Understanding Attribute Data Types

Attribute dimensions can have a data type of text, numeric, Boolean, or date that enables different functions for grouping, selecting, or calculating data. The attribute type applies only to level 0 members of the attribute dimension.

• Text attributes enable basic attribute member selection and attribute comparisons in calculations. When you perform such comparisons, characters are compared. For example, a package type Bottle is less than a package type Can because B precedes C in the alphabet.

• Numeric attribute dimensions use numeric values for the names of level 0 members. You can include the names (values) of numeric attribute dimension members in calculations. For example, you can use the number of ounces specified in an Ounces attribute to calculate profit per ounce for each product. You can also associate numeric attributes with ranges of base dimension values, for example, to analyze product sales by market population groupings.

• Boolean attribute dimensions in a database contain only two members. When a Boolean attribute dimension is added, two attribute values, True and False, are created for this attribute dimension by default. A base dimension, such as Account or Entity, can be associated with only one attribute dimension that has the Boolean data type.

• Date attributes can specify the date format as month-day-year or day-month-year, and sequence information accordingly. You can use date attributes in calculations, for example, comparing dates in a calculation for product sales since a specified date. Users can set the date format by selecting an option in Attribute Dimension Date Format in Application Settings preferences.