Tabular model. Define column description to be visible in Excel

Hello,
I edit a Tabular Model in SQL Server Data Tools.
Then I connect to it through Excel, where I see the names of the tables, column and measures.
I would like to see descriptive names of the entities in Excel. There is "Description" field in a model, but Excel still displays the real names of the columns.
I can only do that by setting description in the field parameters in Excel for each pivot table(there are many)
Can I implement such functionality using SQL Server Data Tools fro VS2013 and Excel ?

Hi Ruslan,
According to your description, you created a SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular model project, now you need to define column description to be visible in Excel, right?
In SSAS tabular, there is a measure property Description
that description of the measure. The description will not appear with the measure in a reporting client. Please refer to the link below to see the details.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh230824.aspx
For the tabular model table, the table description property is a text description for the table. In PowerPivot for Excel, if an end-user places the cursor over this table in the field list, the description appears as a tooltip.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh479562.aspx
Regards,
Charlie Liao
TechNet Community Support

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Tabular Models and Column Security

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DimItem
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We have two roles (AD groups) defined: 1 for users allowed to see, the other for users NOT allowed to see. Our intention was to use role based security, but all it does is filter rows. So if we use that level of security, the user see's
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What is needed is to have everyone see the sales dollars, but not everyone can see the names of the customers.
Though the above example is related to sales, we are actually in the medical field and dealing with some highly sensitive patient related data that needs to be regulated for obvious reasons.
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In a SSAS tabular model, we can achieve row level security which you can see on the link below.
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However, currently there is no a functionally to set column level security based on my research. So I am afraid you requirement cannot be done.

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I'm not sure which forum to post this question. I have created a tabular model and I want to be able to pull data from the tabular model to populate an excel spreadsheet and then import the data into SAS. When I pull the data into the tabular
model the column names end up including the table name and the column name twice. I would need to go in a manual change all these names. Is there anyway to just get the column name?

I'm not sure which forum to post this question. I have created a tabular model and I want to be able to pull data from the tabular model to populate an excel spreadsheet and then import the data into SAS. When I pull the data into the
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Hi RACAND,
Do you mean that you got double table name and column name while import Tabular model data into PowerPivot data model? Please correct me if I have something misunderstood.
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Object
Example of Use:
Hierarchy
[Date].[Calendar Year].UniqueName
Dimension
[Geography].UniqueName
Level
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Member
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For more information, you can take a look at the following article:
http://www.databasejournal.com/features/mssql/article.php/3531636/MDX-Essentials-String-Functions-The-UniqueName-Function.htm
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Regards,
Elvis Long
TechNet Community Support

When will Excel Support Tabular Model Table and Column Descriptions via Tool Tip or other display mechanism

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Thanks
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Hi Meyer,
According to your description, you want to use the tooltip function in Microsoft Excel for the SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular model, right?
I have tested it on my local environment (Microsoft SQL Server 2012 SP1 and Excel 2013), the result is that the feature is not supported currently. It's hard to say the detail date when this will be supported. If this feature is enabled, Microsoft will announce
it on the document.
Besides, if you have any concern about this behavior, you can submit a feedback at
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Charlie Liao
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Error about using a concatenated calculated column in a SSAS Tabular model

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Any suggests to me in order to solve this issue, please?
Thanks

Hi, I've solved. The concatenate formula was with "+" operator and not "&".
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Bye

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I am missing.
I tried changing the column name in other model having some special characters and it takes it.
I have gone through this link#
https://connect.microsoft.com/SQLServer/feedback/details/802009/ssdt-ssas-tabular-column-name-with-special-characters
and
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg492144(v=sql.110).aspx which says that special characters are not allowed in column names however I am able to do it in one of our
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Any help is appreciated! Thank you for you time.
If this post answers your query, please click "Mark As Answer" or "Vote as Helpful".

Well Mr. Google helped me.. I got the solution:
Databases of a specific modality and compatibility level can have object names that include reserved characters. Dimension
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I hope this will help someone. :-)
Useful MSDN Links:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb522632.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj674204.aspx
If this post answers your query, please click "Mark As Answer" or "Vote as Helpful".

How to define what operation a tabular model do on subtotals and totals pivot to avg, min, max, not to the default sum

When i make a pivot in Excel 2010 i can change the cell to give me AVG, MAX, MIN, not only SUM, but when i créate a pivot from a tabular model, these options are disabled, i have posted a image, with a "tabla dinámica" or dynamic table
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Hi juliomrs,
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Elvis Long
TechNet Community Support

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Hi,
I have a tabular model which has been in production for over a year with 30-some tables and reports in the 100's. Now I have been asked to add 10-15 new columns in the tabular model but they should only be available to a handful of people. Up until now I
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Lumbago
www.thefirstsql.com

Hi Lumbago,
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http://geekswithblogs.net/darrengosbell/archive/2014/04/22/implementing-column-security-with-ssas-tabular-and-dax.aspx
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Charlie Liao
TechNet Community Support

How to create Date relationship with Fact and DimDate on Tabular model?

I have two tables in SQL Server 2014 SSAS Tabular model.
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When I set Data Type as date in Tabular I get error:
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Hi Kenny_l,
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PS: For testing, you can create a temp table and insert sample text into a date column, because the date format in SQL Server depends on the location selection when installing.
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If you have any question, please feel free to ask.
Best Regards,
Simon Hou
TechNet Community Support

Question on Tabular Model 2012

Hi,
I need to hide certain columns for a user group but the same columns should be visible for another user group in the same model. The out of the box 'row level security' would not work for this requirement. I tried a modelling technique, by bringing
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As a last resort I am creating two models (1) model one with all fields visible (2) model two will hide certain fields. Basically model 2 is a copy of model 1, only certain fields in model 2 will be hidden.
To avoid reading the source data twice I am planning to update the model 1 and then synchronize model 1 with model 2 ( the one with hidden fields). My gut feeling is that if I synchronize model 1 with model 2, all the hidden fields in model 2
will become visible, as the metadata in model 2 will be updated with metadata of model 1.
As the number of users would be in hundreds, implementing a complex security layer might impact the performance if we try and implement such security on the same model.
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Thanks
Bidyut
A**LE

Hi Bidyut,
According to your description, you want to implement dynamic security for two group users, right? In SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular model, we can implement dynamic security using an external security table but we can integrate this security table into
the existing tables based on particular source data at production implementations. So in your scenario, you can store the users' information on an external table, and then implement the security through this table. Here is a blog which describes how to implement
it step by step, please see:
SSAS – Tabular Dynamic Security
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Charlie Liao
TechNet Community Support

Report using Tabular Model and Measures based on Distinct Counts

Hello,
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Luis Simões

Hi Luis,
According to your description, you create a Reporting Services report using Analysis Service Tabular Model as the datasource, now what you want is sum the months value on year level, right?
In your scenario, you can add the Month field to column group, add a parent group using Year Field and then add a Total on Month group. In this case, Reporting Services will sum the months value on Year level. I have tested it on my local environment, the
screenshot below is for you reference.
Reference:Lesson 6: Adding Grouping and Totals (Reporting Services)
If this is not what you want, please describe your dataset structure, so that we can make further analysis.
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Charlie Liao
TechNet Community Support

Dates Appearing in Tabular Model but not appearing on Pivot table

Hi all,
I am using SSAS tabular Model 2012, in tabular model all dates are appearing correct in date column but not when i drag attribute to my pivot table it shows only one date. Does anyone has the solution of this issue.
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Hi Piyush0308,
According to your description, you have date column displayed all dates correctly in Tabualr. When showing in a Excel Pivot table, it only get the first date. Right?
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display same thing in tabular.
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Simon Hou
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Case-sensitive values in an Tabular Model with a Oracle Datasource

Hi,Lets use an Oracle Database as Datasource for my Project. I use a "Select distinct ColumnA from Table" to build up a LookupTable in my Tabular Model. But it returns Dublicates!! eg:
When I fire the query from Oracle SQL Developer I got 2 Records "1N" and "1n". In the Grid View in SSDT I see 2 times "1N". ??
Collation Case Sensitive. OK, but how to solve that?
KR

Hi KR,
According to your description, you encounter the case-sensitive issue when creating SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular model project, right?
Based on my research, Tabular models have the insensitivity problem by default. The workaround for this issue is creating a empty tabular model in tabular server using the xmla below and import the tabular in SSDT.
<Create xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2003/engine">
<ObjectDefinition>
<Database xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ddl2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2003/engine/2" xmlns:ddl2_2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2003/engine/2/2" xmlns:ddl100_100="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2008/engine/100/100" xmlns:ddl200="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2010/engine/200" xmlns:ddl200_200="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2010/engine/200/200" xmlns:ddl300="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2011/engine/300" xmlns:ddl300_300="http://schemas.microsoft.com/analysisservices/2011/engine/300/300">
<ID>Collation test</ID>
<Name>Collation test</Name>
<Language>1033</Language>
<Collation>Latin1_General_CS_AS</Collation>
<DataSourceImpersonationInfo>
<ImpersonationMode>Default</ImpersonationMode>
</DataSourceImpersonationInfo>
<ddl200_200:StorageEngineUsed>InMemory</ddl200_200:StorageEngineUsed>
<ddl200:CompatibilityLevel>1100</ddl200:CompatibilityLevel>
</Database>
</ObjectDefinition>
</Create>
For the detail information about it, please refer to the link below.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/cathyk/archive/2011/10/24/making-tabular-models-more-sensitive.aspx
Regards,
Charlie Liao
If you have any feedback on our support, please click
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Charlie Liao
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Designing database structure and SSAS Tabular Model cubes

Hi.
I need to design a database and SSAS tabular models for my clients but I am confused which way I should implement it.
Data for all the clients is stored into a single database with unique ClientId for each client, such 15 tables I have under a single database which stores information about all the clients.
Task is to create a SharePoint Site collection for each client which will display Power View Dashboard by taking data from above database.
Till now I have created a SSAS Tabular Model for each client, XClientModel, YModelClient using BIDS and using SQL Queries to extract data for respective clients(select * from Table1 where ClientID="X") and using Power View external connection
to this model, have created Dashboard and other SharePoint information.
I am not sure if creating different Model is suitable or I should first separate data for each client into separate database and then create Model based on respective client's database.
Can Some one highlight pros and cons on using
SINGLE database with Multiple Tabular Model (One with Many) AND Separate Database with it's Model(One to One) ?
This is understandable but just putting it here........Imp Note: Data for X client shouldn't be visible to Y client on SharePoint.
Please let me know if further information is required.

Hi Sgms,
In your description, you said that all the clients information were stored in a single database, now you want to know which method is better, single database with Multiple Tabular Model or separate database with it's Model?
In your scenario, all the information were stored in a single database, why do you want to separate it or create multiple tabular model? If you create multiple model, then you need change the data source to create PowerView dashboard for each client. As
per my understanding, you just need create one tabular to load all the information. And then use this model to create PowerView dashboard. Using filter to display the information for each client.
Reference:
Lesson 1: Create a New Tabular Model Project
Filtering, Highlighting, and Slicers in Power View
Regards,
Charlie Liao
If you have any feedback on our support, please click
here.
Charlie Liao
TechNet Community Support

Database column descriptions in Sharepoint

Hi All,
my apologies if this is a stupid question but I'm somewhat of a n00b in Sharepoint so please bare with me.
I'm doing a reporting project (Data Warehouse, SQL Server Analysis Services Tabular model) and the number of available columns to use in the reports is getting quite big. To make things easier for the end users I'd like to create a documentation library
which basically consists of key/value-pairs where the Key is the name of the column that can be used in the reports and the value would be the description. I would also prefer to have a few additional attributes also to describe the columns better.
The most important thing however is that the keys are searchable and when testing this (using standard sharepoint lists) I've had some issues with nothing showing up in the search results.
What should I do here?
Lumbago
www.thefirstsql.com

Hi John and Christian,
Thanks for your input and thoughts about this problem.
Since I am using the 'Externalize Display Names' and 'Externalize Descriptions' functionality, I'm actually already that far that I have the names and descriptions stored in a table (W_LOCALIZED_STRING_G table from Oracle BI apps) and the column name and description are stored in session variables, in the following format:
Session variable for column name = VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION.CN_Presentation_Catalog_Name_Presentation_Table_Name_Presentation_Column_Name)
Session variable for description = VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION.CD_Presentation_Catalog_Name_Presentation_Table_Name_Presentation_Column_Name)
So when I have a report like this:
Column 1____Column 2____Column 3
Then I would need to create 6 extra columns, using the session variables:
Column 1____Name of Column 1____Description of Column 1____Column 2____Name of Column 2_____Description of Column 2____Column 3___Name of Column 2_____Description of Column 3
And then I could create a narrative view like this and add this to my report.
@2: @3[br/]
@5: @6[br/]
@8: @9[br/]
(And I could use HTML to create proper alignment.)
This could be a solution, but I don't like the fact that
1) I need to know all the names of the session variables by hard,
2) I need to create separate columns for each column,
3) I need to create a narrative view by hand.
I was hoping that there was a sort of trick to easily get the description of the column in my report, ideally without using separate columns.
If you have any further ideas, I'm very interested.
Regards,
Stijn
Edited by: Stijn Gabriels on Nov 14, 2008 10:22 PM

Tabular model. Define column description to be visible in Excel

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