Working with Data Sources: Microsoft Excel Add-In

The Excel Add-In can operate data of one or several sources in the analytical queries mode.

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 uses several data sources and there are unique dimensions belonging to one of the source, a separate group of dimensions is singled out in dimensions, that is, private.

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

This tab becomes active after report data is obtained. The tree of repository objects shows the objects that can be selected as data sources for a report. When searching a source the field containing the tree of repository objects displays the list of search results.

Select the required data sources in the object tree or in the list of search results. After that, data table and other visualizers are rebuilt.

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 the tree of objects enables the user to select multiple data sources. The primary index in all cube dimensions is required when using multiple sources.

NOTE. When 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 is started.

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, select one of the radio buttons in the source's context menu on the side panel:

Use Source Data Only. Only source data is loaded to the report.
Use Source Data and Saved Selection. Source data and custom parameters of source dimension selection are loaded to the report. If selection parameters are missing, only source data is loaded.
Use Data and Saved Source View. The saved view is loaded to the report. If the saved view is missing, only source data is loaded.

To edit a data source, select a source and select the Edit item in the source's context menu on the Data Sources tab. The data source is opened for edit.

Parameters enable the user to dynamically control report contents. To control report data source parameters, go to the Data Sources Parameters tab on the side panel. A detailed description is given in the Control Data Source Parameters section.

Working with Excel Add-In in the analytical queries mode enables the user to use the following search modes:

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

A detailed description is given in the Data Source Search section.