Introduction to My Analysis
My Analysis is a very powerful tool for performing WHAT IF Scenarios or specific data assumptions that used to be only functional in use with the PowerOLAP Synchronization Server feature. It is particularly useful when users want to freely perform independent data analysis, crunch in some numbers and try manipulating the data without impacting other database users and the live data. And then have the ability to later on decide whether to commit or save those changes or revert to the original state of the database.
However, this feature has been expanded into a standard PowerOLAP functionality. Now, users can come into a standard PowerOLAP model and take advantage of the My Analysis feature.
Moreover, it is no longer a single type of user solution, because currently it can be used in a multi-user environment, where different users can use this functionality and decide when to enable and disable this feature. Whereas before, a user would require a standalone database, take an offline copy of that model, perform independent data analysis and later decide whether to publish those changes to a primary copy of the database or simply cancel them. Now people can use My Analysis feature on a server with multiple users without the need to have a standalone database functionality.
How to use My Analysis
Described below are the step by step procedure on how to use PowerOLAP's My Analysis feature.
To use My Analysis:
1. Launch PowerOLAP and open a database (E.g., UsingPO).
2. Open the Future Worldwide Sales slice from the Future Year Model cube.
3. Change the Filter Members to show
these members:
Actual
VS Budget: Budget
Region:
Canada.
4. Recalculate or click F9 to refresh values.
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5. To use the My Analysis feature, go to the PowerOLAP ribbon, select the Tools tab and click Begin My Analysis.
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6. Notice that as soon as you click the Begin My Analysis command button, this option becomes unselectable and the other two command icons Commit My Analysis and Cancel My Analysis become active.
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7. Now you are free to make data changes and data assumptions without really changing or impacting the live database. For example, enter a bunch of numbers, for the Sales column.
Notice that it behaves as a normal PowerOLAP database, where you can see that it aggregates and all formulas, if present, will take effect.
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Next, decide whether you want to keep the changes or revert to the original state of the database prior to performing My Analysis. There are two options which will allow you to do this:
• COMMIT MY ANALYSIS
- This option will take you off My Analysis mode and keep whatever changes you have made to the database and save it back to the live database, where other users will see the changes you have made.
• CANCEL MY ANALYSIS
- This option it will take you off My Analysis mode and remove or delete all the changes you have made and return the PowerOLAP database to the state prior to enabling My Analysis mode.
8. For SCENARIO 1, let us assume that we
want to REMOVE the changes we have made and revert back to the original
database.
From the PowerOLAP ribbon, go to the Tools tab and click Cancel
My Analysis.
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9. Click Recalculate or hit F9.
Notice that you have the same data prior to performing My Analysis. Also the Begin My Analysis option is again Active.
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10. For SCENARIO 2, let us assume that we want to COMMIT
the changes we have made and push it back the changes to the live database.
From the PowerOLAP ribbon, go to the Tools tab and click Begin
My Analysis option.
Again, this option becomes grayed out or disabled.
11. This time, enter some numbers to the Cost of Sales column.
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12. Now assuming we want to keep these values and save them back to the database, click Commit My Analysis option.
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13. Click Recalculate or hit F9.
Notice that though you are no longer in My Analysis mode (as evidenced by the My Analysis command icon being active again), you still have the new numbers appearing on your slice. It means that those numbers are saved back to the live database.
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