An information object can contain any amount of data and can integrate data from any number of data sources. It is possible to create an information object that returns hundreds of columns of data from multiple database tables and even from disparate data sources. While it may be tempting to create a single information object that contains all the data that BIRT Studio users want, an information object that contains too much data is not usable. Once you determine the data the BIRT Studio users need, evaluate how best to organize the data into information objects, and how much data to include in each information object.

For usability reasons, it is good practice to limit the number of columns per information object. One way to do so is to include only related data in each information object. For example, create one information object that contains customer data and another information object that contains orders data. On the other hand, if a novice user wants to create a report that displays order totals for customers, and the relevant data is stored in an orders table and a customers table, you can create an information object that joins the data from the two tables and calculates the totals.

A single report can display data from multiple information objects, so you do not need to create a single information object that provides all the data that a particular report requires.

Consider also that BIRT Studio provides the user with easy ways to select, sort, group, filter, and aggregate data. You can create an information object that provides more data than any one report needs and let the user process the data further.