An alias is an alternative, user-friendly name for a dimension or member. For example, a member identified by the SKU product code 100 could be given the more descriptive alias “Kool Cola.” This easily identifiable alias can then be displayed instead of the member name. The use of aliases thus improves the readability of Essbase outlines and reports.
The following topics are discussed in this overview:
Key points when using aliases:
Aliases are stored in alias tables.
Aliases can be grouped by languages, regions, or descriptive names.
For elements based in a relational source, you must create the alias column in the external data source in advance.
Alias names are limited to 80 characters. If the column in the data source that contains the alias names has any value with more than 80 characters, you have two options:
Use a SUBSTRING function to extract the 80 or fewer characters you want to use in the alias name.
Replace the alias name.
You can assign one or more aliases to a metadata element (in Essbase, a member level) by using alias sets. See Working with Alias Sets.
Using alias sets, you can specify more than one alias at a member level. For example, you can use different aliases for different kinds of reports—users may be familiar with 100-10 as Cola, but advertisers and executives may be familiar with it as The Best Cola. This list illustrates how some products in a database can have two descriptive alias names:
Product Default Long Names 100-10 Cola The Best Cola 100-20 Diet Cola Diet Cola with Honey 100-30 Caffeine Free Cola All the Cola, none of the Caffeine
An alias set maps a specific, named set of alias names to member names. For each object in the logical tree, you assign one alias for each alias set defined in the catalog.
For information on alias sets, see About Alias Sets.
You create your alias sets in the Alias Set Manager. See Creating Alias Sets.