Business Objects : Dimension versus Detail Objects

A detail object is something that tells you more about a dimension.

A detail to be an attribute of a dimension, and you make a detail object when there is a one to one relationship with a dimension. For example, I may have a dimension called "Customer" and related details such as "Phone Number", "SS Number", etc.

• The main thing with details is that you can't use them in hierarchies. 
• You also can't Merge (link) data providers based on them. 
• And, you canot use them in drilling only dimensions can be used for drilling.

 

so,those objects which  you are sure would not be probably not be using like "Phone Number" or "SS Number" for this purpose. So you would make them detail objects. 

details can make a universe look cleaner to the end users, so you use them, but sparingly.

They make the universe look less cluttered, since they are hidden until the user unfolds the dimension.

lets take it as an example - You have two data provider one having Dimenstion objects - CutomerID ,ProductPurchased,ProdType other Dataprovider have dimension Objects like CustomerID,CutomerName,CustomerAddress.

so you generate WEbi Report and will do linking(Merge Dimension) based on CustomerID,

In veritacle table report you include objects from first dataprovider CustomerID,ProductPurchased,ProdType and then you try to pullin Dimension Objects from the second dataprovider CutomerName,CustomerAddress than their it shows throws an error saying "INCOMPATIBLE OBJECTS".

so inorder to pull those objects CutomerName,CustomerAddress in you convert them in to detail object giving reference of Merged Dimension Object CustomerID. and then you can place them in table.

so this is where detail objects can be helpful. if you had in my universe CutomerName,CustomerAddress

as detail objects . you can directly pull them in table or block to show results.