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Database Modeling and Design

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160 CHAPTER 8 Business Intelligence<br />

Shape<br />

Texture<br />

Size<br />

Win Date<br />

Promotion<br />

Estimating Detail<br />

«fk» shape id<br />

«fk» color id<br />

«fk» texture id<br />

«fk» density id<br />

«fk» size id<br />

«fk» estimate date id<br />

«dd» estimate number<br />

«fk» win date id<br />

«dd» job number<br />

«fk» customer id<br />

«fk» promotion id<br />

«fk» cost center id<br />

widget quantity<br />

estimated hours<br />

hourly rate<br />

estimated cost<br />

markup<br />

discount<br />

price<br />

Color<br />

Density<br />

Estimate Date<br />

Customer<br />

Cost Center<br />

Figure 8.6<br />

Star schema for estimating process<br />

Dimension values are categorical in nature. For example, a given<br />

widget might have a density of fluffy or heavy. The values for the size<br />

dimension include small, medium, <strong>and</strong> large. Measures tend to be<br />

numeric, since they are typically aggregated using functions such as sum<br />

or average.<br />

The dimension tables should include any hierarchies that may be<br />

useful for analysis. For example, widgets are offered in many colors. The<br />

colors fall into categories by hue (e.g., pink, blue) <strong>and</strong> intensity (e.g.,<br />

pastel, hot). Some even glow in the dark! The user may wish to examine<br />

all the pastel widgets as a group, or compare pink versus blue widgets.<br />

Including these attributes in the dimension table as shown in Figure 8.7<br />

can accommodate this need.<br />

Color<br />

«pk» color id<br />

color description<br />

hue<br />

intensity<br />

glows in dark<br />

Figure 8.7<br />

Color dimension showing attributes

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