MDX Essentials: Set Functions: The MeasureGroupMeasures() Function - Page 2

November 7, 2007

Procedure: Use the MeasureGroupMeasures() Function to Generate a Simple Set of Measures in a Results Dataset

Let’s construct a simple query to provide a conceptual “starting point” for illustrating the use of the MeasureGroupMeasures() function. The idea is to generate a very basic dataset that displays each of the measures contained within the one of the larger measure groups, named Sales Summary, which exists within the Adventure Works cube. This initial display, we reason, will show the concepts behind using the MeasureGroupMeasures() function and, we hope, introduce some of the ways we can employ it effectively. Once we have accomplished our immediate goal in this section, we will further evolve these concepts in meeting a more elaborate business requirement in the procedure that follows it.

--MDX060-001 "Starter Query" to Demonstrate 
-- Simple Use of MEASUREGROUPMEASURES()

SELECT

   MEASUREGROUPMEASURES('Sales Summary')ON AXIS(0)

FROM

       [Adventure Works]

The Query pane appears, with our input, as shown in Illustration 1.

The above query sets the stage for our demonstrations of some of the uses of MeasureGroupMeasures(), and certainly accomplishes the basic objective of illustrating, in the simplest manner, how it works. The idea is to generate a dataset to activate the concepts in the minds of our client colleagues.

The Results pane is populated by Analysis Services, and the dataset, shown in Illustration 3, appears.

In the returned dataset, we see that the member measures of the Sales Summary measure group, together with their respective total values, appear as expected. This simple dataset provides a great “beginner” illustration of the output of the MeasureGroupMeasures() function when used within a simple SELECT context.

Our developer / author colleagues express satisfaction with the contextual backdrop we have established for introducing the MeasureGroupMeasures() function. We will employ the function again in our next steps, to a large degree to expand upon its use in the first example.

Procedure: Use the MeasureGroupMeasures() Function to Filter a Dataset to Meet a Business Need

Having demonstrated the basic operation of MeasureGroupMeasures(), we are ready to address a somewhat more sophisticated requirement to which the client representatives have referred in earlier conversations. To detail the requirement, our colleagues have asked us to address a specific, immediate need, although they hope to be able to extrapolate the concepts we introduce to other, similar needs that continually arise within the organization. The authors / developers have asked that we construct a query that delivers total Reseller Sales-related measures for which Fiscal Year 2002 measure values exceeded $ 100,000 for more than four months. Our colleagues explain that management is attempting to perform analysis upon a handful of Resellers with whom the organization did business in an earlier year, when far fewer Reseller relationships existed. Management is interested only in a scope of sales-related values above the stated threshold for their immediate information needs, but, as always, the client representatives assure us that, once they understand the concepts, they will seek to parameterize various parts of the query, such as the threshold value, the number of months at that value, and so forth, within reports they will later create using Reporting Services.

Because the business requirement entails working with only measures whose totals exceed the $ 100,000 threshold for more than four months, we explain that the MeasureGroupMeasures() function promises to be useful in support of the necessary filter to isolate the targeted values. We confirm our understanding of the foregoing needs, as well as our conclusion that we have happened upon a great opportunity to both assist the client in meeting its immediate needs and to provide examples that leverage the MDX MeasureGroupMeasures() function. We set out to craft a query that relies upon MeasureGroupMeasures(), in conjunction with the MDX Filter() function, that meets the business need.

A new tab, with a connection to the Adventure Works cube (we can see it listed in the selector of the Metadata pane, once again) appears in the Query pane.

--MDX060-002 Use of MEASUREGROUPMEASURES() to
-- Filter a Dataset for Multiple Criteria

WITH

SET 

	[Fiscal Year 2002 Analysis Months] 

AS 

    DESCENDANTS(

        [Date].[Fiscal].[Fiscal Year].[FY 2002],

            [Date].[Fiscal].[Month])

SELECT

    [Fiscal Year 2002 Analysis Months]   ON AXIS(0),

    NON EMPTY

	    {FILTER(

	        MEASUREGROUPMEASURES('Reseller Sales'),

	            COUNT(

	        FILTER([Fiscal Year 2002 Analysis Months], 

	    MEASURES.CURRENTMEMBER > 100000) 

	)> 4)} ON AXIS(1)

FROM

    [Adventure Works]

The Query pane appears, with our input, as shown in Illustration 5.

The Results pane is, once again, populated by Analysis Services. This time, the dataset depicted in Illustration 6 appears.

In the returned dataset, we see the columns we have defined via our named set Fiscal Year 2002 Analysis Months. (We leverage the Descendants() function within our named set definition to specify the desired months - those of Fiscal Year 2002 - as columns within the dataset.) Of primary focus within our practice example is our use of the MeasureGroupMeasures() function in conjunction with the Filter() function to return only measures whose total values exceed the thresholds, both for the values themselves and for the number of months (a “count” of the months) specified by the client. (We can easily verify operation by observing that all measures within the Reseller Sales measure group do not appear within the filtered dataset – we can also lower the dollar threshold to bring in more of the measures to confirm our understanding). As we can see, the Count() and .CurrentMember functions are also employed in helping us to meet the desired business requirement.

NOTE: For more detail surrounding the Filter() function, see Basic Set Functions: The Filter() Function. For information on several of the “relative” functions, of which .CurrentMember is an example, see my article MDX Member Functions: "Relative" Member Functions. For an introduction to the Count() function, see my article Basic Numeric Functions: The Count() Function. Finally, examples of usage of the Descendants() function are presented throughout my MDX Essentials series, of which all of the foregoing articles are members.

The client developers and report authors express satisfaction with the results, and confirm their understanding of the operation of the MeasureGroupMeasures() function within the context we have presented, as well as within other uses we have discussed in earlier sections. We suggest to our client colleagues that, among numerous possibilities, the year might be parameterized, that we might build in the capability to switch from Calendar to Fiscal Year, that the tandem thresholds we specify (measure value, and number of months at that value) might be parameterized, and that we might add myriad other capabilities within the ultimate reporting dataset query. Suffice it to say that, assuming a thorough knowledge of the various layers of the Microsoft integrated BI solution, one can obtain many powerful capabilities and features, and knowing “where to put the intelligence” within the sometimes multiple choices can mean highly tuned performance and effective solutions for consumers throughout our organizations. For more of my observations on this subject see Multi-Layered Business Solutions ... Require Multi-Layered Architects.

The client representatives inform us that their immediate goals have been met, and that the examples we have shared illustrate the principles of operation behind MeasureGroupMeasures(), as a part of helping them to support the expressed business requirements.

Summary ...

In this article, we explored the MDX MeasureGroupMeasures() function, whose general purpose is to return a list of all measures within a specified measure group. We noted that the MeasureGroupMeasures() function is also useful in limiting scope to the member measures from a specified measure group within an MDX script, and that the function can be leveraged in activities that range from generating simple datasets to supporting sophisticated filtering and scoping operations, among other capabilities.

We examined the syntax involved with MeasureGroupMeasures(), and then undertook a couple of illustrative practice examples of uses for the function, generating queries that capitalized upon its capabilities. Throughout our practice session, we briefly discussed the results datasets we obtained from each of the queries we constructed, as well as extending our discussion to other possible options and uses for the concepts we exposed.

» See All Articles by Columnist William E. Pearson, III

Discuss this article in the MSSQL Server 2000 Analysis Services and MDX Topics Forum.