One of the coolest things in Essbase is the substitution variable. Substitution variables are like global variables that can be defined once and then used anywhere in Essbase you want to. The main use for substitution variables is to create a dynamic, easy to use variable which will change with time. Each variable name will have a value associated with it which can be changed (recreated), displayed or deleted.
For example, let's say you have a batch job that runs every day. In this daily job you are loading data, calculating it, and creating a unit report for the current month. Now, can you guess what should be the value of the substitution variable? You got it, it is the Month value from the database time dimension. You set the value of the time variable once and you can use it in the SQL statement in your data load rule file. You can also use its value in the FIX statement in a calc script, and in an Essbase database report script. When you code any one of...
