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Data model

Overview

The Data model provides a unified view of the logical data structure for the entire project. It consolidates all configured fact tables, dimension groups, and measures from the Register of measures and dimensions (RMD), displaying the relationships between them. This allows you to analyze model integrity, track measure dependencies, and manage all data elements in one place.

Accessing the data model

  • Display condition: The option to open the data model appears on the Fact tables screen only when a project is selected
  • How to open: Use the corresponding button on the fact tables list screen. The model is available regardless of the number of added fact tables
  • Access rights: Permissions to view and edit the data model are identical to permissions for individual fact tables
    • If you have access to view fact tables, you can see the data model
    • If you have permissions to make and save changes in fact tables, you can make and save changes in the data model

Structure of the "Data model" section

The Data model consists of three main sections, similar to the sections within an individual fact table:

  1. Configuration — the visual representation of the model
  2. Measures — a tabular representation of all measures in the project
  3. Verification filters — a tabular representation of all verification filters in the project

1. Configuration section

This section displays an interactive diagram showing all fact tables, dimension groups, and measures from the RMD, as well as the connections between them.

Configuration board elements

  • The element selection panel is not used and is NOT shown. Unlike editing an individual fact table, you cannot add new elements here. The board displays all existing elements of the project
  • Control buttons allow you to save changes and select layers to display
    • Layers: You can enable or disable the display of the Measures layer. By default, all available layers are selected

Diagram components

Fact tables

  • All fact tables added to the project are shown
  • The appearance of the tables is similar to how they are displayed in the Configuration section of individual fact tables
  • They contain:
    • Foreign keys for linking to dimension groups. No options are available; a tooltip explains the field's purpose
    • Selected individual dimensions that are not part of a group. The View details option (information from the RMD) is available. The option to remove the selection is not available. A tooltip shows the full dimension name
    • Selected individual facts. The View details option is available. The option to remove the selection is not available. A tooltip shows the full fact name

Dimension groups

  • All dimension groups from the RMD are shown, regardless of whether they are linked to any fact table
  • If a dimension group is linked to multiple fact tables, it is shown on the diagram only once
  • They contain:
    • Primary keys. No options are available; a tooltip explains the field's purpose
    • All individual dimensions belonging to the dimension group. The View details option is available. A tooltip shows the full dimension name
    • The option to remove the dimension group is NOT available

Individual measures

  • All measures from the RMD are shown, regardless of whether they are assigned to any fact table
  • If a measure is assigned to multiple fact tables, it is shown on the diagram only once
  • The appearance is similar to how they are displayed in the Configuration section of fact tables
  • They contain:
    • View details option
    • The option to remove from the model is NOT available
    • A tooltip shows the full measure name
    • The measure's full formula is displayed inside the measure block
  • The visibility of all measures on the board depends on the selected Measures layer (they are hidden if the layer is unchecked)

Connecting lines between elements

  • Lines between fact tables and dimension groups:
    • Always displayed as solid blue lines
    • Connect primary keys in dimension groups to the corresponding foreign keys in all linked fact tables
  • Lines between measures and their dependencies:
    • Displayed as dashed lines with different colors (depending on the measure)
    • Connect a measure to the facts and dimensions (in fact tables and dimension groups) that it references in its formula
    • If a measure is assigned to multiple fact tables, lines are shown to all its dependencies in all those tables
    • The visibility of these lines depends on:
      • The Measures layer (lines are hidden if the measures themselves are hidden)
      • User actions:
        • A click on a specific measure displays the lines for all its dependencies
        • Clicking on multiple measures displays the lines for all selected measures simultaneously
        • A second click on a measure with displayed lines hides them
        • A click on an empty space on the board hides all dependency lines for measures

2. Measures section

This section is based on the Measures section of individual fact tables, but with important changes

Measures table

  • Displays all measures from the RMD
  • Contains the standard columns (name, description, formula, etc.) and an additional column for "Fact table"
  • If a measure is not assigned to any fact table, the Fact table column for it remains empty
  • If a measure is assigned to multiple fact tables, it appears in the table multiple times (one row for each fact table it is assigned to)

Actions on measures

  • Verify: Launches a check of the formula's correctness
    • If the measure is assigned to a specific fact table, verification uses the verification filters assigned to that table
    • If the measure is not assigned to any table, verification uses filters that are not assigned to any fact table
  • View lineage: Opens a visual representation of the measure's data origin
    • For measures not assigned to any fact table, lineage is shown as on the RMD screen (without the fact table level)
    • For measures assigned to a fact table, lineage is shown as from that specific fact table
  • Edit: Opens the standard measure editing dialog, but with an additional field for specifying the fact table it is assigned to
    • Important: It is NOT possible to reassign a measure from one fact table to another. It is NOT possible to remove a measure's assignment to a fact table
  • Delete: The option to delete a measure is NOT available. Measures can only be deleted in the RMD

Creating new measures

  • The Add measure option is available
  • Opens the standard add measure dialog, but with an additional field for specifying the fact table
  • Added measures appear in all related product elements: in the RMD, in the corresponding fact tables, and in the data model

3. Verification filters section

This section is based on the Verification filters section of individual fact tables

Filters table

  • Displays all verification filters from all fact tables in the project
  • Contains the standard columns and an additional column for "Fact table"
    • The value in this column indicates which fact table the filter belongs to
    • Filters that do not belong to any fact table (with a NULL value) exist. They are necessary for verifying measures that are also not assigned to any table

Actions on verification filters

  • Edit: Opens the standard editing dialog with an additional field for specifying the fact table
    • You can reassign a filter from one fact table to another. The change is reflected in the data model and in the source/target fact tables
    • You can remove the assignment of a filter to a fact table (make it global). The change is reflected in the data model and in the source fact table
  • Make a copy: Opens the add dialog with data pre-filled from the copied filter and an additional field for the fact table. You can change or remove the table assignment before saving. The copied filter appears in the data model and the corresponding fact table
  • Delete: Deletes the filter. The action applies to both the data model and the source fact table

Creating new verification filters

  • The Add verification filter option is available
  • Opens the standard add dialog with an additional field for selecting a fact table
  • Important dialog feature: The list of available fields for filtering depends on the selected fact table
    • If a specific table is selected, only fields from that table are shown
    • If no table is selected, all available filtering fields from the RMD are shown
    • Table selection is processed in real-time. If a previously selected filtering field is not available in the newly selected table, a standard error for that field will be displayed (as when a field is removed from a fact table)

Saving changes and exiting without saving

  • Configuration autosave. Changes made in the Configuration section must be saved manually using the Save button
  • When attempting to leave the page (close the tab, navigate to another section or project) with unsaved changes, a dialog box will appear with the following options:
    • Save and leave
    • Leave without saving
    • This behavior is similar to how it is implemented in individual fact tables