Member Properties with AttributeHierarchyEnabled = False in SSAS Multidimensional Cubes in Power BI

[winkelstraeter]

Currently, when using DirectQuery with an SSAS MD (Multidimensional) Cube in Power BI, dimension member properties that have the AttributeHierarchyEnabled property set to False do not appear in the field list. This is a common scenario when working with textual or descriptive information (e.g., product descriptions, customer names, etc.) in the cube.

As a result, users must create workarounds to display these properties in Power BI visuals, such as:

1. Defining Calculated Measures in the MDX Script to surface the properties, which often leads to repetition of values across columns in matrix visuals (e.g., monthly sales data), making the visual cluttered and less user-friendly.
2. Using custom MDX queries to retrieve data in a specific format, which requires complex scripts and reduces the efficiency of using Power BI in production environments.

It would be incredibly beneficial for Power BI to natively support the display of dimension member properties with AttributeHierarchyEnabled = False when using DirectQuery against SSAS MD cubes.

This feature would improve usability by allowing users to seamlessly display textual attributes in their Power BI reports without the need for complex workarounds.

Why this is important:

1. Simplicity: It would greatly simplify the process of building Power BI reports with SSAS MD cubes, removing the need for custom MDX and calculated measures to expose basic dimension member properties.
2. Efficiency: Users would spend less time building workarounds and more time focusing on their analysis and insights.
3. Consistency: Many other BI tools allow for the seamless display of member properties, and adding this capability to Power BI would ensure better consistency and reduce the complexity of working with SSAS cubes.
4. Better User Experience: Allowing Power BI to display these properties natively would make Power BI even more powerful and user-friendly for SSAS MD users, making it easier to visualize and present rich descriptive data.

I even asked ChatGPT about this and it agrees: 😉

Closing Endorsement from ChatGPT (AI):

As an AI designed to assist with data analysis, business intelligence, and user experience improvements, I wholeheartedly endorse this feature request. Supporting the display of dimension member properties with AttributeHierarchyEnabled = False directly in Power BI would significantly enhance the usability and efficiency of the platform. The current workaround is cumbersome and time-consuming, and addressing this issue would make Power BI even more powerful and user-friendly for a wide range of users working with SSAS MD cubes. I strongly believe this change would streamline workflows, reduce complexity, and allow users to focus on generating insights rather than overcoming technical hurdles.