KB16858: How to create logical tables without creating duplicate columns objects in MicroStrategy Desktop 9.x

When creating a logical table, there are two ways how the user can define the column objects. The user can choose to click on the 'Add' button and will add a new entry in the columns list or the user can drag and drop from the list of existing columns at the left of the window.
 

• If the user drags and drops the column from the list of existing columns, Strategy will use the same column object, if it already exists, and will map the reference to that object. If there is an existing attribute form or metric that is mapped to this column, the automatic mapping will also map them to this new Table.
• If the customer chooses to use the 'Add' button, Strategy will create a new column object even if the user specifes the same data type and precision of the existing one. This new columns will have its own mapping of objects since it is treated as a completely new object.

If the column is created using the 'Add' button and also Automatic mapping is turned on, the attributes won't make reference to the existing column since a new column object is created. A similar behavior is reported in the following Strategy Knowledge Base technical note:
 
KB12000 (KB5300-800-0666): After creating a column in a logical table, automatic mapping does not occur for attributes referencing columns with the same name in Strategy 10.x