🔗 Data Sources

Dataflow allows you to use either local data files or Google Sheets data for reversioning and batch processing. The following will teach you how the data needs to be setup in order to work with Dataflow.

Dataflow Columns

Dataflow Columns are predefined keys/column names that are reserved for use of main features of the tool. These are case sensitive.

Column / Key	Function	Notes
target	Specifies the target composition that will be rendered by Dataflow. Can be used to switch between compositions per job.	Must be defined.If no composition is defined, or the specified composition cant be found in the Project, Batch Rendering will be stopped. Agent will skip this row and mark it as "error".
aep	Dataflow allows you to switch between After Effects Projects on a per row basis. This opens up the possibility to batch render across unlimited amounts of projects using the same machine or data source.	Values must be absolute file paths. If undefined or not found, it will render the row from the current After Effects Project.
output	Setting output values for your Jobs, allows you to have dynamic filenames and destinations for your renders.	If not specified or empty, Dataflow will use the composition name, which may lead to overwrites. Its highly recommended to define individual output names in your data source.
render-settings	Allows you to select an After Effects Render Settings Template for your outputs via your data source.	Values are case sensitive. Only use values that match installed Render Setting Templates on your machine. If no matching template is found, the row will be skipped. If left empty, will use After Effects Default Render Settings
output-module	Allows you to select an After Effects Output Module Template for your outputs via your data source.	Values are case sensitive. Only use values that match installed Output Module Templates on your machine. If no matching template is found, the row will be skipped. If left empty, will use After Effects Default Module
Agent
render-status	This column specifies the status of a render job, allowing the Agent to scan the data source for ready-to-render jobs. This enables new data to be dynamically processed by the Agent.	Must exist when using Agent. See Data Source for Agent Mode for more details.

Sample Sheet

render-status	Cat Names	target	aep	output	render-settings	output-module
finished	Daisy	CatsComp_9x16_10s	T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsDaisy.aep	Daisy_CatsCampaign_9x16_10s	Best Settings	H.264 - Match Render Settings - 15Mbps
finished	Molly	CatsComp_1x1_6s	T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsMolly.aep	Molly_CatsCampaign_1x1_6s	Best Settings	Lossless
rendering...	Luna	CatsComp_16x9_15s	T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsLuna.aep	Luna_CatsCampaign_16x9_15s	Best Settings	Lossless with Alpha
ready	Poppy	CatsComp_4x5_8s	T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsPoppy.aep	Poppy_CatsCampaign_4x5_8s	Best Settings	Lossless
ready	Lily	CatsComp_1x1_10s	T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsLily.aep	Lily_CatsCampaign_1x1_10s	Best Settings	H.264 - Match Render Settings - 15Mbps

Sample JSON

DataflowSource.json

[
  {
    "render-status": "finished",
    "Cat Names": "Daisy",
    "target": "CatsComp_9x16_10s",
    "aep": "T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsDaisy.aep",
    "output": "Daisy_CatsCampaign_9x16_10s",
    "render-settings": "Best Settings",
    "output-module": "H.264 - Match Render Settings - 15Mbps"
  },
  {
    "render-status": "finished",
    "Cat Names": "Molly",
    "target": "CatsComp_1x1_6s",
    "aep": "T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsMolly.aep",
    "output": "Molly_CatsCampaign_1x1_6s",
    "render-settings": "Best Settings",
    "output-module": "Lossless"
  },
  {
    "render-status": "rendering...",
    "Cat Names": "Luna",
    "target": "CatsComp_16x9_15s",
    "aep": "T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsLuna.aep",
    "output": "Luna_CatsCampaign_16x9_15s",
    "render-settings": "Best Settings",
    "output-module": "Lossless with Alpha"
  },
  {
    "render-status": "ready",
    "Cat Names": "Poppy",
    "target": "CatsComp_4x5_8s",
    "aep": "T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsPoppy.aep",
    "output": "Poppy_CatsCampaign_4x5_8s",
    "render-settings": "Best Settings",
    "output-module": "Lossless"
  },
  {
    "render-status": "ready",
    "Cat Names": "Lily",
    "target": "CatsComp_1x1_10s",
    "aep": "T:/Projects/2025_CatsCampaign/CatsLily.aep",
    "output": "Lily_CatsCampaign_1x1_10s",
    "render-settings": "Best Settings",
    "output-module": "H.264 - Match Render Settings - 15Mbps"
  }
]

Data Source for Agent Mode

If you want to use agent mode to have a 24/7 renderbot which renders on demand, you need to add a collumn/key called render-status to your data soure. This render-status has 4 states:

ready: Asset is ready to render.
rendering...: Asset is currently being rendered/processed.
error: Asset rendering failed / missing data / skipped or aborted for other reasons.
finished: Asset finished rendering!

When using the Local Renderfarm Feature, the render-status will have one of the following states:

ready: Asset is ready to render.
sending to watchfolder...: Asset is currently being prepared and saved to the watchfolder.
error: Asset rendering failed / missing data / skipped or aborted for other reasons.
sent to watchfolder: Asset got successfully sent to the watchfolder.

This is needed so the Agent knows which Assets it is allowed to render.

Info

When connecting multiple Sheets, the agent will scan the sheets in the order you selected them in the sheet selector. Therefore you need to select data soruces based on rendering priority.