Item/Foreign Currency Question

  • Each item has a currency (USD, AUD, CAD, etc.) and a currency amount. Each currency amount has a starting effective date and an ending effective date. Right now currency, currency amount, currency from date and currency to date are all in the Item dimension.

    Here’s the question: should the currency amount actually be a measure? Should it be part of our sales measure group/fact tables? If so, how?

  • imani_technology (12/10/2012)


    Each item has a currency (USD, AUD, CAD, etc.) and a currency amount. Each currency amount has a starting effective date and an ending effective date. Right now currency, currency amount, currency from date and currency to date are all in the Item dimension.

    Here’s the question: should the currency amount actually be a measure? Should it be part of our sales measure group/fact tables? If so, how?

    How do you want to do you currency conversion?

    From the book 2008 SSAS Step by Step:


    For example, sales transactions in euros, British pounds, and U.S. dollars are loaded into the cube in their original currency values. The cube converts all of the values into euros for corporate rollup and reporting. This is referred to as a many-to-one type of currency conversion.

    Another approach handles the scenario in which all financial values have been converted into the single target (or pivot) currency before they are loaded into the cube. After the values are loaded into the cube, they are ready for corporate consolidation, rollup, and reporting. The cube can then convert the values into multiple currencies so that any corporate entity can create reports in its local currency. For example, sales transactions are all converted into euros and then loaded into the cube. The values are ready for corporate rollup and reporting. The cube then converts the values into British pounds when someone from Wales executes a report and converts the values into U.S. dollars when someone from New York executes a report. This approach is referred to as a one-to-many type of currency conversion.

    Another approach is a combination of the previous two approaches. All financial facts are loaded into the cube with values in their original currency. The cube can then convert the values into multiple currencies. For example, sales transactions in euros, British pounds, and U.S. dollars are loaded into the cube in their original currency values. The cube converts all of the values into euros when someone at headquarters executes a corporate report. The cube also converts the values into British pounds when someone from Wales executes a report and converts the values into U.S. dollars when someone from New York executes a report. This approach is referred to as a many-to-many type of currency conversion.


    Depends upon your business requirements.

    To do currency conversion, you are going to need a currency dimension ( for USD, AUD, CAD, etc.) and a fact table that tracks the exchange rates over time. It sounds like you have these.

    HTH,

    Rob

  • Thanks for the information. I hope to review that book over the holidays.

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