Add a Snowflake Dimension

In AtScale, a snowflake dimension refers to a logical dimension comprised of columns coming from more than one physical dataset.

Note: Unhandled NULL values in key columns will result in incomplete aggregate tables and unexpected query results. See the Custom Empty Member feature for more details.

Procedure

To add a snowflake dimension:

  1. In Design Center, click the plus icon at the top of the page and select New dimension. The Edit Dimension panel opens.

  2. Select a Type for the dimension, and enter a Unique name and Label.

  3. In the Hierarchies section, add a hierarchy to the dimension.

  4. In the Repo Browser, locate all the datasets that will make up the snowflake dimension and drag them to the dimension Canvas.

  5. Drag the dataset column that represents the dimension's key level attribute just below the hierarchy name in the Hierarchies section of the Edit Dimension panel. The Create Level panel opens.

  6. Complete the fields for the level, then click Apply.

  7. In the Edit Dimension panel, continue adding levels by dragging dataset columns just above the previous level in the Hierarchies section. A hierarchy should be structured with the most granular level on the bottom to the most general on top.

    As you add a level from a column of a different dataset, AtScale automatically creates the level relationship if the dataset in the lower level contains a column of the same name. For example day.monthkey rolls up to month.monthkey. If the relationship cannot be created, you must select the dataset columns to link the new level to the one below it.

  8. Click Apply when you are done.