Support Parameterization from Analysis Services - Parameter Defaults

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In this article, we will take up another refinement to our parameters that we will, once again, support via objects that we create within Analysis Services. We will thereby meet a business requirement to generate parameter selection defaults at runtime within the same OLAP report for which we have established cascading parameters supported within the Analysis Services layer. In pursuing this refinement, we will:

• Reopen the sample Report Server project, AdventureWorks Sample Reports, and access the existing sample report we prepared in Support Parameterization from Analysis Services.
• Discuss the utility of establishing default parameters within a report to make it more user-friendly and effective.
• Discuss and implement an approach, from within Analysis Services, to meet the need of our hypothetical client to present parameter picklist defaults that represent the last period of data entry in our cube.
• Create a new dataset within our report to incorporate parameter default support.
• Overview how the various components of the default support solution we propose are tied together, as a part of a hands-on practice session where we create and align the necessary components to support our parameter defaults.
• Preview the report to verify the effectiveness of our solution in runtime action.