Dimension Levels

[katams2]

I have a product dimension:

Department
Category
SubCategory
ProductName

There are some applications that I'd like the user to be able browse all levels of the dimension, and other applications where I just want them to be able to go to the department level. Is there a way to control this, or do I have to make a new dimension that just has Department?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[issahar]

Hi, Katams.
I did something similar by using virtual dimension for this.
(e.g. defining member property on your department level and using it as source for special virtual dimension)

I hope it will help you
Have a nice day Issahar
senior software engineer

http://www.softwatch.com

 

[katams2]

Thanks for your suggestion!

So, if the original dimension is
Dept
Category
SubCategory
Product,
Then wouldn't I have to put a member property of department on the department level of the dimension to make a virtual dimension? Is this alot of duplication? What are your thoughts about a multiple hierarchy?

Thanks!

 

[issahar]

Hi, Sam
I don't think is it a duplication because the virtual dimension is not a fisical storage unit but only logic(I treat this like 'shortcut')

What do you mean in 'multiple hierarchy'?
Have a nice day.

Issahar
senior software engineer

http://www.softwatch.com

 

[katams2]

Here is a link about multiple hierarchies:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/olapdmad/agenhancingdims_0d6b.asp

An example is time:
You want the user to be able to look at time by either calendar or fiscal, but not both at the same time. Setting up the dimensions in this way will solve this problem.

With regard to the virtual dimension, I'm reading that if it's used alot, to make it a regular dimension. So, I'd have one dimension with several levels and another that's the same only for the department level.

Any thoughts on that?

Thanks so much for your help!