¶ 1. Overview
Data Link is the tool used by T6 to move data between applications.
For example: A company has two applications in T6, one for the financial control of the head office and another for the financial control of a branch. Using Data Link, it is possible to automatically copy registered expense information from the head office application to the branch application, ensuring both use the same up-to-date data for consolidated analysis.
¶ 2. Features
Using the Data Link tool, we can perform the following tasks:
- Create and manage data links to load information from specific contexts of other T6 applications.
- Copy data between applications, both within the same database and across separate databases. Data copying enables the integration of two or more applications within the same project.
¶ 2.1. Prerequisites
To create and use this feature, we need to enable some user permissions.
In Manager permissions, the user must have the following permissions enabled:
The user must also be associated with a Global Group with the following manager permission enabled:
You must also enable the following Preview Feature:
To use this feature within T6, we need a source application and a target application. Therefore, the user must be associated with both applications that will be used.
¶ 3. Creation and Usage
Below, we show the steps to create and use a data link in T6.
¶ 3.1. Creating a Data Link
To create a data link, follow these steps:
- In the main T6 menu, open Explorer.
- On the left side of the screen, in the system folder list, select the folder where the data link will be created.
- In the ribbon, click New Item, expand Data Load, and select Data Link.
- Select the created data link and click Edit in the ribbon.
- After clicking Edit, a new screen opens where we configure Data Link properties and mapping.
- In the properties step, configure Source Access Method, Execution Scope, Source Application, and Target Application.
- In Source Access Method, changes are not allowed, since only Direct Database Access is used.
- With this access type, data is copied through SQL queries directly in the database.
- In Execution Scope, click the dropdown and select a scope. Available options are: All, Planned, and Actual.
In an application, we always have 3 scenario options: Planned, Actual, and Closed. The Closed scenario is never copied.
- In Source Application, click the dropdown and select the application from which data will be taken.
- Still on the properties screen, there is an Run Automatically switch button. When enabled, manual execution is not required. When data changes at the source, the product detects the need and runs the data link automatically.
EXAMPLE:
When we save form data, the system identifies that we are saving data in a form that serves as a source premise for a data link. It detects an existing data link and runs it automatically. The data reaches the target, giving us real-time data, which is what we call online in the product.
- Click Next to move to the Configure Parameters step.
- In Parameter Configuration, there is a dropdown to select the source application and another to select the target application. Select one dimension in each field and click Add.
- By default, all mapping is done by name; dimensions with different names are mapped individually.
- In the dimension list we have Source, Target, Total, and Associate by Name Automatically.
- Source: The source dimension selected previously.
- Target: The target dimension selected previously.
- Total: The number of members affected by the data link.
- Associate by Name Automatically: A switch button beside each listed dimension. When enabled, it ignores manual member mapping settings (it does not map members at setup time; it maps members at runtime by name. When the data link runs, it identifies source and target members and links them during execution).
Associate by Name Automatically only copies members with exactly the same name. If the name differs, nothing is copied.
- To manually map members of each dimension, click
;
- A new screen opens where the selected dimension members are mapped;
During manual mapping, you can also perform the following actions:
: Adds members that have the same name in both source and target, that is, performs automatic name-based mapping for members of the selected dimension.
: Deletes the existing mapping, removing the member from the mapped members list.
: Allows importing a .csvor.xlsxfile for member mapping. The file must include the following header columns: Source Member, Member Type, Member Operator, and Target Member. Only members that exist in the dimensions will be listed; if a member in the file does not exist, it will not be mapped.
: Exports member mapping to an .xlsxfile. The file will include the header columns Source Member, Member Type, Member Operator, and Target Member, along with the mapped data. The exported file can be edited and reused for a new import, making member mapping maintenance easier.
- After mapping the dimension members, click Confirm, which returns you to the previous screen.
- After all dimensions and members are mapped, you can save the data link settings.
In some specific cases, a dimension may exist in only one of the applications involved in the Data Link. When the dimension exists only in the source application, an aggregate account that includes all members of that dimension is generally used, indicating in the target application that this detail will not be considered. On the other hand, if the dimension exists only in the target application, it is common to select a single representative member, such as Not Applicable, to keep data transfer consistent.
- Click Save.
- After clicking Save, you are redirected to the T6 object list.
¶ 3.2. Running the Data Link
To run Data Link, the user must have the permissions mentioned in topic 2.1. Prerequisites of this manual.
- After configuration, select the previously configured data link object and open it by double-clicking, or by selecting the object and clicking Open.
- A side panel opens with 3 steps: Selection, Scope, and Summary.
- In the Selection step, there is a list of available data links for execution and a switch beside each name for individual selection. There is also a Select All button and a search bar to select links by name.
- Select the data links you want to run and click Next.
- You are directed to the Scope step. In this step, you edit the data link scope and select, in each dimension, the members to run together with the data link (if no members are filtered here, the data link runs on the full scope).
- Beside the dimension name, click to edit the dimension scope.
- A new screen opens where you select members and aggregation type through a dropdown menu.
- In Members, click
and select the member. - In Aggregation, click and select the aggregation type.
Click to view aggregation types
| Aggregation | Description |
|---|---|
| Member | Selects only the reference member |
| Descendants | Selects all descendants of the reference member |
| Descendants (inc) | Selects all descendants of the reference member, including itself |
| Ancestors | Selects all ancestors of the reference member |
| Previous | Selects the directly previous member in the member tree, at the same level as the reference member |
| Next | Selects the directly next member in the member tree, at the same level as the reference member |
| Previous (Relative to Parent) | Selects the previous member, at the same level and same position as the parent of the reference member |
| Ancestors (inc) | Selects all ancestors of the reference member, including itself |
| Members same level | Selects all members at the same level as the reference member |
| Members same level (inc) | Selects all members at the same level as the reference member, including itself |
| Parent Member | Selects the parent of the reference member |
| Next (Relative to Parent) | Selects the next member, at the same level and same position as the parent of the reference member |
| Previous (Relative to Root) | Selects the previous member in the member tree, at the same level and same position relative to the root of the member tree |
| Next (Relative to Root) | Selects the next member in the member tree, at the same level and same position relative to the root of the member tree |
| Parent Member (inc) | Selects the parent of the reference member, including itself |
| Children Member | Selects the children of the reference member |
| Children Member (inc) | Selects the children of the reference member, including itself |
| Descendants Without Children | Selects all descendants without children ("leaves") of the reference member |
| Previous same Root (inc) | Selects previous members in the member tree, at the same level and same root as the reference member |
| Next same Root (inc) | Selects next members in the member tree, at the same level and same root as the reference member |
| Previous same root child count (inc) | Selects previous members of the reference member, in the same root and with the same number of members |
| Data Member | Selects only the Data Member of the selected member |
| Data Member Descendants (inc) | Selects all Data Member descendants of the reference member, including its own Data Member |
| Exclude Member | Excludes the reference member |
| Exclude Data Member | Excludes the Data Member of the reference member |
| Next same root child count (inc) | Selects next members of the reference member, in the same root and with the same number of members |
| Children [Words-DataMember] | Selects only Data Member children of the selected member |
- After selecting the member and aggregation type, click Add Selected.
- The member and aggregation type are displayed in a list below.
- To remove an added member, click
beside its name. - After finishing member and aggregation selection, click Apply.
- You return to the Scope page.
- After selecting members to be executed, click Next.
- You are directed to the Summary step where you review the actions to be performed.
- To finish data link execution, click Finish.
After execution, results are shown through system notifications indicating execution success or possible errors.
¶ 3.3 When to Use Data Link — Avoiding Sparse Models
Planning models often need to handle data at different granularity levels. For example, an HR Planning model requires the Positions dimension, while a Revenue and Expenses model requires the Products dimension. Combining both in one application creates a sparse model: every HR entry carries a "Not Applicable" value for Products, and every revenue entry carries "Not Applicable" for Positions. Sparse intersections degrade performance and make models harder to maintain.
The recommended strategy is to create separate, focused applications — each containing only necessary dimensions — and use Data Link to move relevant data between them. For example:
- The HR Application contains payroll planning details by employee, position, and cost center.
- The Revenue and Expenses Application contains a consolidated Personnel Expense account, without employee or position detail.
- A Data Link copies the aggregated payroll total from the HR Application to the Personnel Expense account in the Revenue and Expenses Application.
This approach keeps both models dense (all dimension intersections are populated), improves cube performance, and allows each application to evolve independently.
Best Practices: Splitting models into focused applications connected by Data Links is the recommended architecture for complex planning environments. Consult the T6 implementation team to determine the appropriate segmentation level for your project.
¶ 3.4 Source Access Method
¶ Direct Database Access
Direct Database Access bypasses the T6 object layer and queries the source database directly via SQL. It converts the result set to the target table format and writes it to the target application in a single optimized operation.
¶ 3.5 Execution Scope and Online (Automatic) Execution
¶ Execution Scope
Execution Scope controls which scenario type Data Link reads from the source application. Available options are:
| Scope | Description |
|---|---|
| All | Copies data from both Planned and Actual. |
| Planned | Copies only data stored in the Planned scenario. |
| Actual | Copies only data stored in the Actual scenario. |
Note: The Closed scenario is never copied by a Data Link, regardless of the selected Execution Scope.
¶ Online (Automatic) Execution
When Run Automatically is enabled, T6 Planning monitors the source application in online mode. Whenever a user saves data in a form that feeds a Data Link, the platform automatically triggers Data Link execution — no manual run is required. The target application is updated in real time.
This is the same online concept used by formula recalculation: the product detects when a dependent object needs recalculation and performs it transparently.
Best Practices: Enable Run Automatically when Data Link feeds critical downstream calculations or dashboards that must always reflect the latest input data.
¶ 3.6 Member Mapping Strategies
The Member Mapping step defines how source dimension members are matched to target dimension members. T6 provides two strategies, which can be combined.
¶ Manual Member Mapping
In manual mapping, you explicitly link each source member to its corresponding target member using the wizard interface. This approach offers precise control, but has an important limitation: if a new member is added to either dimension after Data Link configuration, it will not be included automatically — the mapping must be updated manually.
Use manual mapping when you need to reroute specific accounts to different targets, apply aggregations, or exclude certain members.
¶ Automatic Name Association
When Associate by Name Automatically is enabled, T6 Planning does not store member mappings at configuration time. Instead, it resolves mapping at runtime: when Data Link executes, it matches source members to target members by comparing their names.
Key characteristics:
- Any source member whose name matches a target member is copied automatically.
- Members whose names do not match are silently ignored — no error is generated.
- New members added to a dimension are automatically captured in the next run, without configuration changes.
Best Practices: Use Associate by Name Automatically for dimensions where source and target share the same member names (for example, a shared Time dimension). This removes ongoing maintenance when members are added or renamed.
¶ Mixed Strategy
You can combine both approaches in the same Data Link by applying Associate by Name Automatically to most dimensions and using manual mapping for one or two specific dimensions (for example, the Account dimension) where a subset of members must be rerouted to specific target accounts. To do this, create a second separate Data Link scoped to those specific members using manual mapping, while the first Data Link handles the remaining data automatically.
¶ Handling Dimensions That Do Not Exist in Both Applications
When a dimension exists in the source application but not in the target, aggregate data to the top-level member (for example, "All Positions") and map that member to the Not Applicable member in the target. This consolidates detail before transfer and ensures no data is lost.
When a dimension exists in the target application but not in the source, map all source data to a single Not Applicable member in the target. This handles the missing dimension correctly without generating errors.
Note: ALL dimensions from both applications must be paired in configuration. Any unmatched dimension will cause Data Link to fail at execution time. Map unmatched dimensions to the Not Applicable member or an appropriate aggregate member.
¶ 4. Q&A
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a Data Link in T6?
Data Link is a T6 tool for moving data between applications, allowing information to be copied automatically from one application to another, such as copying head office expenses to a branch.
2. What is the difference between automatic and manual execution in Data Link?
In T6 Data Links, with automatic execution enabled, the system detects source changes and executes the link automatically.
With manual execution, you must manually run the process whenever you want to synchronize data.
3. Which features are required to use Data Link?
To use Data Link, the user must have the following Manager features enabled: Run Data Load and Manage application structure/model, and be in a Global Group with the Manage Explorer feature.
It is also necessary to enable the Preview Feature Data Link New.
4. Can I create a Data Link between applications I cannot access?
No. To create a Data Link, you must be associated with both the source and target applications.
5. What execution scopes are available in Data Link?
Available execution scopes in Data Link are:
All.
Planned.
Actual.
The Closed scenario is never copied.
6. How does "Associate by Name Automatically" work in Data Link parameter configuration?
In Data Link parameter configuration, "Associate by Name Automatically" is a switch button beside each listed dimension. When enabled, it ignores manual settings and maps members by name at runtime. It only copies members with exactly matching names.
7. What should I do when a dimension exists only in the source during Data Link configuration?
During Data Link configuration, when a dimension exists only in the source application, an aggregate account that includes all members of that dimension is used in the target application.
8. What if a dimension exists only in the target during Data Link configuration?
During Data Link configuration, when a dimension exists only in the target application, the most common approach is to select a representative member such as Not Applicable to maintain consistency.
9. How can I filter which data will be copied in Data Link?
During Data Link configuration, in the Scope step, you can select specific members and aggregation types for each dimension.
10. Which aggregation types are available when defining scope in Data Link?
The aggregation types available during Data Link scope configuration are:
| Aggregation | Aggregation | Aggregation | Aggregation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Descendants | Descendants (inc) | Ancestors |
| Previous | Next | Previous (Relative to parent) | Ancestors (inc) |
| Members same level | Members same level (inc) | Parent Member | Next (Relative to parent) |
| Previous (Relative to root) | Next (Relative to root) | Parent Member (inc) | Children member |
| Children member (inc) | Descendants without children | Previous same root (inc) | Next same root (inc) |
| Previous same root child count (inc) | Data member | Data member descendants | Exclude member |
| Exclude data member | Next same root child count (inc) | Children data member |
11. How do I know whether Data Link execution was successful?
After running Data Link, the system displays notifications informing you about successful execution or possible errors.
12. Can I change the source access method in Data Link?
No, currently the available source access method in Data Link is Direct Database Access, which uses SQL queries.
13. Is it possible to run Data Link across different databases?
Yes, Data Link allows copying between applications in the same database or in separate databases.
14. Why is my Data Link not running automatically?
Open Data Link properties again and check whether the Run Automatically switch is enabled.