Project Real Analytics Services Technology Discussion (3)

Figure 10 shows how we changed the error configuration in the store sales section.

Figure 10: Changing the error configuration settings

Figure 11 shows what it looks like when a query uses unknown members of the system.

Figure 11: The system-generated unknown member in the query

Time Intelligence Wizard

In the past, when you needed to use the Time Intelligence Wizard to create a new time dimension, we faced some challenges. SQL Server 2005 's profiling service (Analysis Services) is the server-side Time dimension (dimension). Although it is tempting to use the server-side time dimension because of its easy-to-use features (you can get a time dimension with just a few clicks), we do not recommend this approach as a common practice.

Best practices: Where you might create a stand-alone Time dimension table

Having a Time dimension table can give you better scalability when dealing with complex time situations.

You can add your own time attributes. For example, would one day point to a weekend or an ordinary day? A company holiday? Is it a season or a season away? Is it one day in the Christmas holiday (important for many retailers)?

It's easy to identify and build multiple tiers. For example, when two companies are merged, the newly merged company needs to run two different financial calendars (each corresponding to one company).

Can build a different level. For example, a company's manufacturing month always starts with the first Monday of the calendar month, which may have a distinctive work-day numbering system.

In complex situations, a business model may require a complete level jump. For example, a special calendar may be years, weeks, days, or it may be only a year and a day.

It is possible to calculate the increased membership as needed. For example, a value that represents "Today" logically. In some companies, the scheduled end date depends on the customer's feedback data. The data is changing every day, but the company needs a logical today so that it can freeze the reservation before it is scheduled to end.