Dimension Processing
Two methods are available for processing dimensions: rebuilding the structure of a dimension, and incrementally updating a dimension. These two choices are offered in the Process a Dimension dialog box, which appears when you right-click a shared dimension in the Analysis Manager tree pane and then click Process.
Rebuilding the Structure of a Dimension
The Rebuild the dimension structure option re-creates and loads the dimension. This processing option is required after:
- The structure of the dimension is changed. For example, after you add or remove a level in the hierarchy.
- Relationships between members in the dimension hierarchy are changed. For example, after you redefine sales regions so that cities are now in different regions.
Caution If a shared dimension's structure is edited and saved but not processed, it will be processed automatically when any cube that includes the dimension is processed. At that time, any other cubes that include the dimension immediately become unavailable to users and must be processed before they can be used again.
Depending on the type of structure or relationship change, changing dimensions may not require processing with this option. For more information about changing dimensions, see Changing Dimensions.
Important When a shared dimension is processed with the Rebuild the dimension structure option, all cubes that include the shared dimension immediately become unavailable to users and must be processed before they can be used again.
Incrementally Updating a Dimension
The Incremental update processing option updates a dimension when changes have been made to the underlying tables of a dimension, but no structural changes have been made to the dimension itself. Such nonstructural changes can include adding new members, changing existing members, deleting existing members, or changing member properties or custom member options of existing members. For example, you add new customer records to the customer dimension table. A cube that includes a shared dimension remains available to users while the dimension is incrementally updated, and the added dimension members are available in the cube after the update is complete. Because almost any property of a member can be changed by changing the appropriate field in the underlying dimension table, it is possible to have changed member names after the dimension is incrementally updated.