Data links allow you to establish a connection between Microsoft Dynamics AX and an external data source so that you can include data from an external system in performance result calculations relevant to a measurement using its elements.

When creating a data link, you must provide the calculation method that you want to use.

Note Note

You can only create data links and access databases if an OLE DB Provider is installed on your computer.

To calculate values for a measurement element, data link queries must use the Avg, Sum, Min, Max, and Count functions.

Create a connection string

When creating a data link to an external data source, the connection string stored in the Microsoft Dynamics AX database may contain the user identification and password of the user in the external data source that is allowed to access the data.

One way to exclude user login credentials from the connection string is to use Microsoft Windows NT Integrated Security.

  • If the data link is defined to use Windows NT Integrated Security, then the user identification and password is not part of the connection string and, therefore, not stored in the Microsoft Dynamics AX database.

  • If Windows NT Integrated Security is not used, then the user in the external data source should be given access to as little data as possible.

See Also