Use ordinal columns

Ordinal columns are used to alter the natural order of a level when fetching members from a database.

For example, the natural alphabetical order of the level month_name begins with April and ends with September, when represented by a text string. Alternatively, setting the dimension month_name so it is sorted by an ordinal column, such as month_id, enables you to sort the values in the level month_name in chronological order.

Perform the following steps to set ordinal columns:

1. Select the appropriate column to use as the ordinal column, then click OK.

2. Choose the appropriate level, then click Edit in the Properties pane under Ordinal Column.

   The Select Ordinal Column dialog box appears.