Build Dimensions in Aggregate Storage Cubes

When you build dimensions in Essbase aggregate storage (ASO) cubes, be aware that changes to hierarchies will trigger a restructure, and can lead to clearing of aggregate views and of of data values. Incremental dimension building is recommended to save time.

Aggregate storage dimension build changes to the outline can result in all aggregate views or all data values being cleared from the cube when the dimension build is finished. Aggregate Storage Cube Restructuring describes the results of outline changes.

If you use multiple data sources to build dimensions, you can save processing time by performing an incremental dimension build. Incremental dimension builds enable you to defer restructuring until all data sources have been processed.

For information about incremental dimension build, see Incremental Dimension Builds.

Differences between outline characteristics of block storage outlines and aggregate storage outlines affect data sources and rules files. For example, defining a dimension as sparse or dense is not relevant to aggregate storage outlines.

When using the aggregate storage data load buffer, you can combine data sources and rules files to add members to the outline and to load data values to the level 0 cells. Regardless of the order in which you specify the files, Essbase makes the outline changes and then loads the data values.

Note:

Oracle recommends that you separate dimension build operations from data load operations, because some dimension builds clear data, which could lead to data loss. See Build Dimensions in Aggregate Storage Cubes.

Load Rule Differences for Aggregate Storage Dimension Builds

Load rules for building Essbase aggregate storage (ASO) outlines must define only outline properties and field types that apply to ASO.

If you convert a block storage outline to aggregate storage, update the load rules by associating them to the ASO version of the outline.

Field Type Differences

The field contains a number (0–127) that specifies the order in which the member is evaluated in the outline. Values less than 0 or greater than 127 are reset to 0 and 127, respectively. No warning message is displayed. For information on the solve order property, see Calculation Order and Solve Order in ASO Cubes.

The following build methods are valid for solve order:

Generation
Level
Parent-child references

Source Data Differences for Aggregate Storage Dimension Builds

Some Essbase member codes are recognized in dimension build source data as properties for members of aggregate storage outlines. Any unlisted consolidation code is ignored, and + (add) is assumed.

Table 37-1 Consolidation Codes for Members of Aggregate Storage Outlines

Code	Description
%	Expresses as a percentage of the current total in a consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy)
*	Multiplies by the current total in a consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy)
+	Adds to the current total in a consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy)
-	Subtracts from the current total in a consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy)
/	Divides by the current total in a consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy)
~	Excludes from the consolidation (applies only to members of a dynamic hierarchy or members beneath Label Only members in a stored hierarchy)
C	Set member as top of a stored hierarchy (applies to dimension member or generation 2 member)
D	Set member as top of a dynamic hierarchy (applies to dimension member or generation 2 member)
H	Set dimension member as multiple hierarchies enabled (applies to dimension member only)
K	Reset the time balance property to NONE (applies to accounts dimensions only).
N	Never allow data sharing
O	Tag as label only
P	Reset the time balance skip option to NONE (applies to accounts dimensions only).

Currency name and currency category field types are not supported for aggregate storage outlines.

In aggregate storage outlines, formulas must be specified in the same format as MDX numeric value expressions.

Build Alternate Hierarchies in Aggregate Storage Databases

To build shared members in an aggregate storage outline, make these selections in the rule editor of the Essbase web interface: On the Global Properties tab, select Auto Configuration. In the dimension properties, select Share on the Details tab.

When auto configuration and sharing are enabled, duplicate members are automatically created under a new parent as shared members.

Caution:

In alternate hierarchies in aggregate storage databases, you can associate attributes only with level-0 members.