Creating SUM object - universe or report side?

[smooveb]

Hi,

I need to do some BO stuff I've never done before.

1) create an object that takes the SUM of a full table field of database values based on criteria

2) create an object that provides a COUNT of all non-null values in a table field.

Is it usually better to do this in the universe or the report? Does it make a difference? Any tips from the experts for a first timer attempting to do this stuff?

Thanks,
B

 

[Sridharan]

Hi smooveb,

It is possible to do that either at Universe level or at the Report level. But I personally like doing at the Universe level if it can be accomplished there since it can be used in many reports without reinvention. It does make a difference where you create it.

1. If you create at Universe Level it is available to all reports. You can increased performance.

2. If you create at the Report Level then it becomes specfic to that report. What if you want the same functionality in another report??? Also if you go for this option then you have to extract the entire data and Bo has to do this stuff.

HTH
Sri

 

[blom0344]

There is no doubt that using aggregates within the universe can greatly improve performance at the BO report side. An aggregate will generally result in slower executed SQL, but since far fewer rows have to be fetched the fetching period is greatly reduced. The biggest gain is, however within the report during the formatting phase. Formatting the results from a 2000 row cube or doing the same on a 50000 row cube can be a difference calculated in minutes if your report is quite complicated.

The extra SQL time is almost always compensated by far swifter fetching and formatting.

T. Blom
Information analyst
tbl@shimano-eu.com