The Data Source Designer allows you to define all the components of a Data Source. At the bottom of the Add New Data Source page or the Edit Data Source page, click Create in Data Source Designer or Edit in Data Source Designer to launch the Data Source Designer console.
Along the top of the Data Source Designer console are tabs for configuring various aspects of the Data Source:
Tables: Select all tables whose columns you want to use in the Data Source, either directly or indirectly.
Derived Tables: Enter queries whose results appear as derived tabled available in the Data Source.
Joins: Define inner and outer joins between all the tables and derived tables.
Calculated Fields: Enter expression whose results appear as calculated fields.
Pre-Filters: Specify conditions on field values to limit the data accessed through the Data Source.
Display: Organize the visual aspects of the Data Source and change the display properties of tables, columns, sets, and items exposed to Data Source users.
The Data Source Designer opens automatically to the Tables tab. From there, you can navigate to the other tabs. To navigate between tabs, click the tab name. Before you can save your design, you must choose which sets and items to expose to users of the Data Source.
The OK button on the console validates the design and saves it in the location you specified earlier in the process on the Add New/Edit Data Source page. After saving a Data Source, you can modify it using the Data Source Designer.
Clicking the Cancel button exits the Data Source Designer without saving any of the design settings. For new Data Sources, no design is saved; when modifying an existing design, it remains unchanged.