# Connect external data

_Bring outside services into your workspace and treat them like native data._

Canonical: https://snoze.dev/help/connect-external-data/

Dashboards aren't limited to what lives in Snoze. **Data sources** connect
external services and sync their data into your workspace, where it behaves
like any other database.

## How syncing works

When you connect a source, Snoze pulls its data in on a schedule and stores
it in your workspace. Widgets read the synced copy, which means:

- **Dashboards stay fast** — they never wait on a slow third-party API.
- **The data is queryable** — filter, group, and chart it like native records.
- **Outages degrade gracefully** — if the source is down, you see the last
  synced state, with its sync time.

## Connecting a source

Add a data source from the dashboard's widget picker or from workspace
settings. Authenticate with the service, choose what to sync, and pick a
refresh cadence. Credentials are stored encrypted and are never exposed to
other members — teammates see the data, not the keys.

## Using synced data

Point widgets at the synced source the same way you'd point them at a
database: pick it as the widget's source, then filter and visualize. Mixing
sources on one dashboard is the point — your task database next to external
metrics, one screen instead of four tabs.

> [!NOTE]
> Synced data is read-only in Snoze — it mirrors the external system, so
> edits belong there. If you need to annotate or extend it, relate a native
> database to it and put your fields there.

For the basics of widgets and layout, start with
[Build a dashboard](https://snoze.dev/help/build-a-dashboard/).