Dimensions overview

During Cube implementation, your source data is integrated into an OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) cube framework organized into dimensions. The Dimensions page of the Cube Workspace provides a clear overview of your Cube dimensional structure, or hierarchy, including dimensions that might not be connected to source data, such as publishable or formula dimensions. The Integrations page outlines how dimensions from your source system(s) are mapped to bring data into Cube. These are essential locations for understanding your data model so you can work with your data more effectively.

Data can be stored in tables in addition to your OLAP cube. Tables are another data storage model that allows you to bring any kind of data into Cube tied to your dimensions as attributes or used alongside them. Tables are created and managed from your spreadsheet. Learn more about tables.

To learn more Cube's data architecture, read our article on OLAP cube dimensions and hierarchies. If you are new to Cube, refer to our glossary to learn more about the terms we use in this article. 

Maintaining a healthy data model involves routinely reviewing data mapping, formulas, and dimension hierarchies using the Workspace to ensure your data is clean, accurate, and ready to use. 

Learn more about the best practices for managing your dimensions. 

Cube data structure view

The dimension and hierarchy structure you see when you visit the Cube Workspace is custom to how you would like to slice and dice your data. Dimensions contain a hierarchy of subcategories or parent and child dimension members. 

Dimensions

Cube can support unlimited dimensions. Each instance is configured to it specific use case, using best practices to achieve optimal results.

Accounts

The Accounts dimension type can refer to:

1. Traditional General Ledger accounts such as “Sales Revenue”
2. Formula or calculation accounts such as Gross Profit (Revenue - COGS)
3. Operational accounts such as “Sales per Rep”

Be sure to set the time rollup type. 

Department

The Department dimension type can refer to organizational departments, such as Sales, Marketing, or Finance.  

Scenario

The Scenario dimension is where your planning and variance analysis data is stored:

• Actuals
• Budget
  • Base Budget
  • Best Case Budget, etc.
• Forecast
  • January Forecast
  • February Forecast, etc

Learn more about creating, managing, and merging scenarios. 

Use Write Protection with Scenario dimensions to ensure data isn't overwritten. 

Learn more about write protection.

Time

The Time dimension refers to your company's custom time ranges, such as Month, Quarter, or Year. Within the Time dimension, users can add their "Cube Opening Balance" or an individual year. 

Your date ranges are set during your Cube implementation and cannot be edited directly. If you need to edit your Time dimension, please contact our support team. 

Custom dimensions

In addition to your default dimensions, you can add custom dimensions, such as Product, Vendor, Branch, Region, etc.

To add or change your dimensions, contact our support team.

Dimension hierarchy

Each dimension contains subcategories or dimension members, allowing for a more detailed view of that dataset. The organization of these subcategories into parent and child dimensions is the hierarchy. 

Dimensions page

See how your data is organized in Cube by navigating to your Dimensions page in the Workspace.

The dimensions page is made up of the following:

• Dimension tabs: Dimensions are the foundational structure of your data in Cube and allow you to slice and dice your data in different ways.

• Dimension hierarchy:  Each dimension contains a hierarchy of subcategories or parent and child dimensions. Click on a new dimension tab to view a different hierarchy. To view or change a dimension member's details, click on it to open the details drawer. 

• + New: 
  • Add In Bulk to add new dimensions in bulk.
  • Add A Single Dimension to add dimensions one at a time
• Other Icons: 
  • Scenario Merge to begin moving data from one scenario to another. 
  • Smart Forecast will create a new forecast using your historical data to predict future outcomes.
  • Three Dot Ellipsis to download or upload dimension members or to enable reordering of dimension members within the same parent only. If you want to move a child dimension member to another parent, see this article about re-parenting a dimension.
  • Pen Icon to edit your dimension members in bulk
• Filter by (left-hand side):
  • Status to select which dimensions you want to see
    • Status All - Shows enabled and disabled dimension members (useful if you need to enable a formerly disabled dimension)
    • Status Enabled - Shows only enabled dimension members

Making Changes to a Hierarchy

Changing child dimension members in most dimension hierarchies is easy. You can edit, disable, reorder the layout, add dimensions, and see the mapping of dimensions anytime.

Note: Changes to existing dimension placements in your hierarchy can impact how values roll up to parent dimensions and calculations involved in formulas. Update impacted formulas and dimensions accordingly.

Edit or Disable

Editing Dimension Members

Click Edit to the right of the name to edit a dimension member. 

• Name: Update the name of your dimension member anytime.
• Parent: Every dimension member must have a parent, whether that is the dimension or another dimension member. Parents can be changed at any time.
• Time Rollup Type: Determines how individual months' values are summarized at Quarter- and Year-end. Explore your options.
• Optional fields:
  • Account Number: Optional field for mimicking the account number structure of your source system.
  • Description: Add any notes or descriptions to your dimension members.
  • Tags: Create alternate rollups without updating your main hierarchy by adding tags.
• Formulas: Dimension member values may come from your source system, published values from spreadsheets, or be calculated from formulas. Create or edit formulas here in your dimension hierarchy or from the Formulas page of the Cube Workspace. Learn more about formula dimensions. 
• Mappings: If source dimensions are mapped, they'll be visible here. Learn more about mapping source dimensions to Cube dimensions.
• In the Scenario dimension hierarchy only, write protection can be set up to protect your data from being written over via publishes. Learn more about using write protection.

Disable Dimension Members

Disabling a dimension member clears all associated values and any formulas referencing it. Any associated tags will automatically update and remove the disabled dimension member.

To disable a dimension member, click the circle with an x icon to the right of its name.

You'll be prompted with a final message confirming you want to disable and clear associated values.

Note: Parent dimension members cannot be disabled with child dimension members beneath them. To disable a parent, remove its children first.

By default, all disabled dimension members become inactive and hidden but cannot be deleted. However, you can view and reenable dimensions anytime.

Reorder Dimensions

You can drag and drop to reorder the child dimension members beneath a parent, and change the order of parent dimension members by turning on Enable dimension reordering from the three-dot ellipsis menu. 

1. Click the three-dot ellipsis menu in the right-hand corner of your dimensions page. 
2. Check Enable reordering
3. Drag and drop