A dimension data converter modifies information before it is loaded in your data warehouse dimension tables. The data warehouse loader server invokes converter components if one is specified for a data warehouse repository item in the DimensionProperties.xml file for a product.

Dimension converters implement the atg.reporting.datawarehouse.process.DimensionConverter interface. This interface expects only a single method called convert to be implemented. Core Commerce includes several dimension converters. You can modify these converters or develop your own if needed.

For example, the following warehouse-property element specifies that the data warehouse loader server should invoke the ProductParentCategoryConverter dimension data converter when loading a product repository item into a data warehouse repository item. The conversion-component attribute of the warehouse-property element names the dimension converter.

<warehouse-property
  name="parentCategory"
  conversion-component="/atg/reporting/datawarehouse/process/
                        converter/ProductParentCategoryConverter">

  <production-property
    name="catalog.product"
    conversion-context-name="product"/>

</warehouse-property>