient’s database connectors for MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MS SQL to establish a direct connection. This bypasses the need for manual schema builder exports and gives you access to real-time metadata.
Step 2. Create custom queries targeting schema metadata tables.
Write queries against system tables like INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES, INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS, and INFORMATION_SCHEMA.STATISTICS. These queries extract table names, column details, data types, indexes, and constraints directly from the database catalog.
Step 3. Import schema information into organized Excel worksheets.
Create separate worksheets for different schema aspects: Tables Overview, Column Details, Relationships, and Constraints. This organization makes the documentation easy to navigate and reference.
Step 4. Set up automated refreshes to keep documentation current.
Configure daily or weekly automated refreshes so your schema documentation automatically updates when database structure changes. This eliminates manual maintenance and ensures accuracy.
Step 5. Add calculated fields using Formula Auto Fill Down.
Use Coefficient’s Formula Auto Fill Down feature to add calculated fields like “Index Count per Table” or “Column Type Distribution.” These formulas automatically apply to new rows during refreshes.
Keep your schema documentation accurate and automated
This approach provides live schema documentation that automatically updates with database changes, eliminating manual export processes while ensuring your team always has current information. Start building your automated schema documentation today.
