External data sources can be used to populate a model with metadata and data. You can use data from multiple external data sources, such as Essbase, to generate a single Performance Scorecard database. Dimensional measures that retrieve their data from external data sources must already exist within the Performance Scorecard application. If you are using Essbase, you can make changes in the source or destination and the changes are reflected instantly.
After defining the external data sources, you point to those external data sources through the Measure Template Setup and Target Setup pages in Performance Scorecard. If required, you can select an Allow updates option to ensure any changes made in Scorecard are written back to the external data source. If changes are made in the external data source, you can synchronize the metadata and data with Scorecard.
When selecting dimension to import, a dimension can only be selected once. After it is used, the same dimension cannot be selected again.
To maximize performance, perform calculations in the external data source first, and then import the calculated values. This enhances the import time, and ensures that complicated calculations are accomplished in the application to which they are best suited.
External dimensions are not displayed in the Dimension Setup page, and cannot be modified in Scorecard.