How to Build a Multi‑Source Data Aggregation Dashboard

Dispatchers currently toggle between three tabs: scheduling software, invoice spreadsheets, and a telematics portal. A unified dashboard can cut decision time in half. Here's how to build it.

Step 1: Define the Unified Schema

Start by designing a single JSON object that represents "a day's operations." It includes fields from schedules (driver, route), finances (fuel cost, vehicle lease), and telematics (engine hours, harsh braking events). This schema becomes the contract between your data sources and your UI.

Step 2: Build Connectors for Each Source

Write small, independent functions—one to parse the scheduling CSV, one to call the invoice API, one to scrape the telematics export. Each connector outputs a partial object that matches the schema. We use serverless functions so each connector scales independently.

Step 3: Merge and Resolve Conflicts

The tricky part: what if the scheduling file says "Driver A" but the telematics file uses "Driver A. Smith"? We implemented a fuzzy name‑matching algorithm with a confidence threshold. Matches above 90% are auto‑merged; below that, the row is flagged for manual review.

Step 4: Build the Dashboard UI

We use a tabbed interface: "Overview" shows merged KPIs, while each tab lets the user drill into a specific data source. React Context holds the merged data so any component can access the unified view without prop drilling.