Data Synchronization in Context
Reporters are often asked to put together silo data sources eg Name and department with business data like number of sales this month. We develop queries/ Data providers (DP) per data source and put them in a report. The universe tool “Universe Design Tool” A.K.A “designer” classic would only connect to one data source. The “Information Design Tool” will now allow multiple connections and overcome this previous limitation.
At the report level will now contain all the data in one place using multiple data providers, these DP often sourcing data from multiple universes. There are 3 ways to do Data Synchronization, ie putting the data together in the context using a webi report.
- Full outer Join – seeing data from both DP’s
- Left outer Join – mainly data from the left DP
- Right outer Join – mainly data from the right DP
Merge Dimension Concept is based on the common dimension in each data provider that relates the 2 or more data sets. It is this merged Dimension that will bring the data sets together acting like a foreign key.
Follow these steps if editing a report that already contains the Data providers in bi4.
STEP1: Press “Design” button >> “Data Access” tab
STEP2: Under “Data Objects” >> press “Merge” >> select 2 or more dimensions that relate the data sets together from modal form. >> OK
OR in the dimension Panel >> Right-click on objects that relates the 2 data sets, and select Merge
STEP3: Create variables of type “detail” and click the button on Associated Dimension box and ensure you select the dimension under the “Merged Dimension” section created in step2
STEP4: Add all objects to the report form Data provider 1 plus the detail variables built form Data provider 2.
Repeat STEPS1 -STEPS4 for as many variables that you need to merge in the report.
PS
All details objects are expected to have a one to one relationship with the merged dimension. This is the definition of a detailed object.
Stephen Choo Quan
Thanks for reading ❤
Good summary. Thanks. Does this process have size limitations?
Thank you so Much. Best source of how to do this I have found
I am happy it helped., thanks for the feedback Ian.
it does slow down with size but I cannot say for sure where the breaking point it because it will depend on the RAM and CPU power of the machine doing the processing.
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