Output Data Sources

A data source connects a plan to an Analytics dataset. It contains information about how WorkGrid dimensions and measures map to the dimensions and measures in the dataset. Input data sources are used for creating plans from Analytics, while output data sources are used when sending plans to Analytics. For more information about input data sources, see Data Source Overview.

When you send a plan to Analytics, you can choose to use an existing data source or create a new data source. When creating a new output data source, WorkGrid automatically creates the dimension and measure mappings. These mappings determine the API names and labels of the dimensions and measures in the resulting dataset. For more information about the rules applied when creating the mappings, see Dimension and Measure Mapping Rules.

Each dataset created from a plan contains several additional dimensions. These dimensions are used to identify the plan, the scenario, and so on. For more information, see Fields on Datasets Created from Plans.

You can also manually create an output data source to send plans to a preexisting dataset like Financial Plans. In this case, you must map all the dimensions and measures available in the dataset. For more information, see Creating a Data Source.

Dimension and Measure Mapping Rules

When you send a plan to Analytics using a new data source, the dimension and measure mappings are created automatically for the data source.

If the plan was created from a dataset, the API names of the dimensions and measures are copied from the input data source. For example, you might create a plan using the Financial Transactions dataset in Financial Analytics and map the General Ledger Account dimension from the dataset to a WorkGrid dimension named GLA. If you send the plan to Analytics, the label of the dimension in the new dataset is GLA. However, its API name is the same as the API name of the General Ledger Account dimension of the Financial Transactions dataset, in this case, GeneralLedgerAccountName. This is to ensure that you can send a plan back to the original dataset to update it, when applicable.

If the plan was created from scratch, the labels of the measures and dimensions from WorkGrid are also used in the dataset. The API names are generated by replacing non-alphanumeric characters with underscores. For example, you might create a blank plan with the Product or Service and Year/Period dimensions. The API names for these fields in an Analytics dataset is Product_or_Service and Year_Period.