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Matching pre-aggregations

Matching queries with pre-aggregations

When executing a query, Cube will try to match and fulfill it with the best available pre-aggregation.

Since pre-aggregations contain a condensed representation of the data from the upstream data source (rather than a copy of that data), Cube needs to ensure that fulfilling a query with a pre-aggregation is possible and doing so will produce correct results.

If there's no matching pre-aggregation, Cube will fall back to querying the upstream data source, unless the rollup-only mode is enabled.

If you don't know why a query doesn't match a pre-aggregation, check common pitfalls first.

Eligible pre-aggregations

Cube will search for matching pre-aggregations in all cubes that define members in the query.

Pre-aggregations are tested in the order they are defined in the data model file. However, rollup pre-aggregations are tested before original_sql pre-aggregations.

The first pre-aggregation that matches a query is used.

Matching algorithm

Cube goes through the following steps to determine whether a query matches a particular eligible pre-aggregation:

See the details for each step:

  • Is query leaf-measure additive? Cube checks that all leaf measures in the query are additive. If the query contains calculated measures (e.g., measures defined as {sum} / {count}), then referenced leaf measures will be checked for additivity.
  • Does every member of the query exist in the pre-aggregation? Cube checks that the pre-aggregation contains all dimensions, filter dimensions, and leaf measures from the query.
  • Are any query measures multiplied in the cube's data schema? Cube checks if any measures are multiplied via a one_to_many relationship between cubes in the query.
  • Does the query specify granularity for its time dimension? Cube checks that the time dimension granularity is set in the query.
  • Are query filter dimensions included in its own dimensions? Cube checks that all filter dimensions are also included as dimensions in the query.
  • Does every member in the query exist in the pre-aggregation? Cube checks that the pre-aggregation contains all dimensions and measures used in the query.

Matching time dimensions

There are extra considerations that apply to matching time dimensions.

  • Time dimension and granularity in the query together act as a dimension. If the date range isn't aligned with granularity, a common granularity is used. This common granularity is selected using the greatest common divisor (opens in a new tab) across both the query and pre-aggregation. For example, the common granularity between hour and day is hour because both hour and day can be divided by hour.
  • The query's granularity's date range must match the start date and end date from time dimensions. For example, when using a granularity of month, the values should be the start and end days of the month, i.e., ['2020-01-01T00:00:00.000', '2020-01-31T23:59:59.999']; when the granularity is day, the values should be the start and end hours of the day, i.e., ['2020-01-01T00:00:00.000', '2020-01-01T23:59:59.999']. Date ranges are inclusive, and the minimum granularity is second. Use the allow_non_strict_date_range_match to allow a pre-aggregation to match a non-strict date range anyway.
  • The time zone in the query must match the time zone of a pre-aggregation. You can configure a list of time zones that pre-aggregations will be built for using the scheduled_refresh_time_zones configuration option.

If a query specifies a custom granularity for its time dimension, then a matching pre-aggregation with the same custom granularity will be used even if there is also an matching pre-aggregation with a default granularity (e.g., day or month).

Matching ungrouped queries

There are extra considerations that apply to matching ungrouped queries:

  • The pre-aggregation should include primary keys of all cubes involved in the query.
  • If multiple cubes are referenced in the query, the pre-aggregation should include only members of these cubes.

Troubleshooting

If you're not sure why a query does not match a pre-aggregation, try to identify the part of the query that prevents it from matching. You can do that by removing measures, dimensions, filters, etc. from your query until it matches. Then, refer to the matching algorithm and common pitfalls to understand why that part was an issue.

Common pitfalls

Using pre-aggregationsLambda pre-aggregations