What this article covers: What the Business Data Builder is, the Models list, starting a model from a template, how a model’s data is refreshed, and where its figures can be read.
The Business Data Builder combines operational data and financial statements in one model, on dimensions you define — for example, search clicks next to revenue by month, or every entity’s regions combined into one set of segments. Each model is published as an operational dataset, so dashboards, custom reports, Cell Reports, KPIs and BrizoButler read it like any other operational data.
🛈 Note: The Business Data Builder is included in the Premium plan and in the trial. It is available to users with Administrator or Data Loading Admin access. On other plans the page offers an upgrade to Premium.
1. Accessing the Page
Go to Organisation Settings → Business Data Builder from the left navigation. A model belongs to the organisation it is created in, and can read the operational data and statements of that organisation and every entity below it.
2. What a Model Holds
Part
What it is
Metrics
The figures the model holds. A linked metric is fed by measures from its sources; a formula metric is calculated from the other metrics after they are totalled.
Dimensions
Up to four dimensions of your own, such as Region or Channel. Each has its own members, which can be grouped into a hierarchy, and an Unassigned member that holds anything no member takes.
Period
The month. Every source fills it from its own months.
Entity
Optional. Keeps each entity’s figures apart. Without it, figures belong to the organisation that owns the model.
Scenario
Optional. Keeps Actual, Budget and Forecast side by side. They are never added together.
3. The Models List
The page lists every model of the organisation. Each name carries the template it started from (or Custom) and its data status:
Status
Meaning
No data yet
The model has not loaded its data.
Loading data
The data is loading in the background. The list updates by itself when it finishes.
Up to date
The data has loaded. Data as of shows when.
Data load failed
The last load did not finish. Hover over the badge to see why.
The list also shows each model’s description, sources, dimensions and number of metrics. The actions on each row:
Action
What it does
View (eye)
Opens the model’s figures in the operational report viewer. Greyed out until the model has published its data.
Edit model
Opens the model page — see Building a Business Data Builder Model.
Refresh data
Loads the model’s data again now.
Delete
Deletes the model and the operational dataset it published.
4. Starting a New Model
Click New Model. The Start from a template page lists the templates your group has the data for under Ready to use, and the ones still missing a source under Needs a source, with a link to connect it where it can be connected. Everything a template sets up can be changed afterwards.
Template
What it builds
Search traffic vs revenue
Search Console clicks and impressions next to revenue from the Profit and Loss, month by month. Needs a Search Console dataset.
Time and billing vs P&L
Harvest hours, billing and invoicing next to the revenue in your Profit and Loss. Needs a Harvest dataset.
Combine financial segments
The regions, departments or business lines your accounting systems track — Xero tracking categories, QuickBooks classes, MYOB jobs and categories, Zoho reporting tags — combined into one set of segments across your entities. See Combine Financial Segments.
Profit and Loss by Entity
Every entity’s profit and loss on the group chart of accounts, month by month: each account, each section total, and Gross Profit down to Net Profit. Click Create model and the model is created straight away.
Custom
Start from nothing and build the dimensions and metrics yourself.
For a template with something to choose, click Use this template:
1
Choose the sourcesUnder 1 · Sources, tick the datasets that fill each source the template needs. Period, entity and scenario come from every source automatically.
2
Check the dimensionsUnder 2 · Dimensions, review the members the template and your data provide, add members, or add an optional breakdown.
3
Check the metricsUnder 3 · Metrics, review the metrics the template holds and what each one reads.
4
Name the model and create itEnter a Model name and an optional Description, then click Create model. The model opens and starts loading its data.
🛈 Note: Model names must be unique within the organisation, and cannot be the name of one of its operational datasets.
5. How a Model’s Data Is Refreshed
A model stores only its definition. Its figures are loaded in the background and written to its operational dataset:
When
What happens
Save on the model page
The model loads its data again.
A linked operational dataset changes
Every model that reads the dataset refreshes.
The consolidation recalculates
Models that read financial statements refresh.
Refresh data
Click the refresh icon on the Models list to load the data now.
Financial statement sources are read for the most recent 36 months the group has data for.
6. Reading a Model’s Figures
A model’s figures are read as operational data. Click View to open them in the operational report viewer, or use the model’s dataset in dashboards, custom reports, Cell Reports and custom KPIs.
On Organisation Settings → Operational Data, a model’s dataset carries a Model badge. Its edit icon opens the model: the figures are changed in the model, not by importing into the dataset.
🛈 Note: If the subscription no longer includes the Business Data Builder — for example, when a trial ends — the models are kept, but their datasets are taken out of the operational data list and every report.
