Essbase Outlines and Reporting

The Oracle Essbase outline created for the Oracle Hyperion Profitability and Cost Management model contains separate dimensions to store the data for each stage.

Although stages do not exist in the Essbase outline, they are used to organize dimensions and members within the model. When creating the stage in Profitability and Cost Management, a prefix is defined to identify the stage to which a dimension belongs, and this prefix is displayed in the outline.

The sample Essbase outline shown in the graphic above displays some of these characteristics:

1. AllocationType identifies DirectAllocation or GenealogyAllocation data

2. Measures dimension identifies measures used in the model.

3. POV dimensions - at least one must be available.

4. Stage prefix identifies the stage to which the dimension belongs.

5. The _intra suffix identifies dimensions which are used in intrastage assignments.

6. Business dimensions from the model.

Using the dimensions in the Essbase outline, you build the report with the information and level of detail that you require. You can select the dimensions that you want to include in the report, although these dimensions are usually required:

• AllocationType dimension to specify whether the report includes DirectAllocation or GenealogyData.

• POV dimensions

• Measures dimensions

• Business dimensions

• Attribute dimensions

For stages that allow intrastage allocations, Essbase attaches a suffix "_intra" to the dimension to identify it as part of an intrastage allocation. For example, if the stage dimensions are OPS_Products and OPS_Activities, the destination data for intrastage allocations is stored in the OPS_Departments_intra and OPS_Activities_intra dimensions.

Caution:

In any Essbase outline, ensure all dimensions have a unique name; otherwise, the creation of the outline will fail. For example, an attribute dimension member name cannot match a regular dimension name.