We are investigating the usage of dynamic cubes. A question that we have is will it allow point in time snapshots? Can we retain historical snapshots in these cubes.
We don't have anything in our Cognos 11 instance to access this feature so do we use Analysis Studio, Data Modules, etc.?
We are investigating the usage of dynamic cubes. A question that we have is will it allow point in time snapshots? So an example, let's say we have data from 3-31-2019 and then on 4-5-2019 one of the records the $ amount was modified to show a backdated entry. We still want the amount as of 3-31 to show not the modification and then for April the amount would show the change. We are also on Cognos 11.
We don't have anything in our Cognos 11 instance to access this feature so do we use Analysis Studio, Data Modules, etc.?
What you are proposing would tend to violate the spirit and letter of the concept of accruals and, possibly, the spirit if not the letter of the law. One of the first things Mr. White taught us in grade 10 accounting was to always use a pen; if you made an error you can add an adjusting entry. One of the next things he taught us was the concept of accruals, which blew my mind and made me feel as if I was the one getting high by sucking on the chalk stick. Mr. White was West Indian so it's quite possible his chalk sucking was a proxy for something else. Nevertheless, the point is if it pertains to a period, it pertains to that period.
Yes, you could do it if the record had some way of knowing that although the value is allegedly about March it should be recorded for April but somehow the old value still needs to be around even though it looks like you want to overwrite it, most likely through an extra time column of some sort but I'd be chary of the whole affair. Wouldn't having multiple records for this value, one recording the original March 31 value and the other recording the adjusting entry, be better?
Could you explain the business action you are trying to achieve please. It is possible that your example doesn't accurately convey the purpose. It's quite possible that one of your interlocutors was a business-speaking guy and was waving his hands trying to explain to you want was necessary and you've misunderstood or tried to convey your requirements in a too abstract format. Is it just a co-incidence that you have chosen the end of a calendar month for one of your dates?
Thank you for your reply. We want the retention of historical snapshots. That is our purpose. Can the dynamic cubes retain that historical data? That is a better way of putting my question.