Members of numeric attribute dimensions can represent single numeric values or ranges of values:
Single-value example: the member 12 in the Ounces attribute dimension represents the single numeric value 12; you associate this attribute with all 12-ounce products. The outline includes a separate member for each size; for example, 16, 20, and 32.
Range of values example: the Population attribute dimension, as shown in Figure 43, Population Attribute Dimension and Members:
In this outline, the members of the Population attribute dimension represent ranges of population values in the associated Market dimension. The 3000000 member represents populations from zero through 3,000,000; the 6000000 member represents populations from 3,000,001 through 6,000,000; and so on. A setting for the outline establishes that each numeric member represents the top of its range.
You can also define this outline setting so that members of numeric attribute dimensions are the bottoms of the ranges that they represent. For example, if numeric members are set to define the bottoms of the ranges, the 3000000 member represents populations from 3,000,000 through 5,999,999, and the 6000000 member represents populations from 6,000,000 through 8,999,999.
When you build the base dimension, Essbase automatically associates members of the base dimension with the appropriate attribute range. For example, if numeric members represent the tops of ranges, Essbase automatically associates the Connecticut market, with a population of 3,269,858, with the 6000000 member of the Population attribute dimension.
In the dimension build rules file, specify the size of the range for each member of the numeric attribute dimension. In the above example, each attribute represents a range of 3,000,000.
To define ranges in numeric attribute dimensions, see “Assigning Member Names to Ranges of Values” in the Oracle Essbase Administration Services Online Help.
Note: | Oracle recommends that numeric attribute dimension member names contain no more than six decimal positions. Otherwise, because of precision adjustments, an outline may not pass verification. |