Lesson 8: Defining Actions
Applies to: 
SQL Server Analysis Services 
Azure Analysis Services
Fabric/Power BI Premium
In this lesson, you will learn to define actions in your SQL Server Analysis Services project. An action is just a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) statement that is stored in SQL Server Analysis Services and which can be incorporated into client applications and started by a user.
Note
Completed projects for all of the lessons in this tutorial are available online. You can jump ahead to any lesson by using the completed project from the previous lesson as a starting point. See Analysis Services samples to download the sample projects that go with this tutorial.
SQL Server Analysis Services supports the types of actions that are described in the following table.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| CommandLine | Executes a command at the command prompt |
| Dataset | Returns a dataset to a client application. |
| Drillthrough | Returns a drillthrough statement as an expression, which the client executes to return a rowset |
| Html | Executes an HTML script in an Internet browser |
| Proprietary | Performs an operation by using an interface other than those listed in this table. |
| Report | Submits a parameterized URL-based request to a report server and returns a report to a client application. |
| Rowset | Returns a rowset to a client application. |
| Statement | Runs an OLE DB command. |
| URL | Displays a dynamic Web page in an Internet browser. |
Actions let users start an application or perform other steps within the context of a selected item. For more information, see Actions (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data), Actions in Multidimensional Models
Note
For examples of actions, see the action examples on the Templates tab in the Calculation Tools pane or in the examples in the Adventure Works DW sample data warehouse. For more information about installing this database, see Install Sample Data and Projects for the Analysis Services Multidimensional Modeling Tutorial.
This lesson includes the following task:
Defining and Using a Drillthrough Action
In this task, you define, use, and then modify a drillthrough action through the fact dimension relationship that you defined earlier in this tutorial.
Next Lesson
Lesson 9: Defining Perspectives and Translations
See Also
Analysis Services Tutorial Scenario
Multidimensional Modeling (Adventure Works Tutorial)
Actions (Analysis Services - Multidimensional Data)
Actions in Multidimensional Models