Introduction to SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services: Working with Dimensions - Page 10

To conclude the lesson, let's consider a scenario where we might employ a detail-level member property to add value to our dimension structure. Through a process of capturing business requirements from management for consideration in our dimension design and development, we become aware of a column in the product table, low_fat, which we immediately identify as an attribute that hardly requires a level unto itself in the Product dimension. We also eliminate the attribute from consideration as a summary-level member property, because none of the currently existing levels could accommodate this wholly product-centric attribute; a casual browse of the Category column in the data reveals that even the Category level is too broad (any given Category member contains multiple types of products, and none would be limited to "low fat" members only) for the "low fat" attribute to apply in meaningful way.

This is a perfect case for a detail-level member property to enter the picture. Because the "low fat" information relates to products, but not to the levels under which the products are grouped, we will include this additional information in the Product dimension as a detail-level member property that resides at its lowest dimensional level, Product Name.

23. Expand the Product Name level to reveal its Member Properties folder.
24. Drag the low_fat column from the product table (Schema pane) onto the now exposed Product Name Member Properties folder.

Low Fat appears as a property under the Product Name Member Properties folder, as shown in Illustration 33 below.

Illustration 33: The New Detail-Level Member Property

25. Click the Data tab and expand the hierarchy as follows to see the results depicted below:

All Product --> Baking Goods --> Jams and Jellies --> Jelly --> Landslide Grape Jelly

Illustration 34: Confirmation of the Detail - Level Property in the Dimension Members Hierarchy - Member Properties List

The "-1" depicted as the Value in the Member Properties List is simply a form of the -1 / 0 representation of "yes / no" with which most of us are familiar.

Page 11: Next in Our Series