Effects of Intelligent Calculation
When you use Intelligent Calculation in Essbase, the clean / dirty status of data blocks may not always be as you expect if you update formulas, change an Accounts tag in the outline, use relationship functions in a sparse dimension, copy or clear data, convert currency, or restructure.
Using Intelligent Calculation may have implications for how you administer the cube. Review the topics that follow to learn the implications of each action.
Changing Formulas and Accounts Properties: Impact on Block Status
When you use Intelligent Calculation in Essbase, data block status does not change if you edit the outline to make changes to a member formula or to change an Accounts tag.
Because neither changing a formula nor changing an accounts property requires Essbase to restructure the outline, data blocks affected by such a change are not marked as dirty. For example, if you change a time balance tag in the accounts dimension, Essbase does not restructure the cube, and does not mark the affected blocks as dirty.
When you subsequently run a default calculation with Intelligent Calculation turned on, the changes are not calculated. To recalculate the appropriate data blocks, use a calculation script to perform any of the following tasks:
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Disable Intelligent Calculation and calculate the member formula that has changed.
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Disable Intelligent Calculation and use the FIX…ENDFIX command to calculate the appropriate subset of the cube.
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Disable Intelligent Calculation and perform a default ( CALC ALL) calculation on the cube.
Using Relationship and Financial Functions: Impact on Block Status
Formulas on sparse dimension members that contain relationship or financial functions always cause recalculation, even if Essbase Intelligent Calculation marks the blocks as clean.
If you use relationship functions (for example, @PRIOR or @NEXT) or financial functions (for example, @ACCUM, @NPV, or @INTEREST) in a formula on a sparse dimension or a dense dimension, Essbase always recalculates the data block that contains the formula.
For more information, see Calculation Script Formulas and Intelligent Calculation Status.
Restructuring Databases: Impact on Block Status
When you use Intelligent Calculation in Essbase, all data blocks are marked as dirty after the cube is restructured.
When you restructure a database (for example, by adding a member to a dense dimension), all data blocks potentially need recalculating. Therefore, Essbase marks all data blocks as dirty. When you calculate the restructured database, all blocks are calculated.
Note:
Changing a formula in the database outline or changing an accounts property in the database outline does not cause Essbase to restructure the database. You must recalculate the appropriate data blocks. See Changing Formulas and Accounts Properties: Impact on Block Status.
Copying and Clearing Data: Impact on Block Status
When you use Intelligent Calculation in Essbase, the clean / dirty status of data blocks may not always be as you expect if you copy values to a block or clear data from blocks.
When you copy values to a data block by using the DATACOPY command, the resulting data block is marked as dirty. Essbase calculates the block when you recalculate a database.
When you clear data values by using the CLEARDATA and CLEARBLOCK commands, Essbase clears all the blocks regardless of how they are marked.
Converting Currencies: Impact on Block Status
When you use Intelligent Calculation in Essbase, the clean / dirty status of data blocks may not always be as you expect if you have a currency conversion cube.
If you convert currencies using the CCONV command, the resulting data blocks are marked as dirty. Essbase calculates all currency-converted data blocks when you recalculate.