Introduction to MSSQL Server 2000 Analysis Services Custom Cubes: Financial Reporting (Part I) - Page 11

January 6, 2003

Enhancing the Basic Cube with The Cube Editor

We will now expand our cube to include data from the individual tables associated with the dimensions we have already selected for our minimal cube, as well as making other enhancements to flesh out our cube model for financial reporting.

1.      From the Analysis Manager console, expand the Analysis Servers folder (as appropriate), then expand the Analysis Server name (shown as MOTHER), to see the underlying databases, as illustrated below.

NOTE: Factors specific to our individual environments, such as the presence of additional Analysis Servers, as well as other databases, will mean the appearance of varying objects here.

2. Expand the FinRep_DB database to see the underlying folders, as displayed in Illustration 30 below.

We will now extend our cube to include data from the respective dimension tables, among other enhancements. First, we will add the dimension tables we require to the existing core cube, and derive more useful dimension data thereby, using the following steps.

3.      From the cube tree, click the new Fin_Rptg cube to select it.

4.      Right click Fin_Rptg cube, and select Edit, as shown below, from the context menu that appears.

The Cube Editor appears to display the initial expense_fact table presented in the data tab, just as we left it above.

5.      Click Insert from the Main Menu.

6.      Click Tables from the menu that appears, as shown.

The Select Table dialog appears.

7.      Select the store table by clicking / highlighting it.

The Detail section of the dialog becomes populated with the columns of the store table. The Select Table dialog now appears as shown in Illustration 33.

8.      Click the Add button (once ...).