How do I create an association to move data between models?

In Planning Business Modeler, you can define an association that enables you to copy data from a source model to a destination model. An association not only specifies the mapping between two models, but also between their dimensions and dimension members. By using an association, you can be very precise about which source data is moved, how the data is aggregated, and to what destination the data moves.

What you can do when you finish

The following list describes ways that analysts can use a completed association.

• Analysts can use an association to contribute source data to a larger model for use in reporting or consolidation. In this scenario, a business user might create a local model for analysis and planning, and then provide the outcomes of their analysis to the corporate model,

• Analysts can use an association to select a segment of a larger model, and then use the segment as a new, self-standing model. For example, a planner might select elements of a corporate model to create a model that represents only a segment of the business. Then, the planner could distribute such segments to the subsidiary divisions that are most concerned with the identified segments.

• Analysts can use an association to select a segment of a larger model, and then integrate the segments into another large model. For example, in this scenario, a forecaster might create a "what-if" model to determine the effect that a local event might have on the whole company.

Prerequisites

This process assumes that the following prerequisites have been completed:

• Make sure that appropriate roles are assigned.

  • To define an association, you must be a member of a Modeler or Data Administrator role at both the source model site and the destination model site.

  • To run an association, you must be a member of the Data Administrator role at both the source model site and the destination model site.

• Identify the source model site and source model, and the destination model site and model that you plan to associate.

  The source model must be owned by the model site in which you are working, or shared from a parent site. The destination model must be owned by a model site where you belong to the Data Administrator or the Modeler role. The destination model cannot be shared from a parent site.

  Note

  It is very important that the source and destination model have different names.

• Gather detailed information that you can use to define specifications for mapping dimension members.

• Determine the aggregation function that you plan to use for the data movement operation.

Creating an association

Use the steps that are listed in the following table to track your progress.