Before running any workflow in Ecoscope, you must first configure at least one data source. Data sources provide the input data that workflows query, process, and visualize.

Without a configured data source, workflows cannot retrieve data and therefore cannot be executed.
 

What Is a Data Source?

In Ecoscope, a data source represents a connection to an external system that contains operational data such as GPS observations, patrol logs, or event records.

Data sources can be configured in Ecoscope Web or Ecoscope Desktop, depending on how workflows are being run.
Once connected, data from the source becomes available to applicable workflows (such as Subject Tracking, Events, or Patrols). Workflows then use this data to generate maps, charts, and summary metrics.
 

Supported Data Sources

The available data sources currently differ slightly depending on whether you are using Ecoscope Web or Ecoscope Desktop.

Ecoscope Web

Currently supports:

• EarthRanger
   

Future compatibility is planned for additional platforms such as SMART and other conservation data providers.

Ecoscope Desktop

Ecoscope Desktop supports additional integrations designed for more advanced workflows and offline environments, including:

• EarthRanger
• SMART
• Google Earth Engine
   

Desktop integrations allow users to configure connections locally and may require importing credentials or configuration files instead of entering them directly into a form.

Connecting a Data Source

The process for adding a data source varies slightly between Ecoscope Web and Ecoscope Desktop.

Connecting an EarthRanger Data Source (Web)

To connect your EarthRanger instance in Ecoscope Web:

1. Navigate to the Data Sources tab in the top navigation bar.
2. Click Connect Data Source.
3. Fill in the required connection details.
4. Click Save to validate and store the connection. 

Required Fields

Data Source Name
A unique name for the connection (e.g., Serengeti_ER).

EarthRanger URL
The domain of your EarthRanger instance
(e.g., https://<yourdomain>.pamdas.com).

Username
Your EarthRanger username.
 Note: This is not your Ecoscope username.

Password
Your EarthRanger password.
 Note: This is not your Ecoscope password.

If the connection is successful, the data source will appear in the Data Sources list view.

Tip:
If the connection fails, double-check that you entered your EarthRanger credentials rather than your Ecoscope login. 

Connecting Data Sources in Ecoscope Desktop

Data sources in Ecoscope Desktop are configured locally within the application.

Unlike Ecoscope Web, Desktop integrations may require importing credential files or specifying configuration parameters depending on the source. Desktop also allows connections to additional data sources designed for more advanced workflows or environments where cloud services may not be available.

The general process is:

1. Open the Data Sources section in Ecoscope Desktop.
2. Select the type of data source you want to configure.
3. Provide the required credentials or configuration files.
4. Save the configuration to make the data source available to workflows.

The specific setup steps vary depending on the data source.

SMART (Desktop)

SMART data sources allow Ecoscope Desktop workflows to access patrol and event data stored in a SMART database.

To configure a SMART data source:

1. Open the Data Sources section in Ecoscope Desktop.
2. Select SMART as the data source type.
3. Provide the required SMART connection details.
4. Save the configuration.

Once saved, the SMART data source will be available when configuring workflows that support SMART data. 

Google Earth Engine (Desktop)

Ecoscope Desktop supports workflows that use Google Earth Engine (GEE) data. To connect to Google Earth Engine, you must first create a service account and private key in Google Cloud Platform.

Step 1 — Create a Service Account in Google Cloud

1. Open Google Cloud Console.
2. Navigate to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts.
3. Click Create Service Account.
4. Provide a name and description for the service account.
5. Create the account and grant the necessary permissions for Earth Engine access.

Step 2 — Generate a Private Key

1. Open the newly created Service Account.
2. Navigate to the Keys tab.
3. Click Add Key → Create New Key.
4. Select JSON as the key type.
5. Download the generated JSON key file.

This file contains:

• the service account email
• the project ID
• authentication credentials required by Earth Engine

Step 3 — Import the JSON Key into Ecoscope Desktop

1. Open Data Sources in Ecoscope Desktop.
2. Select Google Earth Engine as the data source type.
3. Click Browse to locate the JSON key file you downloaded.
4. Select the file and confirm.
    

Ecoscope Desktop will automatically extract the service account email and project ID from the JSON file.

Once saved, the Google Earth Engine data source will be available when configuring workflows that require Earth Engine data. 

Important Behavior

Unlike Ecoscope Web, Ecoscope Desktop does not validate credentials during the configuration step. If credentials are incorrect or permissions are missing for your Google Earth Engine service account, the issue will typically appear when the workflow is executed. When this happens, the workflow will fail and the error message can be reviewed in the workflow logs and metadata panel.

Since credentials cannot be edited on an existing data source, recovering from a credential error requires deleting the data source, creating a new one with the correct credentials, and then updating the workflow to select the newly created data source. Therefore, we recommend that you double-check your credentials when you enter them on the configure data source form.

Viewing and Managing Existing Data Sources
 

All configured data sources appear in the list view under the Data Sources tab. Each row displays key information:

• Data Source Name – The custom name you gave the connection.
• Domain – The URL or domain of the connected EarthRanger instance.
• Connection Type – Currently limited to EarthRanger, with more to come.
• Created At – Timestamp of when the connection was added.
• Updated At – Timestamp of the last successful update or reconfiguration.
   

When is an update required? 

In Ecoscope Web, authentication tokens between Ecoscope and your EarthRanger instance may expire over time.
When this happens, you will be prompted to Reconnect the data source before running new workflows.

This is a normal security measure that ensures connections remain authenticated and secure.
On Ecoscope Desktop, authentication tokens are created on-the-fly when they are needed and held only in-memory, so reconnect flows do not apply.