CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY Excel Function

CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY Function in Excel

The CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY function in Excel is a powerful tool used to retrieve specific properties of members from OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) cubes, such as those in SQL Server Analysis Services. This function is particularly useful for data analysts and business intelligence professionals working with multidimensional data.

Syntax and Parameters

The function uses the following syntax:

=CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY(connection, member_expression, property)

• connection: A text string specifying the name of the connection to the cube.
• member_expression: A text string containing a multidimensional expression (MDX) that returns a member or tuple within the cube.
• property: A text string specifying the name of the property to retrieve.

Common Use Cases

The CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY function is commonly used for:

• Retrieving metadata about cube members
• Enhancing data analysis with additional context
• Creating more informative and detailed reports
• Automating the extraction of member properties for large datasets

Practical Example

Consider a scenario where you’re working with a sales cube and need to extract the category of a specific product:

=CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY("SalesCube", "[Products].[ProductHierarchy].[Product].&[123]", "Category")

This formula retrieves the category of the product with the key 123 from the SalesCube.

Supported Versions

The CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY function is available in:

• Excel 2013
• Excel 2016
• Excel 2019
• Excel 2021
• Excel for Microsoft 365

Potential Challenges

While powerful, users may encounter some challenges when working with this function:

• Connection issues: Ensure a proper connection to the OLAP cube is established.
• Complex syntax: Familiarity with MDX queries and cube structures is beneficial.
• Performance considerations: Retrieving data from large cubes may impact performance.

Conclusion

The CUBEMEMBERPROPERTY function is a valuable tool for Excel users working with OLAP cubes. It enables detailed data analysis, dynamic reporting, and integration with multidimensional data sources. While it may require some expertise to use effectively, mastering this function can significantly enhance your ability to work with complex datasets and create insightful analyses.