How to Create Dimensions as Attributes

You have the option to create dimensions as attributes when moving the metadata from Structured Planning, Consolidation, and Reporting applications to Dynamic Planning. Doing so results in performance improvement and produces enhanced results for applications where all dimensions are not needed in Dynamic Planning, but you still want to have the ability to analyze the data related to the dimension.

Aggregating and calculating a model with fewer dimensions results in an improved experience and performance. The larger the model, the longer the processing time. So, when building larger models with multiple dimensions (for example, 10- 12 or more) and huge volumes of data, we recommend you create some dimensions as attributes for reporting and analysis needs. Doing so will reduce the model aggregation time.

You can create a dimension/attribute that is available in Structured Planning, Consolidation, and Reporting applications as a dimension in the model, or, you can create a dimension as an attribute.

You can select to create a dimension as an attribute on the Map page. Select the Model task and the Map subtask. For Source Dimension, there is a DimensionAsAttribute as shown below.

To create a dimension as an attribute you must define 2 lines your map (as shown below). Defining these two lines in the map creates a base dimension with leaf members as well as an attribute with all members (including rollups). For reporting and analysis purposes, use the Department attribute (which contains all members). For calculations and maps, use the base dimension (which contains leaf members).

Complete the following steps:

1. Define the dimension you want to create as an attribute (in this example the dimension is Department) with a source and target filter set to LeafMembers (shown above). Defining this line in this way in the map ensures that the dimension is created with all leaf members.
2. Define the same dimension (Department) as an attribute.
   1. To complete this step, add line in the map with the following selections:

• Source Dimension - <DimensionAsAttribute>
• Source Filter - <AllMembers>
• Source Value - <Base Dimension Name>
• Target Dimension - <Attribute name> Attribute name can be user defined and should not be the same as the dimension
• Target Filter - <AllMembers> AllMembers is the only filter type supported for DimensionAsAttribute
• Target Value - <Base Dimension Name>

When you map a dimension as an attribute, it creates a base dimension with leaf members, then it creates the attribute with all members including rollup members, and then it maps the base dimension members with attribute members.

Step 1 – Base dimension is created with all leaf members of

Step 2 – Attribute is created with all levels and members

Step 3 – Mapping between attribute members and dimension leaf members is complete so that the attribute can be used for analysis and reporting