Linking Variables to Integrated Data

Getting Started

Global Functions

Administration

Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A)

xP&A Video Tutorials

User Roles in Lucanet xP&A

Lucanet xP&A User Interface

All Steps at a Glance

Basic Concepts and Elements

Creating a Model

Integrating Data

Connecting to a Data Source

Sharing Data Connections

Working With Integrated Data

Linking Variables to Integrated Data

Linking Dimensions from a Data Source

Using the 'Import Data Until' Function

Refreshing a Data Source

Drilling Down on Integrated Data

Guideline for Exchanging Data Between xP&A and CFP

Modeling Your Data

Viewing and Visualizing Data

Working with Models

Using Comments and Descriptions

Comparison: xP&A vs. Excel Performance

Consolidation & Financial Planning

ESG Reporting

Disclosure Management

XBRL Tagger

Lease Accounting

Banking & Cash Management

Data Collection

Tax Compliance & Reporting

Glossary

To use the data you integrated via a connection to a source system in your variables, you can link the variables to the integrated data.

You can use this function to perform forecasts based on historicals, for example.

When a variable is linked to integrated data, it will take its value from the data if data exists, and will fall back to its formula if data does not exist (usually only beyond the Last actual date).

You have different options to link variables to integrated data:

You can link a new variable while creating it.

You can link existing variables.

You can link a variable from the data preview.

You can create a model from a data source in one click.

You can see which data items (from which data sources) are being used at a glance in the Data column and the top bar of spreadsheet:

Shows the icon in the Data column that signalizes that data is linked from a data source. — Linked data shown in the 'Data' column

To create a new variable linked to integrated data:

Click New Variable at the end of a section.

The following drop-down menu is displayed:

Click Create from data and select or search for the data source for which you want to integrate data.

Select from the dropdown list or search for the data item you want to use in the new variable.

The data is integrated into the variable.

If necessary, modify the variable's format type by clicking on the icon or the icon to the left of the variable name.

For more information on variables and how to format and edit them, see Creating and Editing Variables.

To link an existing variable to a data item, click in the Data column of the variable and choose the data source and data item you would like to connect:

Shows the dropdown to select the data source and data item to be connected when clicking into the data column of a variable — Linking from the data column

To link a variable to the data item of a data source from the data preview:

Click the name of the data source in the overview of the model to open the data preview.

In the row of the desired data item, click the pen icon in the Linked variables column.

Choose the variable you want to link the data item to from the dropdown list that appears. (If the variable does not yet exist, you can create it from here by clicking New variable.)

Shows the dropdown to select the variable to be connected when clicking into the Linked variables column of the data preview — Linking from the data preview

To remove a link from a variable to the data item of a data source, choose one of the following options:

To remove all links from all variables to a data source within a model, open the three-dot menu behind the name of the data source in the overview of the model and choose Remove from model:

Removing link from all variables

To remove the link from individual variables to a data source within a model, open the data preview of the model, click the pen icon and then on the variable you want to remove:

Removing a link from individual variables

If you want to build a model based on underlying integrated data, you can create the model structure in one click. You can use this feature, e.g. to quickly generate a skeleton for a model, such as a P&L model based on a P&L in Xero/QuickBooks.

Each variable is automatically named according to the line items, and is automatically connected to the line item in the data source.

To do so, open the Data workspace and choose Create model from data source from the three-dot menu of the desired data source:

Shows the option 'Create model from data source' from the three-dot menu of a data source — Creating a model from a data source

If you have blank values in integrated data that are used in variables, xP&A will treat them as 0 by default, unless you change the data settings to have blanks treated as blanks.

This is useful if you want to exclude the blank values in data from calculations like averages, min/max etc.

Example:

avg(5,10,blank) with the setting Treat as blank will result in avg(5,10) = 7.5.

To change the settings how blanks are treated in an integrated data item, click the data icon in the Data column of a model and choose Advanced settings: