Record for a multidimensional database with flexible paths

A computerized method for determining an aggregation measure, the method comprising:

• identifying an aggregation measure and an aggregation system path, said aggregation system path specifying an aggregation dimension and an aggregation level;
• if a flexible dimension path exists in the aggregation dimension then converting the flexible dimension path to a rigid dimension path;
• for each record of a plurality of records, each record having a system path, said system path having a rigid dimension path, said rigid dimension path having a plurality of level components, performing the following tasks:
• setting a level component corresponding to the aggregation level to a null value, and
• setting each level component corresponding to a level below the aggregation level to the null value;
• selecting a subset of the plurality of records where the system path equals the aggregation system path;
• and
• summing a measure corresponding to the aggregation measure in each record of the subset to create an aggregated measure.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

• maintaining a set of mappings from a rigid dimension path to a unique memberid;
• receiving a measurement data item for a cell, said cell identified by a first member, said first member having a first dimension and a first level;
• determining a first rigid dimension path for the first member;
• if the first rigid path is in the set of mappings, inserting a first flexible dimension path corresponding to the unique memberid mapped to the first rigid dimension path into a system path field of the cell record, otherwise inserting the first rigid dimension path into a system path field of the cell record;
• and
• inserting the measurement data item into a measurement field of the cell record.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

• identifying an aggregation measure and an aggregation system path, said aggregation system path specifying an aggregation dimension and an aggregation level;
• if a flexible dimension path exists in the aggregation dimension then converting the flexible dimension path to a rigid dimension path;
• for each record of a plurality of records, each record having a system path, said system path having a rigid dimension path, said rigid dimension path having a plurality of level components, performing the following tasks:
• setting a level component corresponding to the aggregation level to a null value, and
• setting each level component corresponding to a level below the aggregation level to the null value;
• selecting a subset of the plurality of records where the system path equals the aggregation system path;
• and
• summing a measure corresponding to the aggregation measure in each record of the subset to create an aggregated measure.

A computerized system comprising:

• a processor and a computer-readable medium;
• an operating environment executing on the processor from the computer-readable medium;
• a map table;
• a fact data store;
• a local data store;
• and
• an OLAP server executing under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform the tasks of:
• reading a plurality of detail records from the fact data store,
• for each of the plurality of detail records performing the tasks of:
• determining a system path to the cell record, said system path including a flexible dimension record if a rigid dimension path associated with the cell record appears in the map table,
• creating a cell record having a system path and at least one measure corresponding to a value from the detail record, and
• storing the cell record in the local data store.