9 Calculate Cubes
An Essbase cube contains two types of values: values that you enter, called input data, and values that are calculated from input data.
A cube can be calculated using outline formulas, calculation scripts, or both.
Outline calculation, which is the simplest calculation method, bases the calculation of a cube on the relationships between members in the cube outline and on any formulas that are associated with members in the outline.
Essbase block storage (BSO) calculation functions may be applied in BSO outline formulas, with their results impacting queries from Smart View, MDX, and other grid clients. The same functions, along with the calculation commands, can be used to write procedural calculation scripts.
Calculation script calculation lets you procedurally calculate a cube; for example, you can calculate one part of a cube before another, or copy data values between members.
The topics in this section are about BSO calculation script calculation: