Linking Dimensions across different data providers.

Some times you need to define more than one data provider in your report. A common example if you trying to build master detail report having actual data divided between 2 data base table. In this case you have to create 2 separate data providers. While you creating the second one, a pop up wizard will prompting you to link the common dimension between 2 data source. If there are common dimensions between the 2 data sources and with same of type, name and same list of values them the linking will done automatically without the need to prompt the user for action.
If you creating a report that reads data from one database data source and the other reads from an excel file, and there is a common dimension that you need to link with. Just open
Data --> View Data --> definition tab then select your dimension from the left pan.
You will notice the link button at the bottom of the page.
When you click on the link button a window with 2 pans will displayed. You can select the dimension that you want to link with from the right pan while you can select the dimension that you want to link to from the left pan. Click the link button in the middle area.
If you want to unlink 2 dimensions then Go to Data --> View Data --> Definition tab then select your dimension from the left pan and click unlink button.
Example # 1:

Universe # 1 (Current Account Universe)
Class	Object Name	Dimension / Measure	Type
Customer Segment	Segment Code	Dimension	Number
	Segment Description	Dimension	Char
Customer Sub Segment	Sub Segment Code	Dimension	Number
	Sub Segment Description	Dimension	Char
Program	Program Code	Dimension	Number
	Program Description	Dimension	Char
Regional Information	Region	Dimension	Char
	Area	Dimension	Char
	Branch	Dimension	Char
Time	As of Date	Dimension	Date
	Week	Dimension	number
	Month	Dimension	char
	Quarter	Dimension	char
	Year	Dimension	number
Measures	Balance	Measure	number
	profit	Measure	Number
Universe # 1 (Current Account Universe)
Class	Object Name	Dimension / Measure	Type
Customer Segment	Segment Code	Dimension	Number
	Segment Description	Dimension	Char
Customer Sub Segment	Sub Segment Code	Dimension	Number
	Sub Segment Description	Dimension	Char
Program	Program Code	Dimension	Number
	Program Description	Dimension	Char
Regional Information	Region	Dimension	Char
	Area	Dimension	Char
	Branch	Dimension	Char
Time	As of Date	Dimension	Date
	Week	Dimension	number
	Month	Dimension	char
	Quarter	Dimension	char
	Year	Dimension	number
Measures	Credit card balance	Measure	number
	Credit card profit	Measure	Number

 
Report # 1

	Current Account		Credit Card
Segment	Balance	Profit	Balance	Profit
High Affluent
Mass
Lower Mass

 
In this example we want to retrieve current account data from current account universe and to retrieve credit card data from credit card universe. Some one may ask why we don't keep both tables in the same universe and make just one query to retrieve date. This may happen because we want to make separate universes for separate products.
Create first data provider:

• Universe: Current account

• Dimensions: Year
• Measures: Balance and profits.
• Filter: year = 2009

Create second data provider:

• Universe: Credit Cards
• Dimensions: Year
• Measures: Credit Cards Balance and Credit Cards profits.
• Filter: Year = 2009

In this report the linking will done automatically because the year dimension have the same name, type and list of values across the 2 universes.
What if the segment dimension having different name in credit card universe? Customer group for example. In this case when you create the second data provider the linking window will displayed to prompt the user to select the linking dimension.
Example # 2:
Now if you have an excel file with loans data and you want to include loans information in your report.
Excel file Data

Segment	Balance	profit
High Affluent
Mass
Lower Mass

 
You will need to do as follow:

• Open your report.
• Create a new data provider based on another data source.
• Select excel file.
• Complete the wizard.
• Go to Data --> View Data --> Definition tab then select your dimension from the left pan and click link button.
• Link segment dimension form loans data provider with segment dimension from current account data provider.