Named Sets
A named set is a set of dimension members or a set expression that is created to be used again. For example, a cube contains a Salesperson dimension. An end user of the cube wants an easy way to display the 10 salespersons with the highest sales and the 10 salespersons with the lowest sales. You can create two named sets, one for each group of salespersons. Then, in the client application, the end user can place the named sets on an axis in a manner similar to a dimension.
To create the named set for the 10 salespersons with the highest sales, use the following expression, written in Multidimensional Expressions (MDX), in the named set definition:
TopCount([Salesperson].[Salesperson Name].Members,10,[Measures].[Sales])
To create the named set for the 10 salespersons with the lowest sales, use the following MDX expression in the named set definition:
BottomCount([Salesperson].[Salesperson Name].Members,10,[Measures].[Sales])
A named set can contain a constant set of members, or it can contain an expression that resolves to a set. If it contains an expression, as in the preceding examples, the set of members in the named set is subject to change.
To create named sets, use Named Set Builder.
In order for an end user to use named sets, his or her client application must support named sets.
Named sets created in the Named Set Builder are saved so they can be used when browsing a cube that contains the named sets. Named sets can also be created that are in effect only for the duration of a session and are not saved. To create a named set for the duration of a session, use the CREATE SET statement. This statement is also used in the Statement property when you create named sets programmatically with Decision Support Objects (DSO). To create a named set for the duration of a single query, use the WITH clause of the SELECT statement.
In Analysis Manager, a named set is identified by the following icon.
