Test the dimensional database

After you create the tables and load the data into the database, you should test the dimensional database.

You can create SQL queries to retrieve the data necessary for the standard reports listed in the business-process summary (see the Summary of a business process). Use the following ad hoc queries to test that the dimensional database was properly implemented.

The following statement returns the monthly revenue, cost, and net profit by product line for each vendor:

SELECT vendor_name, product_line_name, month_name,
   SUM(revenue) total_revenue, SUM(cost) total_cost,
   SUM(net_profit) total_profit
FROM product, time, sales
WHERE product.product_code = sales.product_code
   AND time.time_code = sales.time_code
GROUP BY vendor_name, product_line_name, month_name
ORDER BY vendor_name, product_line_name;

The following statement returns the revenue and units sold by product, by region, and by month:

SELECT product_name, region, month_name,
   SUM(revenue), SUM(units_sold)
FROM product, geography, time, sales
WHERE product.product_code = sales.product_code
   AND geography.district_code = sales.district_code
   AND time.time_code = sales.time_code
GROUP BY product_name, region, month_name
ORDER BY product_name, region;

The following statement returns the monthly customer revenue:

SELECT customer_name, company_name, month_name,
   SUM(revenue)
FROM customer, time, sales
WHERE customer.customer_code = sales.customer_code
   AND time.time_code = sales.time_code
GROUP BY customer_name, company_name, month_name
ORDER BY customer_name;

The following statement returns the quarterly revenue per vendor:

SELECT vendor_name, year, quarter_name, SUM(revenue)
FROM product, time, sales
WHERE product.product_code = sales.product_code
   AND time.time_code = sales.time_code
GROUP BY vendor_name, year, quarter_name
ORDER BY vendor_name, year