Understand dimension relationships

Dimension relationships can be a helpful way to simplify data entry by auto-filling related values between dimensions. These relationships automate and speed up data entry. They can also help avoid possible data entry errors.

Ease of use and accuracy

Think of dimension relationships as a way to assist data entry by pre-filling entries and not an actual control mechanism. By creating the relationships, you can instruct Intacct to autofill default values. Of course these can be changed as needed.

To further assist in data entry automation, you can create relationships between dimensions that enable many values on 1 side of the relationship (1-to-many) or many values on either side of the relationship (many-to-many).

Predefined logic

You can create relationships between any dimensions, as well as accounts. However, some dimensions have predefined logic that’s similar to relationships. For these dimensions, that logic takes precedence over any dimension relationships you’ve created.

For example, Projects has predefined logic. If you create relationships with Projects and Location, Department or Customer, Projects will take precedence over relationships.

Benefits of dimensional relationships

Dimension relationships are useful in the following situations:

• Auto-filling dimension values: For example, you can select a customer and the system autofills the related location.
• Filtering and validating dimensions: For example, you can select a specific location and the system displays only a subset of departments.
• Cascading dimensions: For example, select a specific customer, and the system populates the related location, and the project, which is dependent on the selected location and department.

If you want an entity to inherit a relationship and autofill the associated value, define the relationship in the location.

Dimension examples

• Department and location: If you use the same department every time you create a transaction against a specific location or entity, you can create a relationship between the two dimensions that enables the department value to be auto-filled in transactions against that location when doing data entry.
• Location and customer: If you use the same location each time you create a transaction against a specific customer or vendor, you can create a relationship between the two dimensions that enables the location value to be auto-filled in transactions against that customer or vendor.

Many-to-many relationships

You can have multiple many-to-many relationships with dimensions. When there are multiple many-to-many relationships with a common dimension, at least 1 dimension value must overlap. Otherwise, Intacct assumes that all the values are valid.