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Clever Queries: Crafting MDX

Queries to get the Most out of SSRS

Erika Bakse@BakseDoesBI

erikasblog.datainspirations.com

Outline

• MDX Query

• With Clause

• Named Sets

• Calculated Members

• Think Outside the Cube!

MDX Query

• The basic structure of the mdx query

• NB: In SSRS queries the columns MUST be measures

Basic Query Syntax

SELECT

<Set> ON COLUMNS,

<Set> ON ROWS

FROM <Cube>

WHERE <Members>

With Clause

• Where the fun happens!

• Create sets, members, measures

With Clause Syntax

WITH

MEMBER Measures.MyMeasure AS <expression>

SET MySet AS <expression>

SELECT

<Set> ON COLUMNS,

<Set> ON ROWS

FROM <Cube>

WHERE <Members>

Add as many

calculations as you

need in WITH clause

Reference

calculations directly

or indirectly on

columns or rows

or in WHERE clause

Named Sets

WITH

MEMBER MemberName AS <expression>

SET MySet AS <expression>

SELECT

<Set> ON COLUMNS,

<Set> ON ROWS

FROM <Cube>

WHERE <Members>

Named Sets

• Set expression assigned to an alias

• Can be used throughout query wherever a set is usable

• Improve readability

• Simplify query changes

Demo: Named Sets

Calculated Members

WITH

MEMBER MemberName AS <expression>

SET MySet AS <expression>

SELECT

<Set> ON COLUMNS,

<Set> ON ROWS

FROM <Cube>

WHERE <Members>

Calculated Members

• MemberName is the fully qualified name of the calculated

member, including the dimension

• Commonly used to create calculated measures

• Can really be defined as just about anything…

Demo: Dummy Members

Demo: Think Outside the Cube!

Resources

• Creating Named Sets http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa216742(v=sql.80).aspx

• Creating Calculated Members http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa216747(v=SQL.80).aspx

• MDX Essentials, William Pearson http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/1495511/MDX-at-First-Glance-Introduction-to-SQL-Server-MDX-Essentials.htm

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