Start date for Time dimension in cube - where is it set?

[kgl_m]

I have two Time dimensions in my model, and both of them are drawing from different columns in the Fact table.

The earliest date for one of those columns is in May 2012 and the other, July 2012.

I have default Time categories as Year > Quarter > Month > Week > Day, and relative Time categories as, including others, Last 12 Months and Last Year.

Now, the cube shows 2012 as the top most level in the default Time Categories. It even lets your drill down to Quarter (Q1 2012), Month (Jan 2012), Week and Day even though there is no data for these dates.

However, in the Last 12 Months category, it also only goes back to Jan 2012. Is there a way to set it so that it either goes back the full 12 Months with empty columns, or only to the earliest date in the respective column in the fact table (May 2012)? I couldn't find any settings in the Dimension properties.

[tjohnson3050]

If you build the time dimension using the wizard, you are asked if you want to create the categories now.

If you say 'yes' you are then prompted to define the starting and ending range for the categories.  This will defnine the first and last date used.

If you say 'no', then Transfomer will use the dates in data from the source query to determine the starting and ending dates to use as categories in the time dimension.

[cognostechie]

However, in the Last 12 Months category, it also only goes back to Jan 2012. Is there a way to set it so that it either goes back the full 12 Months with empty columns, or only to the earliest date in the respective column in the fact table (May 2012)? I couldn't find any settings in the Dimension properties.

Double click on the Dimension name (not any level). You will see a 'Time' tab. You can define the earlier and the latest date there. However, any date in your data that is prior to the earlierst date defined will be put in a category called 'Early Dates'. This will probably not apply in your case but just letting you know.