Actions in Multidimensional Modeling

Actions are interactive objects that can be defined in a SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) multidimensional database. They allow users to perform specific operations or navigate to related information based on the data they are currently viewing in a cube or other multidimensional object. Actions enhance user experience by providing context-sensitive links and commands.

Types of Actions

SSAS supports several types of actions:

Drill Through: Allows users to retrieve the underlying detail data that contributes to a specific cell or measure. This is one of the most common uses of actions.
Row Set: Displays a defined record set, typically from an external data source, related to the current cell context.
URL: Navigates the user to a specified web page or resource. The URL can be dynamically generated based on the current cell context.
Report: Launches a SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) report, passing context from the cube to the report.
Command: Executes an MDX command, which can perform various operations like executing stored procedures, creating temporary tables, or updating cube data (though updates are less common for typical user-facing actions).

Creating Actions

Actions are typically created using SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) or programmatically using XMLA. When defining an action, you specify:

Name: A unique identifier for the action.
Caption: The text that will be displayed to the user as the action's label.
Target: The object (e.g., a cube, measure group, or dimension attribute) on which the action is defined.
Action Type: One of the types listed above.
Action Expression: An MDX expression that defines the operation to be performed. This expression can be dynamic and use cell values and context.
Condition: An optional MDX expression that determines whether the action should be visible or enabled for the current cell context.
Parameters: For URL and Report actions, you can define parameters that will be passed to the target resource.

Examples

Drill Through Action

A drill-through action is commonly used to see the raw transactional data behind an aggregated value. For example, if a user is looking at total sales for a particular month, a drill-through action could show all the individual sales transactions that make up that total.


CREATE ACTION [dbo].[SalesCube].[DrillSalesDetails] ON CUBE
FROM [SalesCube]
WITH ASSOCIATED_MEASURE_GROUP ResellerSales,
     TARGET PROJECT [Customer].[Customer Geography].[Customer].Members ON Customer,
     TARGET PROJECT [Date].[Calendar].[Month].Members ON Date,
     TARGET PROJECT [Product].[Category].[Category].Members ON Product
AS 'Drill through to sales details';

URL Action

A URL action can be used to link to a detailed product page on a company website or to a help document. The URL can be constructed dynamically.


CREATE ACTION [dbo].[ProductCube].[ViewProductWeb] ON CUBE
FROM [ProductCube]
AS 'View product on website'
WITH TARGET FROM 'http://www.example.com/products?id=' + Measure.CurrentMember.Name
TYPE URL;

Note: Action expressions are evaluated in the context of the current cell selection. Ensure your MDX is correct and considers the dimensionality of the context.

Benefits of Using Actions

Enhanced User Interaction: Makes exploring data more intuitive and dynamic.
Contextual Information: Provides relevant details or links directly from the data.
Streamlined Workflows: Reduces the need for users to manually search for related information or reports.
Data Exploration: Encourages deeper analysis by making it easy to uncover underlying data or related insights.

Important: When designing actions, consider the user's perspective and what information or operations would be most valuable to them in different analytical scenarios. Overusing or poorly designed actions can lead to confusion.

By strategically implementing actions, you can significantly improve the usability and analytical power of your SSAS multidimensional solutions.