Siebel Analytics Server Administration Guide > Working in a Repository's Business Model and Mapping Layer > Business Model and Mapping Layer Objects >

Working with Logical Table Sources (Mappings)

One logical table source folder exists for each logical table. The folder contains one or more logical table sources. These sources define the logical table to physical table mappings. Complex mappings, including formulas, are also configured in the logical table sources.

Logical tables can and routinely do have many physical table sources. A single logical column might map to many physical columns from multiple physical tables, including aggregate tables that map to the column if the query asks for the appropriate level of aggregation on that column.

When you create logical tables and columns by dragging and dropping from the Physical layer, the logical table sources are generated automatically. If you create the logical tables manually, you need to also create the sources manually by selecting the source folder for a table and selecting New Logical Table Source from the right-click menu.

For examples of how to set up aggregate navigation, see Setting Up Aggregate Navigation.

This section includes the following topics:

Creating or Editing a Logical Table Source

Use the General tab of the Logical Table Source dialog box to define general properties for the logical table source.

To define general properties for the logical table source

  1. Access the Logical Table Source dialog box by right-clicking a logical table in the Business Model and Mapping layer, and then selecting New Object > Logical Table Source.
  2. Specify a name for the logical table source.
  3. Use the Map to These Tables area to specify the physical tables for the source.
  4. Click Add to open the Browse dialog box, where you can select a table.
  5. To add additional source tables, repeat the previous step for each table.

    6. When there are two or more tables in a logical table source, all of the participating tables must have joins defined between them. You can view the joins by selecting a table in the Tables area and clicking the View Details button to open the Physical Join dialog box, but you need to define the joins either in the Joins Manager or in the Physical Table Diagram.

  6. Use the Joins area to open the Physical Join dialog box, where you can view the join conditions for the tables displayed in the Tables area.
  7. (Optional) Enter a description of the table source.
  8. To map logical columns to physical columns and specify any transformations that should occur between the Physical layer and the Business Model and Mapping layer, click the Column Mapping tab.

To remove a table as a source

  1. In the Tables area, highlight the table you want to remove as a source and click Remove.
  2. Repeat this process to remove other tables.

Defining Physical to Logical Table Mapping

Use the Column Mapping tab of the Logical Table Source dialog box to map logical columns to physical columns. The physical to logical mapping can be used to specify transformations that occur between the Physical layer and the Business Model and Mapping layer. The transformations can be simple, such as changing an integer datatype to a character, or more complex, such as applying a formula to find a percentage of sales per unit of population.

To map logical columns to physical columns

  1. From the Physical Table list on the right side of the Column Mapping tab, select the physical table that contains the column you want to map.
  2. Select the physical column in the Expression list corresponding to each logical column.

    3. When you click on a cell in the Physical Table column, this brings up a drop-down list from which you can see a list of tables currently included in this logical table source.

  3. To open the Expression Builder, click the button to the left of the Expression list.

    4. NOTE:  All columns used in creating physical expressions must be in tables included in the logical table source. You cannot create expressions involving columns in tables outside the source.

  4. Click on a cell in the Expressions list to see a drop-down list.
  5. Click on the arrow to see a list of columns in the physical table you have just specified.
  6. Repeat this process to map other columns.

To remove a column mapping

  1. Click the Delete button next to the column mapping you want to remove.
  2. Repeat this process to remove other column mappings.

Defining Content of Sources

To use a source correctly, the Siebel Analytics Server has to know what each source contains in terms of the business model you are defining. Use the Content tab of the Logical Table Source dialog box to define any aggregate table content definitions, fragmented table definitions for the source, and any Where clauses to limit the number of rows returned. For more information about aggregate table columns, see Specify the Aggregate Levels for Each Source.

To create table content definitions

  1. Access the Content tab of the Logical Table Source dialog box.
  2. If a logical source is an aggregate table and you want to define content for dimension levels, do the following:
    1. Select Level from the Aggregation content drop-down list.
    2. In the Level pane, select the appropriate level for the dimension.

      3. You do not need to specify a level for each dimension if the logical table source is at the lowest level for all dimensions and no dimensions have levels specified. Otherwise, dimensions with no level specified will be interpreted as being at the Grand Total level. Therefore, you should specify a level for each dimension, unless you are specifying the Grand Total level.

  3. If a logical source is an aggregate table and you want to define content for columns, do the following:
    1. Select Column from the Aggregation content drop-down list.
    2. In the Table pane, select the source physical table.
    3. In the Column pane, select the logical columns that map to the keys of the source physical table.
  4. To specify fragmented table definitions for the source, use the Fragmentation content window to describe the range of values included in the source when a source represents a portion of the data at a given level of aggregation.

    5. You can enter the formula directly into the window, or click the Expression Builder button to the right of the window to access the Fragmentation Content Expression Builder, where you specify content in terms of existing logical columns. For more information about fragmentation content, see Specify Fragmentation Content.

  5. Select the option This source should be combined to specify that this source is combined with other sources.

    6. This option is only for multiple sources that are at the same level of aggregation.

  6. (Optional) Specify Where clause filters in the Where Clause Filter window to limit the number of rows the source uses in the resultant table.
    1. Click the Expression Builder button to open the Physical Where Filter Expression Builder.
    2. Enter the Where clause, and click OK.
  7. Select the option Select distinct values if the values for the source are unique.

 Siebel Analytics Server Administration Guide 
 Published: 23 June 2003