Not every data source is published for every kind of place. For example, a data source may be published only for counties. If your study area is a city, that source has no numbers for it. Studio calls this a gap.
A stand-in fills a gap with numbers from a different area that does have data, such as the county your city is in. The profile then says clearly that those numbers describe the county, not the city.
When you create a profile, Studio checks every data source in the template against your places and shows the result in the Data coverage card.
Read the coverage check
If every source covers your places, the card says so, for example "All 14 data sources have data for ...". Otherwise it names the places and the sources with gaps. Click Fill N gaps (for example Fill 3 gaps) to review them.
Fill gaps with stand-ins
In the coverage grid, each data source is a row, grouped by section, and each place a column.
- When you open the grid, Studio looks for a stand-in for every gap on its own. In an existing profile, click Auto-fill all gaps to do the same.
- Click a gap to see Ways to fill this gap and choose one with Use this option.
- Review filled gaps lists the choices, grouped into Needs your review, Exact fit, and Stays empty.
Each stand-in is labelled by how well it fits:
- Same area, other data source: an exact match.
- Stand-in covers most of the area: a close match.
- Rough stand-in, check it before continuing: a loose match; check whether it suits your purpose.
Or leave the gaps
Click Create anyway to create the profile without stand-ins. Unfilled values show as not available.
How stand-ins appear in the profile
Every stand-in and every gap is disclosed in a numbered note under the table, in the app and in exports. For example, a note says that the numbers describe the county, not your city alone, or flags low coverage so you read the value with caution.
You can review coverage again later from the coverage chip at the top of the profile. Applying changes there rebuilds the whole profile.