Analysis Services provides online analytical processing (OLAP) functionality. OLAP helps users analyze data and identify trends that they might not otherwise discover when viewing data in traditional reports.

An OLAP query—called a cube—is said to be multidimensional because the query returns data from multiple tables in a database. The report data is then viewed in a Microsoft Excel PivotTable or PivotChart report.

Default cubes

Microsoft Dynamics AX provides default cubes you can use in your organization. As the Microsoft Dynamics AX system administrator, you must complete the following tasks to set up these cubes for use.

Task

Application used to complete the task

Install the Analysis Services extensions.

Microsoft Dynamics AX installation wizard

Update your databases.

Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Update cubes with exchange rate information.

Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Process cubes.

SQL Server Management Studio

Configure proactive caching to refresh cube data.

SQL Server Management Studio

Configure security settings for cubes.

Analysis Services administrator tools

Custom cubes

If the decision makers in your organization require information that is not provided with the default cubes, you can work with a software developer to create custom cubes.

Tasks for the software developer

To create custom cubes, a software developer will need to complete the following tasks.

Task

Application used to complete the task

Set the BI properties in the Microsoft Dynamics AX data model.

Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Create a perspective. (The perspective's Usageproperty must be set to OLAPor Both.)

Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Generate a BI project.

Microsoft Dynamics AX client

Customize the cubes, as necessary.

SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio

Deploy and process the cubes.

SQL Server Business Intelligence Development Studio

For more information about these tasks, see the Microsoft Dynamics AX developer documentation and the Analysis Services documentation.

Tasks for the system administrator

After the software developer has created the custom cubes, you must process them. For information about processing cubes, see Process cubes.