Book Image

Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook

By : te Braak
Book Image

Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook

By: te Braak

Overview of this book

Business Intelligence Semantic Models (BISM) is a technology that is designed to deliver analytical information to users through a variety of mechanisms that include model structure, definition, and design. This book demonstrates how to create BISM models so that information can be presented to users in an intuitive and easy-to-use format. Once the model is defined, we also show you how it can be managed and maintained so that the data in it remains current and secure. Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook is an all-encompassing guide to developing, managing, creating, and using analytical models using the Business Intelligence Semantic Model (BISM). This title covers a range of modeling situations and common data analysis related problems to show you the techniques required to turn data into information using tabular modeling. Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook examines three areas of tabular modeling: model development, model management and maintenance, and reporting. This book is a practical guide on how to develop semantic models and turn business data into information. It covers all phases of the model lifecycle from creation to administration and finally reporting. It also shows you how to create models which are designed to analyze data. All sections of BISM modeling from development to management and finally reporting are covered. The sections on development examine a wide range of techniques and tricks required to build models, including moving data into the model, structuring the model to manipulate the data, and finally the formulas required to answer common business questions; all of these are discussed in this book in detail. Finally, the book examines methods of reporting on the data within the model, including the creation of data-driven workbooks and reports for a powerful end user experience.
Table of Contents (13 chapters)
12
Index

Using cube functions


A pivot table can be a very useful tool for analyzing data. The ability to dynamically drop a hierarchy from the model and expose all members, then sorting, filtering, and restricting those members can be used in a large number of analytical situations. However, one problem with the pivot table is that all the elements of the object (Filters, rows, and columns) are connected and cannot be formatted with the complete discretion of the user. For example, the user cannot insert a row between rows in the pivot table. While there are some options for formatting a pivot table, these mainly relate to styles, and often the user wishes to have a larger amount of control over what they are presenting. Additionally, using the formula that refers to a cell in the pivot table is troublesome, because the pivot table can change and invalidate the formula.

This recipe examines the use of the CUBE FUNCTION formulas, which allows the user to access model data without the restrictions imposed...