Google Fusion Tables will be shutdown on Dec 3rd, 2019. The full announcement is here and the key part is this:
We [Google] plan to turn down Fusion Tables and the API on December 3, 2019. Embedded Fusion Tables visualizations—maps, charts, tables and cards—will also stop working that day. Maps using the Fusion Tables Layer in the Maps JavaScript API v3.37 will start to see errors in August 2019.
This news is not entirely unexpected. Fusion Tables has always been described by Google as experimental and has not had a lot of growth for much of its lifetime.
We'll be working with our contacts at Google to ensure a smooth transition for those of you who publish Aggregate data on Fusion Tables. We don't yet have all the details worked out, but the likely way forward for folks who want to stay in the Google ecosystem will be to switch to Google Sheets since we have an existing connector.
If you rely on Fusion Tables, please reply to this topic and describe what you use Fusion Tables for. Your feedback will be shared with both Google and ODK developers to help ensure a smooth transition.
We'll post updates to this topic as we have updates to share.
I am using Google Fusion to streamline data from ODK Aggregate. Aggregate is pretty limited (and robust!) with visualization, calculations and post-editing. Google Fusion enables us to update data, adding (integrating) data to our field data, doing statistics on the data, visualizing GPS data (point and shapes). So we use Googe Fusion as dashbord to analyse our data for desicion making on a a near real time basis (= live streaming data from Aggregate to G. Fusion). What could be better in Google Fusion was the visualization of polygon data (different coordinate format used in Aggregate for polygons as in G. Fusion) and sufficient possibilities to do calculations and creating graphics. Another limitation in ODK Aggregate <->Google Fusion is that tables created with a 'repeat' generate seperate tables... I hope there will be a good replacement because this Googe Fusion option made monitoring much more efficient. I prefer not to go back to exporting from Aggregate and importing data into another software to do the analysis. My ideal solution would be to stream data from Aggregate to a kind of user friendly MS Access- (relational database) or Excel-kind solution where you can carry our all kind of calculations and visualizations on your data and sharing this with others.
Many years ago, we saw the limitations of the ODK Aggregate App Engine, but found Fusion Tables solved most of those issues. Here's my summary of what we like about Fusion Tables and use them for:
integrates with ODK so we can collect data with geospatial information using smartphones
real time mapping
database that can be reviewed and corrected if necessary
easy to use filters
exporting/importing for when Fusion Tables are too clunky to use easily
user access management through Google accounts
customizable views for different users
Summary tabs
multiple table views can be integrated into dashboards in Google Sites
customizable web apps can be developed with Fusion Tables API
with ODK and Fusion Tables, we can have field staff collect data, and review it on the same phone in real time
can handle large amounts of data in cells and records
Fusing tables!
Data can be accessed using Google Apps Script, we use it for automated backups
low cost implementation
Some of these things are a little clunky to implement using Fusion Tables, but they've worked well for us overall, and very cost effective.
we're using ODK ABC (Aggregate/Build/Collect) to capture turtle nesting monitoring data across the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia.
Data from ODK-A is imported via the API into an in-house data portal, value-added and analysed in RMarkdown workbooks. Since that process lags by a day, Google Fusion Tables is an immensely useful feedback loop to the 10ish local coordinators to see whether the data has uploaded correctly from the devices. Our squeeze is that some data collection devices live in remote areas and send data via mobile hotspots... if things go to plan and the internet mail pigeons fly on that day (not a given in remote Australia).
Before the GFT sunset I aim to switch out ODK Aggregate for ODK Central and build a data preview pipeline based on OData.
You'll be able to get some insight directly through ODK Central (table preview), and you can build your own analysis / data viz through the OData feed or the RESTful API.
I am investigating correspondence after FusionTable is abolished.
Currently, data published from ODK to FusionTable is created on Google MAP by using the Fusion Tables layer and displayed on the WEB site.
If you switch publication from FusionTable to spreadsheet, is there a mechanism to create a layer on Google MAP like Fusion Tables layer?
I also considered using GoogleMyMap, but since I can not do automatic updating linked to spreadsheet update, I am looking for something good way.
I love the funcciontionality of visualizing Agregate data on Google Fusion. However as many of you know, Google Fusion will end by the December 2019. We have looked at some alternative data collection tools, but many of them does not seem to cover the needs we have or are covering too much (thus does not provide enough flexibility for us. The combination of ODK Agfregate and fusion was powerfull despite some limitations. Does any of you already know if there will be a good replacement for Google Fusion which can be linked in the same way with Aggregate? Thanks for the feedback.
@Eddy_Rellum I moved your post so others are more likely to find it. Have you had a chance to try Central's OData integration? I know you may not be able to move to Central just yet, but I'm curious if the functionality is what you need.
I have created fusion table for having list of kmls stored region wise,or province wise.So currently is there any alternative which google has provided to store list of kmls in rows (region wise,province wise etc).
If yes then also provide me alternative with javascript integrations with list of kmls from google service,For more details please refer to url https://fusiontables.google.com/DataSource?docid=1QHtbXbLiEXUF8JQLvoTNf17ae7omUVDvbo-z84vE#rows:id=1
My ideal solution would be to stream data from Aggregate to a kind of user friendly MS Access- (relational database) or Excel-kind solution where you can carry our all kind of calculations and visualizations on your data and sharing this with others.