Selecting Data Source

The Analytical Queries (OLAP) tool works with data from one or several data sources.

A data source is shown as a multidimensional data array. Each data array has a set of dimensions, on crossing of which cells with data are located. If an express report includes several data sources, and unique dimensions exist, which belong only to one data source, a separate group of private dimensions is singled out. In this case a so called virtual cube is built that contains shared and private dimensions of all its constituent cubes.

To find and select data sources, use the Data Sources tab of the Source tab group on the side panel:

This tab becomes active on creating an express report. The tree of repository objects shows the objects that can be selected as data sources for an express report. When the user searches for a source in the tree of repository objects, the list of search results is displayed.

Choose the required data sources in the objects tree or in the list of search results. After that the working area contains a data table.

To select or change a data source, select data source in the tree of repository objects.

To create a report based on several data sources, select the Multiple Sources checkbox. After that multiple data sources selection becomes available in the tree of objects. The primary index in all cube dimensions is required on using multiple sources.

NOTE. After selecting the checkbox and the additional source, No Data is displayed on the sheet. To display data, change selection in private dimensions.

Click the Data Import button to create a new data source. The procedure of data import starts.

Clicking the Data Import button in the web application opens a menu of selecting a source.

To manage data source structure, use the Data Source Structure tab in the Structure and Parameters dialog box.

Sources can contain two types of data: source data and data of saved view. A saved view contains customized source view settings, such as displayed dimension elements, chart settings, label parameters, and so on.

To select the type of loaded data, use radio buttons in the source context menu on the side panel:

Use Source Data Only. Only source data is loaded to express report.
Use Source Data and Saved Selection. Source data and parameters of selection of source dimensions configured by the user are loaded to express report. If selection parameters are missing, only source data is loaded.
Use Data and Saved Source View. A saved view is loaded to express report. If the saved view is missing, only source data is loaded.

To edit a data source, choose a source on the Data Source panel and select the Edit context menu item. The data source is opened for edit.

NOTE. Data source editing can be disabled by means of the built-in Fore language.

Parameters enable the user to dynamically manage express report contents. To manage parameters of express report data source, use the Data Sources Parameters side panel tab. For details see the Data Source Parameters Management section.

The following search modes are available in the Analytical Queries tool:

Standard search of data sources by their name.
BI search of data sources by their contents.

For details see the Data Source Search section.

If a cube created during import is set as a source, reloading of data is available for the source. To load data, select the Execute ETL Task context menu item of the selected source.

As a result, data is reloaded to the source using ETL task.

To edit the ETL task, select the Edit ETL Task context menu item of the selected source.

As a result, the dialog box for editing ETL task opens.

If the cube, to which data was imported, is specified as a source, several ETL tasks are available for it:

A task created after creating the cube.
Tasks created after data import to the cube.

NOTE. The web application enables the user to execute only ETL task.