Introduction to MSSQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Custom Cubes: Financial Reporting (Part I) - Page 19

I typically style the lowest level in the Date hierarchy as Date; calendar, fiscal, and perhaps other date hierarchies would typically share Date as a common lowest level.

We are now ready to process the cube to check results, so as to ensure we are progressing toward our objectives. Involved cube designs often require several such "updates;" the ease with which Analysis Services facilitates processing a cube is certainly a pronounced (and appreciated) benefit.

76.  Click the Process Cube button on the top toolbar (See Illustration 22 above).

77.  Click Yes, when asked if saving the cube is desired.

78.  Click No to bypass the Storage Wizard.

79.  Ensuring that the Full Process method is selected on the Select the Processing Method dialog (the default in our example at this stage), click OK to begin processing.

The Process status dialog appears, and details the progression of the processing steps as they are accomplished. The end result is the green Processing Completed Successfully message at the bottom of the dialog, as depicted in Illustration 53 below.

80.  Click Close to dismiss the Process status dialog.

81.  Click the Data tab to view the results so far, shown in the illustration below.

82.  Expand the 5000 Net Income level of the Account dimension, by double-clicking the "+" sign to the left of the description on the Data tab.

83.  Expand the 4000 Total Expense level now appearing within the expanded Net Income level (to its right), as shown in Illustration 55.

Click for larger image Illustration 55: The Fin_Rptg Cube Layout - Data Tab View Expanded (Compressed View)

We see that our initial objective, to create a core cube housing the expense portion of the Income / Profit and Loss Statement, appears to have been accomplished. We also note that the Assets, Liabilities and, more significant to our upcoming focus, Net Sales, levels are unpopulated, but are included in the model for our examination in Part II of this lesson.

84.  After examining the expanded Data tab view, click File -à Exit from the top menu to close the Cube Editor.

85.  In the Analysis Manager console, select Console --> Exit to leave Analysis Services.

We have achieved the design and development of our initial core cube for financial reporting, having set up the expense side of the cube to allow for analysis of the components of operational expenses. We will develop our initial core further in Part II of this lesson, then we'll bring in the sales / revenue and other information to make the Profit / Loss position of the organization complete for basic financial reporting purposes. We'll populate the Net Sales elements after discussing the options we have available within Analysis Services for doing so.