Data Ingestion

Data Sources & Connectors

Updated February 17, 2026

Before you can import data, you need a Data Source — the configuration object that tells OneStream how to read incoming data. A Data Source defines the file format (or connector), the cube it targets, which dimensions are available, and how the raw data is structured. This guide covers every Data Source type and its key settings.

Data Source Types

OneStream supports four Data Source types, selected through the Type property in Data Structure Settings:

Type	How Data Arrives	When to Use
Fixed	Column-position file with data in predefined columns	Legacy mainframe extracts, fixed-width reports
Delimited	Fields separated by a common character (comma, tab, pipe)	CSV/TSV exports from ERPs, spreadsheets
Connector	A Business Rule that connects to an external system and pulls data programmatically	Direct database connections (ODBC/SQL), REST APIs, custom integrations
Data Mgmt Export Sequence	A Data Management sequence that exports data from one OneStream cube/scenario to another	Internal data moves — copying actuals to a planning cube with different dimensionality

Fixed Files

Fixed files use predefined column positions. Each dimension and the amount occupy specific character ranges. You configure the start position and length for each field in the Data Source definition.

Delimited Files

Delimited files have two additional settings:

Delimiter — The character separating fields (comma, tab, pipe, semicolon, etc.)
Quote Character — The character wrapping fields that may contain the delimiter. Typically double quotes (")

Connector Data Sources

A Connector Data Source uses a Connector Business Rule — a shared Business Rule that contains the code to connect to and pull data from a given source system or database. The connector name is selected from a dropdown of available Connector-type Business Rules.

💡Tip

Connector Data Sources are the only type that supports Drill-Back from the Finance Engine to the source system. If auditability to the original source record is important, use a connector rather than file-based imports.

Data Management Export Sequence

Instead of a file or connector, this type uses a Data Management sequence to move data. Common use cases:

Copy data from one OneStream cube to another (e.g., from a Financial Close cube to a Management Reporting cube with different dimensionality)
Export OneStream data to an external system while applying Transformation Rules through the Workflow

You configure the Data Export Sequence Name property to point to the Data Management sequence.

Data Structure Settings

These settings control how the parser interprets the incoming data:

Data Structure Type

Type	Description
Tabular	Each line (or row) maps to a single intersection with one amount. This is the most common format.
Matrix	Multiple amounts on a given row, using row and column positions to determine the intersection for each amount. Used for pivot-style reports.

Allow Dynamic Excel Loads

When set to True, users can load Excel templates in addition to the configured data file format. The Excel file must follow a specific formatting convention — see the OneStream documentation section on using Excel as a data source for the required layout.

ℹ️Info

Dynamic Excel Loads provide flexibility for ad-hoc data entry but bypass the strict file-format validation of Fixed or Delimited sources. Use them for low-volume, occasional loads where a formal data pipeline is overkill.

Cube and Scenario Assignment

Every Data Source is assigned to a specific Cube through the Cube Name property. This determines which dimensions are available for mapping.

The Scenario Type property controls which scenarios can use this Data Source:

Set to a specific Scenario Type (e.g., Actual) — the Data Source is only available when the Workflow Profile targets that scenario
Set to All — the Data Source is available for any scenario

Source Dimensions

Each Data Source has assigned Source dimensions. These correspond to the dimensions in the cube specified in the Data Source properties. To add Source dimensions, use the Add button in the toolbar and select a dimension.

Each Source dimension has properties you can configure:

Data Type — Controls how the field is interpreted. Not all data types are available for every Source dimension.
Source Field Name — Maps the source column to a cube dimension. For Data Management Export Sequences, this can map between cubes with different dimensionality (e.g., mapping a Legal Entity dimension to a UD1 dimension).

Assigning Data Sources to Workflow Profiles

A Data Source does not do anything on its own — it must be linked to a Workflow Profile. In the Workflow Profile's Integration Settings:

Data Source Name — Select the Data Source for this profile's Import step
Transformation Profile Name — Select which Transformation Rules to apply (covered in the next guide)

⚠️Warning

A common mistake is creating a Data Source but forgetting to assign it to the Workflow Profile. If users click Import and nothing happens, check the Integration Settings on the profile.

Static Values and Logical Operators

When configuring Source dimensions, you can define Static Values — fixed values that apply to every record in the import. For example, if every record in a file belongs to the same Entity, you can set the Entity Source dimension to a static value rather than mapping it from a column.

Logical Operators provide conditional logic for how source values are parsed. These are more advanced settings used when source data requires conditional interpretation before it reaches the Transformation Rules.