Sharing Data Between Applications

Decide Whether Cross-Application Sharing Is Needed

Pigment Applications are self-contained. Data does not flow between them unless explicitly shared.

Use Cross-Application Sharing When

• Same data needed by 2+ Applications: single source of truth, no duplication
• Security boundary required: teams access only their Application; shared metrics expose only sanitized outputs
• Different team ownership: source team owns calculations; consuming teams reference results
• Hub pattern: one central Application (FX Hub, Dimension Hub) feeds many consumers

Do not share when data is used in only one Application, or when a simple import snapshot is sufficient and live linkage is unnecessary.

Share a Metric to Another Application

1. Share the block using tool:batch_share_blocks to make it available to other Applications.
2. In the consuming Application, activate the source Library using tool:enable_application_library.
3. Reference the shared block in formulas using cross-Application syntax (see below).

Only share PUSH_ output metrics that other Applications need. Avoid sharing internal calculation intermediaries. Dimension lists shared across apps do not use PUSH_/PULL_; share them directly under their normal names.

Write Cross-Application Formula References

'Source Application Name'::'Block Name'

Always use the full form with Application prefix. Sharing a block also shares its underlying dimensions.

Use tool:list_application_libraries to check which Libraries are activated. A shared block is not usable until its Library is activated via tool:enable_application_library.

Changes to shared blocks in the source Application propagate automatically to all consumers.

Sharing Dimension Lists

Dimension lists are shared using the sharing_status parameter, not tool:batch_share_blocks:

• When creating a new dimension: tool:create_list with sharing_status: "Shared"
• When sharing an existing dimension: tool:update_list with sharing_status: "Shared"

This applies to all dimension lists including calendar time dimensions (Month, Quarter, Year).

tool:batch_share_blocks is for sharing metrics, tables, and other non-dimension blocks.

Limitations

• Shared metrics propagate structure changes -- update shared metrics when source dimensions change.
• Deactivating sharing is blocked while other Applications reference the block.
• Sharing a block shares its dimensions -- dimension renames in the source affect all consumers.
• Prefer fewer, well-dimensioned shared metrics over sharing every intermediate calculation.