Understanding Date-Time Dimensions

Date-time dimensions contain a date hierarchy based on the selection of one of several standard corporate calendars. Dimension and member properties contain text strings that Essbase Server uses to manage the hierarchy, as shown in Figure 161, Sample Date-Time Hierarchy.

Figure 161. Sample Date-Time Hierarchy

This image shows a sample data-time hierarchy with the text strings that are used to manage the hierarchy.

The dimension member at the top of the hierarchy shows the comment:

/* TI-HIER,TP[3,1,4,5]!TI-MBR,TSPAN[1–1–2008,12–31–2009]! */.

The TI-MBR,TSPAN[date1, date2] information enclosed between exclamation points (!) defines the time range covered by the dimension; in this case two years, Jan. 1, 2008–Dec. 31, 2009. Positioned in front of the time span, the array TI-HIER,TP[3,1,4,5] describes the hierarchy. The first number in the array, 3, indicates that the hierarchy contains three time periods. The remaining numbers in the array indicate what time periods are included, based on the following possible levels:

Array TI-HIER,TP[3,1,4,5] indicates that the array contains three time periods: year, quarter, and month.

Using the same time span TI-MBR,TSPAN syntax, each member comments field defines the time range that it covers; for example, member “Quarter 1 of Gregorian Year 2008” covers Jan. 1, 2008–Mar. 31, 2008, and member “Quarter 2 of Gregorian Year 2008” covers Apr. 1, 2008–Jun. 30, 2008.