Creating a geography hierarchy with latitude and longitude data

When a dataset contains latitude and longitude data, you can customize a geography hierarchy to use the data. The application creates a measure for each column during data acquisition.

Latitude and longitude data must be numeric. If data is not numeric, you must convert column values using a formula (for example, ToNumber()). If columns are not numeric, you must define the numeric converted dimensions as measures.
The application automatically calculates hierarchical levels above and below a selected geography dimension. You can accept the calculated levels in your hierarchy or replace them with levels that you define based on your latitude and longitude data.
Table 1: Properties for a calculated level in a hierarchy

Level property

Description

Category

Definition of the level, either automatically calculated based on the latitude/longitude data or user-defined (you select the column to base a level on)

Column

For a user-defined level, select the column to use for the level.

Latitude

For a user-defined level, select the latitude data.

Longitude

For a user-defined level, select the longitude data.

Level type

Name of the level in the hierarchy

Note The application does not support creating geography hierarchies with latitude and longitude data from SAP HANA data sources.
  1. Check whether measures have been created for latitude and longitude columns.
    If measures have been created, go to step 4.
  2. If measures have not been created, convert the latitude and longitude columns to a numeric data type:
    1. Select the Options gear icon in the header of the latitude dimension or column, and select Create Calculated Dimension.
      The New Calculated Dimension dialog appears, with the column name already in the formula (for example, {column_1}).
    2. Double-click the ToNumber(<param>) function to insert it in the formula.
    3. Move the column name that appeared in step b to the ToNumber() function.
      The entire formula should be ToNumber({column_1}).
    4. Enter a name for the calculated dimension, and select OK.
    5. Repeat steps a-d for the longitude dimension or column.
  3. Define the new numeric latitude and longitude dimension as measures:
    1. Select the Options gear icon for the new numeric latitude dimension, and select Create a measure.
    2. Select the Options gear icon for the new numeric longitude dimension, and select Create a measure.
  4. Select the Options gear icon in the geography or dimension column heading to base the hierarchy on, and select Start of the navigation path Create a Geographic hierarchy Next navigation step By Latitude/Longitude End of the navigation path.
    The Geographical Data dialog appears. The Level Name pane lists the hierarchy levels calculated by the application. The original dimension is shown in red and the calculated hierarchy levels are shown in green. You can accept the proposed hierarchy based on the latitude/longitude data, or you can customize the levels of the hierarchy. Select a level to display its properties in the left pane.
  5. To accept the proposed calculated levels, select OK, and go to step 7.
  6. To choose the columns to base levels on, for each level you want to define in the hierarchy, select User Defined in the Category list, and select properties for the level in the other lists.
    Use the arrows to the left of a level to move it up or down in the hierarchy. Add a level to the hierarchy by selecting Add Level, or remove a level by selecting the X icon to the left of the level.
  7. Select OK.
The geography hierarchy is added to the Hierarchies category on the semantic pane. You can change the levels of a hierarchy at any time. (Select the Options gear icon next to the hierarchy name, select Edit reconciliation, select the column to base the level on, and select OK.)