Dimensions (PDM)

A dimension is an axis of analysis in a multidimensional structure. Typical dimensions for a sales database include time, region, department, and product.

A dimension is made of an ordered list of attributes that share a common semantic meaning in the domain being modeled. For example a Time dimension often contains attributes that allow you to analyze data by year, quarter, month, and week:

A dimension may have one or more hierarchies representing different ways of traversing the list of attributes.

• Creating a Dimension
  Dimensions are generally generated from operational database tables or views. You can also manually create a dimension from the Toolbox, Browser, or Model menu.
• Dimension Properties
  To view or edit a dimension's properties, double-click its diagram symbol or Browser or list entry. The property sheet tabs and fields listed here are those available by default, before any customization of the interface by you or an administrator.
• Fact and Dimension Attributes (PDM)
  Fact attributes are used by the fact for joins to dimensions or as the basis of calculated measures. Dimension attributes provide data points around which the data in a fact can be interrogated.
• Hierarchies (PDM)
  A hierarchy defines a path for navigating through the attributes in a dimension when drilling down or rolling up through the data. For example, a time dimension with the attributes Year, Quarter, Month, Week, Day may have a default hierarchy listing all these periods in order and a second hierarchy which includes only Year, Month, and Week.