useR! 2024

As developers at a leading economic and financial markets research institution, centralizing our data is crucial for both internal (backtesting, sharing forecasts, model validations) and external (client access) use cases. Our contribution consists of two parts: first, the introduction of our R package, developed using the “Open API generator,” enabling seamless querying of our database via a RESTful API. Additionally, we show the integration of a robust authorization and authentication layer within AWS cloud infrastructure. Second, we have designed a user-friendly R/Shiny-based frontend to facilitate easy access for non-technical users. This interface displays forecasts and historic data for various variables and countries, allowing for data updates and downloads. To mimic familiar Excel operations such as row-wise pasting and data removal, we have successfully utilized the open-source R-wrapper rhandsontable of the JavaScript library handsontable. Both contributions enable our analysts and clients to smoothly interact with our database by providing a convenient, secure, and user-friendly environment, enhancing the accessibility of our macroeconomic data for all stakeholders.