User Considerations
Note that Dependencies do not necessarily represent an optimization for all uses of the calculation engine. As with formulas, you should be aware that improper use of this feature can produce erroneous results in a calculation. Using Dependencies requires that you completely and exactly specify Dependency relationships for a given Cube. Partial or incorrect specification will cause values to be missed in aggregation and cell calculation.
Remember that simply by checking the Use Dependencies box, you commit the Cube to applying Dependency logic to all formulas. This will cause Dependencies to be applied to all cells that feed into the aggregation engine. In the previous example, suppose that you had checked Use Dependencies, but had not specified the Dependency relationship governing Revenue (i.e, Margin.[“Margin Account.Quantity“]>>{“Margin Account.Revenue“};. Had you not specified this Dependency relationship, Aggregations (for example, North America, which is an aggregation of the Detail Members affected by this formula)—which have a value of zero at run-time (i.e., before formulas are applied)—would show an incorrect zero result! That said, some good rules of thumb for applying Dependencies follow:
■ For formulas involving a “Detail and” qualifier
■ For formulas involving an “All and” qualifier
■ For formulas involving an “Aggregate and” qualifier