---
title: "Database management and project datasets"
slug: "database-setup-and-project-datasets"
updated: 2026-04-09T10:38:23Z
published: 2026-04-09T10:38:23Z
canonical: "kb.solargis.com/database-setup-and-project-datasets"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.solargis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Database management and project datasets

**In this document**

You will learn how to set up your project database and how to link your datasets to the project.

## Prerequisites

- An active Solargis Analyst account.
- Installed an Analyst desktop application.
- One or more datasets available in the Solargis Analyst application.

## Database manager

Each project requires a dedicated database for storing its datasets. You can create this database either during project creation or later using the **Database Manager**. The Database Manager also functions as a database editor, allowing you to link various datasets to the selected database. You can open it from the main menu by selecting **Datasets/Database manager**, clicking the ![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-6XAKFZBL.png) icon in the quick navigation menu, or by **clicking the “+”** button above the Project datasets window.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-PIOFSQNH.png)

## Creating a new database

If you are starting a new project and wish to create a new database, just confirm the database creation prompt upon [creating the project](https://kb.solargis.com/docs/working-with-analyst-projects#starting-a-new-project). An empty database will be created. Now you can start linking or [importing](/v1/docs/importing-datasets-to-analyst)the datasets to it.

> **Tip**: If you do not create new database using this popup, you can create it later in the [Database manager](/v1/docs/database-setup-and-project-datasets#creating-new-database-in-the-database-manager).

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-1V7O9UK8.png)

#### Creating new database in the Database manager

If you did not create the database upon starting the project, you can create it at a later stage in the Database manager. **Click the ‘+’**button in the Project details window to open the database manager.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-K46GJTCV.png)

In the Database manager, proceed with the following steps:

1. Click the**“Create DB”** button to initiate the process.
2. In the pop-up, **browse for the folder** where you want to store your project database files (or create new), type its name in the **File name** field, and confirm.
3. The **Name**field will be auto-populated from the previous step. You can rewrite it if you still wish to change the database name. Add DB description below if required.
4. Create the database by clicking the**“Create”**button.

Your new database will appear in the database list in the Database window. Now, you can start [importing your data](/v1/docs/importing-datasets-to-analyst) or [cloning datasets](/v1/docs/cloning-combining-and-aggregating-datasets) from other databases.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-JFHOPZ19.png)

## Linking datasets to your project

Datasets from other databases are linked to the project using the **Database manager**. You can link/unlink any dataset from the linked databases.

1. **Select the database** you want to link the dataset from. Available datasets will show in the **“Datasets in database”** window.
2. **Select the dataset** you want to link to the project.
3. Click the **“Link to project”**button to add it to the project.

Proceed this way to add as many datasets as you need from any of the available databases.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-ZHFKC4NA.png)

## Unlinking datasets from project

If you want to unlink a dataset from a project, open the **Database manager**, select the dataset you want to remove from the project (Datasets in project window), and click the**“Unlink from project”**button to remove it from the project.

> **Note**: Unlinked datasets are not entirely deleted; they are only unlinked from the project, but still remain in its database.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-4SY8LJG7.png)

## Database and dataset management tools

The Database manager lets you perform various operations/edits on your databases and datasets. You can link existing databases to the Analyst application, edit the database name or description, delete databases, or unlink datasets from your project. If you need to edit a dataset, you can use the [Metadata editor](/v1/docs/dataset-editor).

1. **Selected database action buttons:**
  1. **Link**a new database to use its dataset in your projects.
  2. **Edit**the name and description of the database.
  3. **Convert**the selected database to the newest Analyst format. It may not be compatible with the older Analyst versions after this step.
  4. **Unlink selected database** will unlink all selected databases from the Analyst application, and you will no longer be able to use their datasets.
  5. **Unlink all invalid databases** will unlink all databases that are no longer available (displayed in red text).
2. **Optimize DB.**Optimizes the database size, e.g, after a dataset removal.
3. **Delete**the database. This will permanently delete the database from your computer. Use with caution!
4. **Remove****the selected dataset** from the selected database. The dataset will be permanently deleted from the database and its data will no longer be available.
5. **Clone****the selected dataset.**The dataset will be cloned into another user-selected database.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-XPHF0NL4.png)

### **Cloning** datasets

You can clone any available dataset to the same or another database using the **dataset clone** feature. To learn more about how to use it, read the [Cloning dataset](/v1/docs/cloning-combining-and-aggregating-datasets) guide.

### Editing and repairing datasets

If a dataset contains errors or, for example, has an incomplete configuration, Analyst will highlight it visually in the Project dataset list. You can the misconfigurations in the [Metadata editor](/v1/docs/dataset-editor). Each such dataset provides a tooltip icon to inform you about the issue. The information is also displayed at the bottom of the dataset info page.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/ae2d502f-6c0d-4865-a68e-43ad8da61149/Images/Documentation/image-MNDOFDI1.png)