Practical MDX Queries: For Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2008

by Tennick, Art

• ISBN13: 9780071713368
• ISBN10: 0071713360
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-06-14
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

More than 300 ready-to-use, powerful MDX queriesPractical MDX Queriesshows how to use Multi-Dimensional Expressions (MDX) to extract business intelligence from multi-dimensional cubes within Microsoft's Business Intelligence stack. The book's approach is solutions-based and hands-on, containing more than 300 downloadable MDX queries that can be immediately applied across a wide variety of business intelligence-related problems. It begins with fundamental principles and simple queries and rapidly progresses to complex and sophisticated queries. The book is structured as follows: Query Overview:Introduction and description of query and its use Syntax:Complete syntax Result:Illustrates the data returned from the Analysis Services cube by the query Analysis:Analysis of the results and tips for customizationThe book emphasizes MDX for use within Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)however, the techniques and queries can also be used across Excel, Excel Services in SharePoint, Reporting Services (SSRS), Integration Services (SSIS), Performance Point Server dashboards, Winforms and Webforms, and in a variety of third-party front-ends.Practical MDX Queriescovers The Basics; Dimensions and Hierarchies; Slicing and Dicing; Sorting; KPIs; Empty Cells and Ranges; Calculations and Sets; Time Dimension; Time Dimension Calculations; Families and Navigation; Set Manipulation; Problems and Common Errors

Author Biography

Art Tennick (Brighton, UK) has worked in relational database design and SQL queries for over 20 years, and in MDX queries for 10 years. He implemented BI solutions for major retail and banking corporations using Microsoft SQL Server, SSAS, SSIS, SSRS, and Excel 2007. He has written 16 books and more than 300 articles for computer magazines in the U.S., UK, and Ireland. His web site is www.MrCube.net.

Table of Contents

1 Hello World - Easy Yet Effective Queries
2 Astrophysical - Playing with Dimensions
3 Families and Friends - Navigating Dimensions
4 Bring Order - Sorting Results
5 Slice, Dice, and Filter - Using Where and Filter
6 Using the Abacus - Introduction to Calculations
7 Is Time a Dimension? Working with Dates and Times
8 Clockwork - Calculations Using Dates and Times
9 Venn Diagrams - Visualizing and Manipulating Sets
10 Views on Cubes - Working with Subcubes
11 Not All There - Dealing with Empty Cells
12 Smiley Faces - Working with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
13 Hodgepodge - A Chapter of Miscellaneous Techniques
14 After You Finish