Combining dimensions to build hierarchies

Dimensions can be combined to build unlimited hierarchies.

A single dimension has its own hierarchy. Multiple dimensions can be combined in a table for more complex analysis and planning hierarchies. Updates to a dimension will update the individual dimension and all combined hierarchies.

Why combine dimensions for building hierarchies?

Building a dimension hierarchy is easy within a single dimension. Hierarchies can also be built be combining dimensions. This is useful for situations including: 

• When the dimension items and levels are imported from 2+ different sources.
• When you need to use the level-dimensions items for data entry in other tables.

Combining dimensions to make hierarchies

Combine dimensions using create dimension

Organize your measures (linked to their dimensions) into a table with the lowest level first/left column and highest level last/right column (you can have up to 5 levels). In the example we'll build a 3 level hierarchy of Product name > Product group > All products.

Ensuring all 3 columns are selected, use Create Dimensions from the context menu to combine the higher levels into the lowest level dimension and build the hierarchy.

Combine dimensions using add summary level

In this example, we will build a product group hierarchy (level 2) onto our product SKUs (level 1) dimension using our product group dimension as a source.

To combine dimensions to build a hierarchy, right click the dimension context menu and add and drag your item into levels to update (identical to adding a new item manually within a single dimension). 

Add additional higher levels (level 3+) using the same method or manually.

The product groups (level 2) and product name (level 1) dimensions are now linked and both will update to synchronize all changes made. 

Creating level dimensions from a single hierarchy dimension

A single dimension with a multi-level hierarchy can be exploded to create dimensions for its levels.