Multi-dimensional Crosstabs
A multi-dimensional crosstab has more than one ROW axis (Y-Axis). It may also have multiple COLUMNS (X-Axes), although this is not as common.
A multi-dimensional crosstab works out all the possible combinations of all the values present in the fields that make up the Row axes. Similar results would be achieved if the user were to create an expression field consisting of the two row axes concatenated together, for example, ( [Occupation] + [AgeBand] ). Expressions handle NULL-NULL pairings slightly differently than multi-dimensional crosstab axes. In a multi-dimensional crosstab, NULL-NULL pairings are excluded.
By default, combinations that produce a zero count are not displayed.
Example of a multi-dimensional crosstab
A multi-dimensional cross tabulation produces the same counts as a standard cross tabulation when it is resolved at the same table level as the fields that make up the axes.
| RESOLUTION TABLE | [DEMO].[CUSTOMER] |
| Y-AXIS_1 | [DEMO].[CUSTOMER].[OCCUPATION] |
| Y-AXIS_2 | [DEMO].[CUSTOMER].[AGEBAND] |
The difference occurs when a multi-dimensional crosstab is created at a different level to the axes. When the multi-dimensional crosstab is evaluated at the Household level, a count of 161 is given for the intersection of Director and 65 plus. This is Different from the 202 given by the standard crosstab, and represents the number of households containing a customer who is a director and 65 plus:
| RESOLUTION TABLE | [DEMO].[HOUSEHOLD] |
| Y-AXIS_1 | [DEMO].[CUSTOMER].[OCCUPATION] |
| Y-AXIS_2 | [DEMO].[CUSTOMER].[AGEBAND] |
Understanding Multi-dimensional Crosstab results
In a multi-dimensional crosstab, the same record satisfies the criteria, even though the axes come from a different table to the crosstab resolution level.
