---
title: "Linking Dimensions from a Data Source"
description: "Often, you will import data broken down into dimensions — for example, employee data from your Payroll/HRIS system, or department expenses in Accounting/ERP systems.\n\nWhen you link a data item that has dimensions to a variable, xP&A will not breakdown the variable until you link an xP&A dimension to the dimension in the data source explicitly.\n\nYou can link a dimension either from a model or from a data source."
source_url: https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/working-with-integrated-data/linking-dimensions-to-data-source
language: en
last_updated: 2023-08-16
---
# Linking Dimensions From Data Sources

## Overview

Often, you will import data broken down into dimensions — for example, employee data from your Payroll/HRIS system, or department expenses in Accounting/ERP systems.

When you [link a data item](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/working-with-integrated-data/linking-variables-to-integrated-data.md) that has dimensions to a variable, xP&A will not breakdown the variable until you link an xP&A dimension to the dimension in the data source explicitly.

You can link a dimension either **from a model** or from a **data source**.

{% warning-box %}
Once a dimension of a data source is linked to a dimension in xP&A:

- The dimension items will be kept in sync automatically whenever you [refresh your data source](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/working-with-integrated-data/refreshing-a-data-source.md):

 - If you add new items in the data source, they will be added to the xP&A dimension as well.
 - If you remove items in the data source, they will not be removed - they will just be unlinked in xP&A.
 - You can also see a full history of your data/dimension synchronization in the [data sync history](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/working-with-integrated-data/refreshing-a-data-source.md).
- Any dimension items coming from your data source are "linked". You can change the name of the dimension item in xP&A, and the link will not be broken.
- A linked dimension item is displayed with the icon:

Symbol for linked dimensions
{% /warning-box %}

## Linking Dimensions From a Model

To link a dimension to a data source from a model:

{% stepper %}
{% stepper-step %}
Navigate to the variable in your model for which you want to link the dimensions to the data source. The variable must be [linked to integrated data](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/working-with-integrated-data/linking-variables-to-integrated-data.md).
{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
Click the **Dimensions** button.
{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
Select the dimension you want to link.

 This will automatically create the dimension in xP&A, and link it to the data source connected to this variable.

{% /stepper-step %}
{% /stepper %}
Linking a dimension to a data source from a model

## Linking Dimensions from a Data Source

To link a dimension of a data source to a dimension in xP&A from a [data source](https://support.lucanet.cloud/en/documentation/xp-a---extended-planning-and-analysis/integrating-data/connecting-to-a-data-source.md):

{% stepper %}
{% stepper-step %}
Open the **Data** workspace and click on the data source for which you want to link the dimensions.
{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
Open the **Dimensions** tab.

{% /stepper-step %}
{% stepper-step %}
Assign the dimensions of the data source to the dimensions in xP&A. You can switch the dimensions by opening the dropdown menu of the respective dimension field.

{% /stepper-step %}
{% /stepper %}
Linking a category to a category in xP&A from a data source