Tips for Navigating Data Cubes

 

The information you see in a Worksheet or Chart (the "view") depends on:

·                      the way in which individual dimensions have been distributed—certain ones will have been positioned as row dimensions, others as column dimensions and the remainder as slice dimensions

·                      the members selected in the row and column dimensions

·                      the members selected in the slice dimensions

 

 

 

 

 

Setting the view in the Worksheet, therefore, consists of:

·                      Swapping or pivoting dimensions

·                      Stacking dimensions

·                      Selecting members including level of display.

Note: excluding null values

By default, null values are indicated in the Worksheet by the word Null.

Null values can be removed from the Worksheet by right-clicking over the top left-hand corner of the Worksheet and choosing Filter Null Values.

This only applies to a complete row or column of null values.

Swapping Dimensions

To reorient the layout of the viewpoint currently being displayed, you can right-click on a row or column dimension and select Swap With. This will swap all the dimensions located on one view axis with those dimensions found on the other view axis.

Stacking Dimensions

Displaying two or more dimensions in a particular row or column in the Worksheet is known as "stacking dimensions". When you stack dimensions, the one nearest the cells is called the inner dimension, and any others are called the outer dimensions.

To stack, you can right-click on a row, column or slice dimension and select Add After or Add Before. This will stack the selected dimension after or before the other dimensions found on the view axis.  Selecting members for display.

Selecting Members for Display

To set row and column member lists:
 
  1. Click the down arrow beside the dimension name.

 

The Member Selector is displayed:

       

 

  1. Check the box next to each of the members that you want to see in your view:

·                      Expand hierarchies (by clicking on the + symbol) if required.

·                      Glance down the levels to make sure that individual members who you do not want are unchecked. An unchecked parent member doesn't necessarily mean than members below are also unchecked.

As you select the members you wish to display, the Worksheet is redrawn to show the data for the chosen row or column members. (In a browser, the Member Selector displays an OK button—pressing this updates the Worksheet.)

Choosing the Level of Data Displayed

Drilling down

Often you will want to explore data in a hierarchical dimension more closely. In the Worksheet you can do this by "drilling down" through the levels.

Moving back up to the parent member in a group is similarly known as "drilling up.”

To drill down a level:

·                      Click on the plus sign next to the member name:

The child members will be displayed.

You can continue drilling down into lower levels while a plus icon appears beside the member name (indicating that there are lower levels).

To drill up a level:

·                      Click on the minus sign next to the member name.

The Worksheet displays the parent member in the group and the minus sign changes to a plus sign.

Exporting Data to Excel

 

You can save your data view in an Excel table by selecting the Excel symbol at the upper right of the screen.  Click on the symbol and an Excel table pops up with your selected table.  Saving the file can be done using the standard “File, Save” method in Excel.