AX1465

Using the Dimension Mapping editor

Using the Dimension Mapping editor, you can assign dimension items to specific rows of a fixed row structure. When the row structure is used in a web report, the rows will display data for the assigned dimension items.

For example, if the row dimension is Acct, you can assign one or more accounts to each row in the row structure. If a row is assigned Acct 4000, then that row will display data for Acct 4000, for each of the columns used in the report.

Dimension Mapping editor overview

The Dimension Mapping editor is only accessible when creating or editing a row structure. If Use Dimension Mapping is enabled for the row structure, then a Dimension Mapping tab displays next to the Row Editor tab. You can click this tab to open the Dimension Mapping editor and assign dimension items to each row.

Dimension Mapping tab available in row structure when Use Dimension Mapping is enabled

Example Dimension Mapping editor

  • The left side of the Dimension Mapping editor displays a simplified view of the row structure defined on the Row Editor tab. You can select a data row in the row structure in order to map dimension items to that row.

    • Each data row must be assigned at least one dimension item when using dimension mapping. It is not possible to mix use of data filters and dimension mappings.

    • The number to the left of the row label shows how many dimension items have been assigned to that row.

  • The two columns on the right side of the Dimension Mapping editor are used to map dimension items.

    • The Current Mappings column in the middle of the page shows the dimension items mapped to the currently selected data row.
    • The dimension column on the right side of the page shows the remaining unmapped dimension items. The dimension used for the mappings is determined by the specified Dimension Table in the Row Editor tab. In this example, the dimension table is Acct and the column shows the list of accounts defined in that table.
    • You can use the arrow buttons between the columns to move dimension items from the dimension column to the Current Mappings column and vice versa.

Each dimension item can only be assigned to a single row in the row structure. Once a dimension item is moved to the Current Mappings column, it is removed from the list of unmapped dimension items and cannot be assigned to another row.

Assigning dimension items to data rows

Each data row in the row structure must be assigned at least one dimension item. When the row structure is used in a report, the dimension mappings determine what data displays in each row.

To assign one or more dimension items to a data row:

  1. In the row structure on the left side of the page, select the data row that you want to map. If any dimension items are already mapped to this row, those dimension items display in the Current Mappings column.

  2. In the dimension column on the right side of the page, select the dimension item or items that you want to map to the data row.

    • Click a dimension item once to select it. If you select a dimension item by accident, click it again to de-select it.
    • Note that using the Shift key or the CTRL key to select multiple dimension items at once does not work here. You must individually click on each dimension item that you want to assign.

    You can search and filter the dimension list to help find the desired dimension items.

  3. Once all of the dimension items that you want to assign are highlighted, click the left arrow to move the selected dimension items to the Current Mappings column.

If you want to remove a mapped dimension item from a data row, you can select the item in the Current Mappings column and then click the right arrow to move it back to the dimension column.

In the following example, two accounts have been mapped to the Expenses Line 1 data row. When this row structure is used in a report, this row will display summed data for the Software Expense and Computer Expense accounts. (In a real report, the label text for this data row would likely be defined as "Software and Computer Expenses" or something similar.)

Example data row with mapped dimension items

The two accounts that are mapped to this data row no longer display in the dimension column and cannot be mapped to any other row. You can optionally enable Show Mapped Dimension Items to see all items in the dimension column, but mapped items will display as grayed out and cannot be selected.

Searching and filtering the dimension column

You can search and filter the dimension column to more easily find the dimension items that you want to map.

  • You can type into the search box at the top of the column to find items by dimension value. The search matches any dimension value that contains the search text. Currently, the description text is not included in the search.

  • You can select a grouping column so that the dimension column is filtered to only show values for a particular grouping. For example, you may have a grouping column of Category, which you can use to show accounts within a particular category—such as Revenue, Capital, or Marketing.

If you use Select All when the list is filtered by a search or by a grouping value, then only the currently visible items are selected. This can be a convenient way to find, select, and map multiple dimension items at a time.

To filter the dimension column by a grouping value:

  1. Click the down arrow icon in the column header, and then click Choose Grouping Column.

  2. In the Choose a Grouping Column dialog, select the grouping column that you want to use, and then click OK.

    The dimension column becomes filtered by the first value in the selected grouping column. This value displays in the column header.

  3. To filter the dimension column by a different value in the grouping column, click the down arrow icon in the column header, and select the desired value.

    In the following example, "Balance Sheet" was the automatically-selected value from the grouping column, and we are now going to select "Marketing" instead.

    The dimension column is now filtered to only show accounts that belong to the Marketing category.

If you want to clear the grouping column filter, click the down arrow icon in the column header, and select Clear Grouping Column.