I recently started exploring the functionalities of Data Activator in Microsoft Fabric, and I must say, it offers an impressive solution for comparing conditions to data and taking action based on those conditions. Data Activator simplifies data import from various experiences, such as Event Streams, facilitates the initiation of Power Automate routines, and allows real-time data visualization using Power BI.

Experience with Data Activators

I had a hands-on experience with Data Activator, and here’s an overview of the process:

1. Create a Reflex: Reflex items contain all the necessary details to connect to data sources, monitor conditions, and initiate actions. Each business segment or process may require a separate Reflex.
2. Design Mode: In this mode, we define objects with their properties, events, and triggers. We then add data sources and analyze the data in the Data mode.
3. Data Mode: This mode allows the addition of data sources from EventStreams and Power BI graphics in a real-world scenario.

Building Reflex and Creating Triggers

To illustrate the process, I created a reflex and added triggers for monitoring conditions and initiating actions. Here’s a summary of the steps involved:

• Selected the data to monitor and added a reflex with a descriptive name.
• Explored the Design mode to define objects and their properties, events, and triggers.
• Navigated through the Data mode to add and view data sources analyzed by the reflex.

Creating Triggers

The process of creating triggers involved

1. Creating an Object: I created a new object for the reflex and selected the events to define trigger conditions.
2. Defining Triggers: I set conditions for triggering specific actions, such as sending an email to the shipping department based on temperature thresholds and other properties.
3. Refining Triggers: I refined the triggers by adding additional filters and defining actions to be taken when the trigger conditions are met.

 

Fundamental Ideas of Data Activator

Data Activator operates on four fundamental ideas:

1. Events: Each data source is represented as a series of events, providing observations about the state of a specific object.
2. Objects: Data Activator considers objects as abstract ideas or concrete entities, allowing the modeling of an object by connecting event streams.
3. Triggers: These are designed to monitor data and events, initiating specific actions when particular conditions are met.
4. Properties: Data Activator enables the reuse of logic across different triggers, allowing for various applications such as monitoring the average brightness levels of a property.

For the public preview, verify that your organization has workspaces with a Fabric capacity and that Data Activator is available in your region. As a preview feature, Data Activator may not be available in all Azure regions.

Experience with Data Activators

, select Data Activator from the menu

Create a Reflex:

A Reflex item contains all the necessary details to connect to data sources, monitor conditions, and initiate actions. You’re likely to set up a Reflex for each business segment or process you’re monitoring.

Select the Reflex (Preview)

Select the data that you want to monitor or easily try reflex with sample data

Once you’ve selected the option to create a Reflex, you see the Get data buttons and the Get sample data button in the canvas. as a part of understanding , i am selecting the sample data

Now, let’s try to understand connecting to data sources and creating triggers to monitor conditions and initiate actions.

Select the sample data; below is the window that will get open

Data Activator creates your reflex with the name Reflex YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss. Since you may have multiple reflexes in your workspace, you should change the default reflex’s name to a more descriptive one. Select the pulldown beside the current reflex name in the upper left-hand corner and change the name to Building Reflex for our example.

The Reflex’s home screen is divided into two sections: the Design mode and the Data mode. 

By choosing the corresponding tab located in the bottom left of the screen, you can change the mode. You define your objects with their properties, events, and triggers on the Design mode tab. You may add data sources and view the data that your reflex analyzes on the Data mode tab. Now let’s check at the Design mode tab, which, when you build your project, should open by default.

Design mode:

Try navigating through the many screen areas, triggers, properties, and events to become acquainted with the Design mode. The next sections go over each topic in further depth.

Data mode:

Choose the Data tab located at the bottom left of the screen if you are not already in Data mode. You would add your own data sources from your EventStreams and Power BI graphics here in a real-world scenario.

Choose each of the several events, then watch how the data is used in the stream.

Add a trigger to our reflex, but first, let’s create a new object.

Create an object:

Since the Data Activator sample already has an object named Package, it might not be necessary to build a new object for this reflex in a real-world setting. However, in order to show how to make one, we create a new object for this lab. Let’s make Redmond Packages a new object.

Select the Package In Transit event. Pay close attention to the values in the PackageId, Temperature, ColdChainType, City, SpecialCare, and State columns. You’ll use these columns to create your trigger.

If the Assign your Data dialog isn’t already open on the right-hand side, select the Assign your data button on the right of the screen.

Select Save and then select Save and go to design mode

Now you ought to be back in Design mode. Kent Packages is a recently added item. Expand the Events section of this newly created object, then choose the Package in Transit event.

Now, Let’s create trigger

Create a trigger

Let’s go over what you want to happen with your trigger: If a box carrying a prescription has a temperature that is higher or lower than a predetermined threshold, you want to set up a reflex that will send an email to the shipping department. The recommended temperature range is 33 to 41 degrees. Since a comparable trigger is already present in the reflex events, you will build one just for the packages that are transported to the city of Kent.

Choose the New Trigger button from the top menu within the Package In Transit event from the Kent Packages object. To improve the definition of your trigger, rename the newly formed trigger from its default name of Untitled to Medicine temp out of range.

Now choose the column containing the property or event that sets off your reflex. Choose the Existing Property button and choose the Temperature property since when you formed your object, you created multiple properties.

At this point, you must choose the kind of circumstance you wish to have this property trigger. Here, you want to set off your response when the outside temperature rises above 41 degrees or falls below 33 degrees. Choose the Exits range condition after clicking on the Numeric button, as we are seeking a numeric range.

Enter 33 and 41 as your range values

Let’s add one more filter just to make sure that the medicine is refrigerated. Select the Add filter button, set the ColdChainType property, set it to Equal, and enter DeepFrozen as the value.

You’re almost there! You just need to define what action you want to take when the trigger fires. In this case, you want to send an email to the shipping department. Select the Email button.

Enter the following values for your email action:

• Send to: Your current user account should be selected by default, which should be fine for this lab.
• Subject: Kent Medical Package outside acceptable temperature range
• Headline: Temperature too high or too low
• Additional information: Select the Temperature property from the checkbox list.

Select Save and then Start from the top menu.

You have now created and started a trigger in Data Activator.

The trigger’s lone issue is that, although sending an email including the temperature, it failed to communicate the package’s PackageId. Now let’s alter the trigger to contain the PackageId.

Select the Packages in Transit event from the Kent Packages object and select New Property from the top menu.

Let’s update our trigger action. Select the Seafood temp out of range trigger, scroll to the Act section at the bottom, select the Additional information, and add the PackageId property. DO NOT select the Save button yet.

Final result after the trigger

 

Conclusion

Overall, my experience with Data Activator in Microsoft Fabric was insightful. The platform’s functionality and ease of use make it a valuable tool for monitoring, analyzing, and taking action based on data conditions.

I look forward to further exploring the capabilities of Data Activator and leveraging its features for various business processes.

The detailed overview covers the fundamental ideas, experience, reflex creation, and trigger implementation. If you need further assistance or have specific queries, feel free to ask!