Professional Microsoft® SQL Server® Analysis Services 2008 with MDX

8.5. Server Time Dimension

In certain data warehouses you might not have a special table for Time. However, the fact table might contain Date as a column. Analysis Services 2008 provides you the functionality of creating a Time dimension with appropriate hierarchies based on a time range. You can configure the range based on the beginning and end dates found in your fact tables. This range-based Time dimension is created in Analysis Services and is called a Server Time dimension. Once a Server Time dimension is created you can add it to the cube and specify appropriate granularity. Follow these steps to create a Server Time dimension:

1. Right-click the Dimensions folder in the Solution Explorer and select New Dimension to launch the Dimension Wizard.

2. Select the option to "Generate a time table on the server," as shown in Figure 8-40 and click Next.

   Figure 8.40. Figure 8-40

   

3. In the Define Time Periods page select the date ranges as shown in Figure 8-41 and the Time periods Year, Quarter, Month, Week, and Date and click Next.

   Figure 8.41. Figure 8-41

   

4. In the Select Calendars page select Fiscal Calendar as shown in Figure 8-42 and click Next.

   Figure 8.42. Figure 8-42

   

5. In the final page of ...