1. Database Administrator's Guide for Oracle Essbase
  2. Dimension and Member Properties
  3. Member IDs

Member IDs

A member ID is a permanent, unique identifier for an Essbase outline member, separate from its name. All members in the outline have a member ID. Duplicate and unique member name outlines use member IDs, and so do aggregate storage (ASO) and block storage (BSO) outlines.

Having a persistent ID for each member helps Essbase perform efficient metadata restructuring. In unique member name outlines, the member names are all required to be unique, whereas in duplicate member name outlines, they are not. However, for all outline types, all members can be differentiated using their permanent member IDs.

You can assign member IDs yourself; otherwise, they will be auto assigned by Essbase. Member IDs are not changeable once they are assigned. Member IDs can be any alphanumeric string.

All members have member IDs, including attribute members. Member IDs exist for members in aggregate storage and block storage cube outlines (including hybrid mode).

You can assign member IDs during the following operations. If you do not, Essbase auto generates member IDs during these operations for any members that do not have them.

  • Building the cube from an application workbook

  • Building dimensions using a rule file

  • Using batch outline editing to add or update a member

  • Adding a member in the outline editor in the Essbase web interface

  • Adding a member using API

If you migrate an existing outline using one of the Essbase migration tools, then member IDs are automatically assigned during migration. If you patch Essbase without migrating using one of the Essbase migration tools, then member IDs are assigned on the first successful edit of the outline after you apply the patch.

When Essbase auto generates member IDs, the IDs follow an incremental naming pattern: id__0, id__1, id__2, etc.

If you want to include member IDs in an application workbook that you use with Cube Designer to iteratively design the cube, you can export the member IDs to a workbook when you run the Export Excel job type. Refer to Export Excel.

If you use REST API to edit the outline, you can use member id instead of member name for the member specification indicated by thisMbr, whenever you perform an add or update operation, as long as you specify isMbrId as true. Refer to documentation of the endpoint for Run Batch Outline Edit.