Using Trees

Metadata that exists in PeopleSoft trees can be particularly useful when you design cube dimensions. The main reason to use an existing tree is to leverage the rules that are associated with the outline that the tree represents. Because trees are used to validate information that is stored in the OLTP database, all of that tree information is already related to the transactional data. Using effective-dated trees in an outline generates the automatic evolution of your data that is used for data analysis.

PeopleSoft Cube Builder leverages the information that is already stored in your PeopleSoft trees as outlines upon which to build each dimension. Using the Dimension page in Essbase Cube Builder, you map a tree to a dimension so that the rollup of the resulting cube dimension is the same as that of the specified tree.

By default, data is summarized exactly as the tree is defined. Each node and detail value becomes a member of the cube hierarchy for that dimension. The descriptions of the nodes and details become the labels, or aliases, of the members.

You might want to use existing trees for your dimensions, or you might need to create new trees. If you have an existing tree that is close to what you want the dimension to look like, make a copy of the tree and modify that copy.

If the hierarchy that you want to use is a subset of an existing tree, you do not have to create a new tree. PeopleSoft Cube Builder enables you to use a subset of an existing tree by specifying a starting node, Top Node, and the number of levels below the top node of the tree to include in the hierarchy. You can use more than one tree belonging to the same business unit to define a single hierarchy.

In addition, if a tree does not provide the structure that you need for a dimension, you can add members, attributes, and generations by using one or more queries to provide the additional metadata.

PeopleSoft Cube Builder treats uppercase and lowercase characters as distinct, so the names ABC, Abc, and abc are all considered unique member names. However, Oracle Essbase offers an option to change all member names to uppercase. If you enable this option, you create problems in PeopleSoft Essbase Cube Builder with members that are identical except for their letter casing.

In Essbase, a dimension can have multiple rollups. The resulting total for the first rollup is calculated differently from the resulting totals for subsequent rollups. For example, a dimension exists with two rollups. Two different trees are used for these two rollups: the first tree is set up as A, B, C and the second tree is set up as A, D, C.

Assume that A, B, C, and D have the following fact data values: 2, 5, 10, and 20 respectively. The total for the first rollup, A, B, C, is 17 because the total equals 2 + 5 + 10. The total for the second rollup, A, D, C, is 10 because each parent gets its total from its children. Because C has the fact value 10, the total for C is 10. Because D is the parent of C, D gets its total from its children. Therefore, D gets 10 from C. A gets its total from its children, which is D. Therefore, A has the total value of 10.