Using AX Client > Accessing data through tables

Accessing data through tables

Tables are the objects that describe the raw data contained in related source data files. Tables in AX Server are the same as table layouts in ACL Analytics.

Finding tables in the Server Explorer

In AX Server, tables are contained within folders. Like other folder items, you can access tables from the Server Explorer.

Note

The Server Explorer icon representing a table depends on the table type. For more information, see Tables icons and table types.

How to use tables

Tables use the following metadata to create a structured interpretation of the raw data in a related source data file:

field names
field lengths
field data types
field positions

When you run analytics, the scripts use the table to access the underlying data stored in related source files.

Example

You have a table called Ar that has two fields you need to work with: Customer_Number and Trans_Amount. Using the OPEN command, you select the table to work with and then you use the SUMMARIZE command to process the data in the fields that you need to work with:

OPEN Ar
SUMMARIZE ON Customer_Number SUBTOTAL Trans_Amount TO "Customer_total.FIL"PRESORT

Table types

AX Server supports five table types. The standalone table is the basis of the other four specialized tables:

Standalone tables the basic table layout that appears in ACL Analytics
Master tables a standalone table linked to by one or more linked tables
Linked tables a shortcut table that links to one master table
Shared tables a standalone table that shares its data source file with one or more other tables
Server tables a table layout in ACL Analytics that is linked to a source data file on AX Server

Layouts

You can disassociate a table from its underlying data to create layouts. A layout is a table layout with no underlying source data file that you can manipulate in analytic scripts.