Linking to external Data

How to link Assumptions to external Data points

Overview

Models includes an application for managing commonly used Data, leveraging the power of Units and Tags.

Model Assumptions can link to this Data, which provides benefits over entering the data manually within the Model:

  • Values stored in Data are linked to a Data Source (a document or URL), which can be instantly opened from Models to quickly understand where values originate

  • Values stored in Data can be reused across multiple Models

Read more about how to create and manage Data here.

External Data Step

Screenshot of the External Data page of the Assumptions wizard.
External Data step of the Assumptions wizard

From the Assumptions wizard, you can select and create new Data from which to take values.

The External Data page presents you with a list of Data in available Namespaces and an Item Status control.

In the Item Status control, you can:

  • See whether Data is available for your Assumptions - a green background indicates that one or more Data points are available

  • See when Data is selected - a tick indicates whether an item has been selected

  • Filter the list of Data to matching Units - a filter symbol indicates when an Assumption is an active filter - click on any cell or heading in the table to change the active filters (by default, all cells are active filters)

If no matching Data is present, you can create new Data in the Data list, which will bring up a new Data wizard. Read more about the Data wizard here. The wizard will be configured according to the filters set in the Item Status control.

For instance, in the example screenshot above, if all three cells are set as active filters, creating new Data will open a dialog with the correct Unit and Dimensions pre-populated for the three Monthly Price per Member assumptions.

On closing the Data wizard, new Data will have been added to the list and selected.

Converting Local Values to Data

Screenshot showing a list of assumptions, with some assumptions selected. A context button is highlighted, which allows the conversion of local assumptions to external data.
Converting local values to Data

In the Assumptions list, If you select one or more Assumptions with local values, you will see a button (highlighted in the screenshot above) to convert the selected local values to Data.

Pressing the button will open a new wizard in which you can:

  • Select which Scenarios you would like to convert to Data (only shown if more than one Scenario contains local Data)

  • Select a Data Source to apply to the Data

Completing the wizard will create the new Data and reference it from your Assumptions.

Converting Data to Local Values

Screenshot showing the assumptions list, with three assumptions selected. These assumptions link to external data, so a button is shown allowing the user to convert the data to local assumptions.
Converting Data to local values

The converse operation is also possible, converting Assumptions that reference external Data to local values.

If you select one or more Assumptions that reference external Data (as indicated by the arrow next to the value (1) ), you will see a button (2) to convert the Data to local values.

Pressing the button will open a new wizard which will prompt you to select whether or not to delete the Data after converting.

Last updated