Rules, Formulas, and User Functions

In Analytic Calculation Engine, you use the rule bar to create rules that define the calculation of data. You use rules within formulas and user functions.

Formulas define the calculation of data cubes. You enter the formula within the rule bar of the data cube that you want to calculate.

You can create a formula and save it as a user function, which can be reused with various data cubes by entering the name of the user function in the rule bar of the relevant data cube. You also create user functions to create filters and to define the calculation of aggregates.

Analytic Calculation Engine enables you to create rules that contain references to other parts. When the values of these other parts change, the analytic calculation engine recalculates the rule and stores the results in the field mapped to the calculated part. These kinds of rules can be useful for working with assumption data. When end users work with analytic instance data within an application, they can enter assumption values into one data cube, and then view the results of those assumptions in the values of other calculated data cubes.

For example, suppose an analytic model contains three data cubes called PROFIT, INCOME, and EXPENSE. The PROFIT data cube contains this formula:

INCOME - EXPENSE

When an end user changes a value that is tied to the INCOME or EXPENSE data cube, the analytic calculation engine recalculates the formula and stores the result in the field that is mapped to the PROFIT data cube.