"A shared dimension that applies to two subject areas or data marts. By utilizing conformed dimensions, comparisons across data marts are meaningful." (Microsoft Corporation, "Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Data Warehouse Training Kit", 2000)
"Dimensions are conformed when they are either exactly the same (including the keys) or one is a perfect subset of the other." (Ralph Kimball & Margy Ross, "The Data Warehouse Toolkit 2nd Ed ", 2002)
"A conformed dimension is one that is built for use by multiple data marts. Conformed dimensions promote consistency by enabling multiple data marts to share the same reference and hierarchy information." (Claudia Imhoff et al, "Mastering Data Warehouse Design", 2003)
"A dimension whose data is reused by more than one dimensional design. When modeling multiple data marts, standards across marts with respect to dimensions are useful. Warehouse users may be confused when a dimension has the similar meaning but different names, structures, levels, or characteristics among multiple marts. Using standard dimensions throughout the warehousing environment can be referred to as 'conformed' dimensions." (Sharon Allen & Evan Terry, "Beginning Relational Data Modeling" 2nd Ed., 2005)
"Dimension tables that are the same, or where one dimension table contains a perfect subset of the attributes of another. Conformance requires that data values be identical, and that the same combination of attribute values is present in each table." (Christopher Adamson, "Mastering Data Warehouse Aggregates", 2006)
"A dimension that is shared between two or more fact tables. It enables the integration of data from different fact tables at query time. This is a foundational principle that enables the longevity of a data warehousing environment. By using conformed dimensions, facts can be used together, aligned along these common dimensions. The beauty of using conformed dimensions is that facts that were designed independently of each other, perhaps over a number of years, can be integrated. The use of conformed dimensions is the central technique for building an enterprise data warehouse from a set of data marts." (Laura Reeves, "A Manager's Guide to Data Warehousing", 2009)
"Two sets of business dimensions represented in dimension tables are said to be conformed if both sets are identical in their attributes or if one set is an exact subset of the other. Conformed dimensions are fundamental in the bus architecture for a family of STARS." (Paulraj Ponniah, "Data Warehousing Fundamentals for IT Professionals", 2010)
"A dimension that means and represents the same thing when linked to different fact tables." (DAMA International, "The DAMA Dictionary of Data Management", 2011)
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