Glossary Essbase

Application is a folder structure that contains one or more databases and related files. 

 Database is a folder that contains objects such as outline, rules files, calculation scripts, report scripts, and multidimensional data.

Outline: An empty outline is created as soon as the database is created. Double click on the 

outline and click Add children to add dimensions. Outline consists of Hierarchies.

 Dimension: consists of members. A hierarchy is nothing but a structural relationship among members. It gives parent parent-child relationship among members. The outline will also give consolidation operators. 

  Note: The name of the outline can be changed only by renaming the database. The name of the outline 

cannot be changed directly.

Parent is a member that has a branch below it. 

    Eexample, Margin is a parent member for  Sales and Cost of Goods Sold.

Child is a member that has a parent above it. 

      Example: Sales and Cost of Goods Sold are children of the parent Margin.

Siblings are child members of the same immediate parent, at the same generation. 

 Example: Sales and Cost of Goods Sold are siblings (they both have the parent Margin), but Marketing (at the same branch level) is not a sibling because its parent is Total Expenses.

Descendants are all members in branches below a parent. 

 Example: Profit, Inventory, and Ratios are descendants of Measures. The children of Profit, Inventory, and Ratios are also descendants of Measures.

Ancestors are all members in branches above a member. 

     Example: Margin, Profit, and Measures are ancestors of Sales.

The root is the top member in a branch. Measures is the root for Profit, Inventory, Ratios, and the 

children of Profit, Inventory, and Ratios.

Leaf members have no children. They are also referred to as detail members, level 0 members, 

and leaf nodes. 

   Example: Opening Inventory, Additions, and Ending Inventory are leaf members.

Generation refers to a consolidation level within a dimension. 

    A root branch of the tree, i.e., Dimension, is generation 1. Generation numbers increase as you count from the root toward the leaf member. 

Levels refer to a consolidation level within a dimension. The leaf member is at Level 0, and the 

parent member of level 0 is at level 1, and so on