An overlapping partition occurs when similar data from multiple databases is the data source for one data target in a partition.
For example, IDESC East, Sales from database 1 and Boston, Sales from database 2 are mapped to IDESC East, Sales and Boston, Sales in database 3. Because Boston is a member of the East dimension, the data for Boston mapped to database 3 from database 1 and database 2 overlap. This data overlap results in an overlapping partition, as shown in Figure 51, Overlapping Partitions:
An overlapping partition is allowed in linked partitions but is invalid in replicated and transparent partitions and generates an error message during validation.