11/10/2010 Apply Comparison – Techniques | Micro…

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Apply Comparison – Techniques

June 22nd, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

Sometimes it’s easier to push the functions to the database level. As a MicroStrategy developer, and a SQL
programmer, I pick and choose my battles, and as much as it’s recommended in MicroStrategy to make
complex metrics with “Last” or different Level Dimensionality, there’s also situations where you want to make
the database do the work…such is the Case with the ApplyComparison filter.

Some key things to understand when making these formulas. The “SQL” portion of your code always come
first…and by first, I mean in quotes, right after your opening parenthesis. In this portion of code you have your
dynamic values, which is represented by the hash tag (#). The next part of your Apply references what that #0
references. For example:

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In this case, I’m telling the database engine that I want this filter to include all [Fiscal Periods] up and including
’200905′. The value following the @ sign is the Form you’re using from your attribute creation. This technique
works wonderfully, though you have to be aware of the structure of your fact tables. Here’s a report of the SQL
that’s generated.

select
a12.ACCOUNT_GROUP_ID ACCOUNT_GROUP_ID,
max(a12.ACCOUNT_GROUP_DESC) ACCOUNT_GROUP_DESC,
(sum(a11.xAMOUNT) * -1.0) AMOUNT_YTD
from v_xFACT_TRANSACTION_Amt a11
join LU_ACCOUNT_GROUP a12
on (a11.ACCOUNT_GROUP_ID = a12.ACCOUNT_GROUP_ID)
where (a11.FISCAL_PERIOD_ID <= '200905')
group by a11.ACCOUNT_GROUP_ID

The reason a Function like ApplyComparison is so useful, is you can combine it with prompts, and make
complex SQL phrases, that otherwise would take some serious work using your basic MicroStrategy
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11/10/2010 Apply Comparison – Techniques | Micro…
functions…here’s an example.

ApplyComparison(“#0<#1", Customer@ID,?[CustomerPrompt])

So this filters for the first “X” amount of Customers based on a value you enter in a Prompt.

Granted, this can be done with multiple or simple filters in MicroStrategy, but, you’ll be surprised how much an
understanding of the Apply family of phrases can simplify some of your processes, ad well as how much easier it
makes categorizing and sorting your various filters. Is much easier to have your specific filters like above, all in
one folder, without having to track the multiple filters that may be included is dependents.

Categories: Flash, Tips and Tricks Tags: ApplyComparison

Comments (1) Trackbacks (0) Leave a comment Trackback

1.
sorin.suciu
June 23rd, 2009 at 02:00 | #1
Reply | Quote

Indeed, Apply functions are a great way to tweak the reports into complete submission.

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