Spreadsheet Add-in User's Guide for Excel

Database Outlines

Understanding the database outline is the key to understanding Essbase. To define a multidimensional database, you design its database outline. The database outline contains the database organization (structure), the database members, and the database rules, as shown in Figure Figure 2:

Figure 2. Essbase Database Outline

Note:

The application designer or Essbase system administrator usually creates the database outline. For more information on creating the database outline, see the Database Administrator's Guide.

The components of the database outline are the following:

• Dimensions
• Members
• Attributes
• Formulas
• Aliases
• Consolidations

Refer to the following sections for descriptions of the outline components.

Dimensions

Dimensions are the most basic categorical definitions of data within the database outline. You need at least two dimensions to make any meaningful reference to data; for example, a time dimension and an accounts dimension. Other dimensions may categorize products, markets, and scenarios. Using dimensional organization, you can define any consolidation structure or any slice of data that is relevant to the application. Essbase supports an unlimited number of dimensions.

Members

Members are the names of the elements within a dimension. A dimension can contain an unlimited number of members. The calculation, reporting, and dimension-building facilities in Essbase use the following terms to describe members.

• Parents. A parent is a member with a consolidation branch below it. For example, in the illustration below, Qtr1 is a parent member because there is a branch containing monthly members below it.

  Figure 3. Relationships Among Database Members
  
  
  

• Children. A child is a member with a parent above it. For example, Jan, Feb, and Mar are children of the parent Qtr1.
• Siblings. A sibling is a child member of the same parent and on the same branch (same level). For example, Jan, Feb, and Mar are siblings. Apr is not a sibling of Jan, Feb, or Mar, however, because it has a different parent, Qtr2.
• Descendants. A descendant is a member at any level below a parent. For example, each member that falls in the Year branch is a descendant of Year. The following members are all descendants of Year: Qtr1, Jan, Feb, Mar; Qtr2, Apr, May, Jun; Qtr3, Jul, Aug, Sep; Qtr4, Oct, Nov, Dec.
• Ancestors. An ancestor is a member of a branch above a member. For example, Qtr2 and Year are ancestors of Apr.
• Generations. The term generation describes the branch number of a member. Generations count from the root of the tree (generation 1, which is the dimension name) toward the leaf node.
• Levels. The term level describes the branch number of a member. Levels count from the leaf node (level 0) toward the root (the dimension name).

Attributes

Attributes describe characteristics of data, such as the size and color of products. Through attributes, you can group and analyze members of dimensions based on their characteristics. Attribute dimensions must be associated with base dimensions. For more information, see the Database Administrator's Guide.

Formulas

Each database member can have one or more formulas associated with it in the database outline. For example, the Variance members of the Scenario dimension, as shown in Figure Figure 2, contain formulas. Formulas can be simple or complex. For more information, see the Database Administrator's Guide.

Aliases

Essbase supports alternative names, or aliases, for database members. Aliases are useful when various labels are used for the same member in various worksheets. One worksheet, for example, may refer to Cost_of_Goods_Sold as COGS. Aliases also can be used for reporting in alternative languages or for more formal output name sets, such as account numbers.

Consolidations

Consolidations in Essbase applications are defined by member branches. The database outline determines consolidation paths. The determination is based on the location of members within a dimension. Indentation of one member below another indicates a consolidation relationship. Indenting members is important for the drill-down capabilities in Essbase Spreadsheet Add-in. As you navigate your way through data, you can drill down through levels of consolidations. The database outline is the roadmap that determines the levels of data navigation.