Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are crucial metrics that help users measure the success of their business objectives. In SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) Multidimensional models, KPIs provide a standardized way to track and visualize these important business values.

What are KPIs?

A KPI typically consists of the following components:

Value: The current measure of performance. This is usually a measure from your cube.
Goal: The target value for the performance metric. This can be another measure, a static value, or a calculation.
Status: A visual indicator that compares the current value to the goal. This is often represented by icons (e.g., traffic lights, arrows) and defined by thresholds.
Trend: Information about the direction of performance over time, helping to predict future outcomes.

Creating a KPI in SSAS

You can define KPIs directly within your SSAS multidimensional project using SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) or Visual Studio with Analysis Services projects extension.

Steps to Define a KPI:

Open your SSAS multidimensional project in SSDT.
In Solution Explorer, expand the Cubes folder and double-click the cube for which you want to define a KPI.
Navigate to the KPIs tab within the cube designer.
Click the New KPI button.
Configure the KPI properties in the designer pane:
- Name: A unique name for your KPI.
- Caption: The display name for the KPI.
- Description: A brief explanation of the KPI.
- Measure Group: The measure group containing the primary measure for the KPI.
- Measure: The measure that represents the current value of the KPI.
- Current Value Expression: Typically, this is simply the selected Measure. For more complex scenarios, you can use MDX expressions.
- Goal Value Expression: This can be a static value, another measure, or an MDX expression that defines the target.
- Status Expression: An MDX expression that evaluates to a numeric value representing the status (e.g., 1 for good, 0 for neutral, -1 for bad). This is used in conjunction with the Status Indicator.
- Status Indicator: Choose a visual indicator type (e.g., Green-Yellow-Red-Goal, Green-Red-Arrow).
- Trend Measure: A measure that captures historical data to calculate the trend.
- Trend Calculation: Defines how the trend is calculated (e.g., by adding a time dimension level).
- Trend Indicator: Choose a visual indicator for the trend (e.g., Up-Arrow, Down-Arrow).
Drag and drop the KPI from Solution Explorer onto a dimension attribute in the Browser tab if you want it to be associated with a specific dimension level.

Important: Ensure that the measures and dimensions used in your KPI expressions are correctly defined and accessible within the cube.

Example: Defining a Sales Target KPI

Scenario

We want to track sales performance against a monthly sales target.

Configuration

KPI Name: SalesTargetKPI
Caption: Monthly Sales Target
Measure Group: Sales
Measure (Current Value): [Measures].[Internet Sales Amount]
Goal Value Expression: IIF(IsEmpty([Measures].[Sales Target]), 0, [Measures].[Sales Target]) - Assumes a 'Sales Target' measure exists.
Status Indicator: Green-Yellow-Red-Goal

Status Expression:


CASE
    WHEN [Measures].[Internet Sales Amount] >= [Measures].[Sales Target] THEN 1 -- Goal Achieved
    WHEN [Measures].[Internet Sales Amount] >= ([Measures].[Sales Target] * 0.8) THEN 0 -- On Track
    ELSE -1 -- Below Target
END

Trend Measure: [Measures].[Internet Sales Amount]
Trend Calculation: Add a calculated member for the previous month's sales amount or use a time-series MDX function.
Trend Indicator: Up-Arrow (if current sales are increasing compared to the previous period).

Using KPIs in Client Applications

Once defined, KPIs can be accessed and visualized by various client applications that consume SSAS data, such as:

Microsoft Power BI
Microsoft Excel (PivotTables and PivotCharts)
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)
Custom business intelligence applications

These applications can display the KPI values, goals, status indicators, and trend information, providing users with actionable insights into business performance.

Best Practices for KPIs

Keep it Simple: Focus on metrics that truly matter to the business.
Clear Definitions: Ensure everyone understands what each KPI represents and how it's calculated.
Consistent Calculation: Use the same logic for calculating a KPI across different reports and applications.
Appropriate Visualizations: Choose status and trend indicators that are easily understood.
Regular Review: Periodically review KPIs to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with business goals.

By effectively defining and implementing KPIs in your SSAS multidimensional models, you empower users to monitor progress towards strategic objectives and make informed decisions.