Design Data Warehouse Models Visually with Relationship Diagrams - DataWorks

A relationship diagram is a visual canvas for designing and communicating your data warehouse model architecture. Drag models onto the canvas, connect them to show data flows and dependencies, and annotate the layout with notes and groups. Each diagram represents one view of your data warehouse — create multiple diagrams in the same account to organize models by domain, team, or data layer.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you have:

Completed data warehouse planning. The data warehouse architect must work with the data development and model design teams to define data layers, business categories, data domains, business processes, data marts, and subject areas. For details, see Data Warehouse Planning.
Created the models you want to visualize in Dimensional Modeling:
- Conceptual model — dimension: a business perspective used to categorize and analyze data
- Logical model — dimension table: stores dimensions and their attributes extracted from a data domain
- Logical model — fact table: stores measurable business event data
- Logical model — aggregate table: stores statistical data for multiple derived metrics sharing the same period and dimensions; provides a basis for business queries, online analytical processing (OLAP), and data distribution
- Logical model — application table: organizes statistical data for multiple atomic and derived metrics sharing the same period and dimensions, or data of specific granularities; provides a basis for business queries, OLAP, and data distribution

Open the relationship diagram page

Log on to the DataWorks console. In the top navigation bar, select a region. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Data Development and O&M > Data Modeling. Select your workspace from the drop-down list, then click Go to Data Modeling.
On the intelligent data modeling page, click Relationship Diagrams in the top menu bar.

Build a data warehouse model architecture

Add models to the canvas

The To-Be-Added Objects panel on the left lists all models created in Data Modeling. Find the model you want in the directory tree and drag it to the canvas.

After adding a model to the canvas, click the icon on the model, then click the icon that appears above it to open the model details page.

Connect models

Select the Connection Line tool from the toolbar to create associations between models. These associations represent data flows or logical dependencies.

Double-click a connection line to add a description.

Annotate and organize

Use the following tools to document and structure your architecture:

Add Note: Click anywhere on the canvas to add a sticky note. Use notes to record design decisions, creation methods, or ownership information.
Add Text: Click anywhere to add a free-form text label.
Group: Select multiple elements and group them together. Groups support custom names and background colors and sit at the bottom layer of the canvas.

Save and export

The canvas saves automatically. To share the architecture diagram, click Export to download it as an image.

Manage diagrams at scale

Each account supports multiple relationship diagrams. When your model count grows, split diagrams by business domain or data layer to keep each diagram focused and easy to read.

After adding or modifying models in Dimensional Modeling or another module, click Refresh on the To-Be-Added Objects panel to update the model list. This does not affect the canvas content.

Canvas feature reference

Object icons

The following icons represent model types on the canvas:

Element	Description
	Represents a conceptual model dimension.
	Represents a logical model fact table.
	Represents a logical model dimension table.
	Represents a logical model application table.
	Represents a logical model aggregate table.
	Represents a note. Use notes to record information about the data warehouse model for easy reference. For example, record the method used to create the model architecture.

Toolbar icons

Toolbar icons are grouped by what you want to do.

Navigate and select

Icon	Name	Description
	Select	Select elements such as models and notes on the canvas to move, edit, or delete them.
	Move Canvas	Press and hold to pan the entire canvas.
	Search	Locate elements on the canvas. Supports fuzzy search by Chinese name, English name, code, UUID, and by text box and note content.
	Keyboard Shortcuts	View all supported keyboard shortcuts. For example, press `Ctrl + Z` to undo.

Add and connect

Icon	Name	Description
	Connection Line	Connect two models to establish an association. The arrow indicates direction. Double-click the line to add a description.
	Add Text	Click anywhere on the canvas to add a text box and enter a description.
	Add Note	Click anywhere on the canvas to add a note.
	Group	Select multiple elements to create a group. Groups support custom names and background colors and sit at the bottom layer of the canvas.

Edit and manage

Icon	Name	Description
	Edit	Edit the content of a selected text box or note.
	Delete	Delete the selected elements from the canvas. Important Deleting an element also deletes all other elements connected to it by lines.
	Refresh	On the To-Be-Added Objects panel: After you add or modify a model in another module such as Dimensional Modeling, click this icon to refresh the To Add list. This does not affect the canvas content. On the canvas toolbar: Refreshes the entire canvas.

DataWorks:Relationship diagram