# How do I enter data for a Sankey, chord or network chart?

> These charts need two lists, so the Data tab gives you two tables: the things being connected, and the connections between them.

## Before you start

- A Sankey, chord, graph or network chart open in the editor.

> **Tip:** Rename a node and every link that used the old name follows it. You never have to fix connections by hand after a rename.

> **Careful:** Deleting a node also deletes every link that touched it. That is usually what you want, but it can remove more connections than you expect in a dense diagram.

> **Note:** Build the node list before the connections. Add Link stays disabled until at least one node exists, and a new link starts out joining your first two nodes with a value of 1.

## Steps

1. Open the Data tab. Two tabs sit at the top — Nodes and, depending on the chart, Links or Edges — each showing its current count.
2. Fill in Nodes first. Every node needs a Name, and names must be unique — they are what the connections point at.
3. Use Add Node for each new one. Network and chord charts also offer a Category column for grouping and colouring, and a Value column for size.
4. Switch to the second tab and press Add Link for each connection. Pick a Source and a Target from the dropdowns — they list the nodes you have already named — and type the Value, which is the thickness of the flow.
5. Watch the warnings under each table. Nodes nothing connects to are named for you, and links pointing at a node that no longer exists are flagged in red.
6. To bring a connection list in from a spreadsheet, use the Import sub-tab. A mapping step lets you assign your columns to Source Node, Target Node and Value/Weight, and the node list is built from the names it finds.

_Topics: sankey, network, nodes and links_

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