Hierarchies allow aggregation of data to higher levels of summarization and facilitate drill-down to detail. Dimensions can have multiple hierarchies. OFA takes advantage of Express' multicube architecture allowing FDI dimensions to reflect their real-world business dimensionality. For example, a Salary Grade table will have different dimensions than Actual, and Planning can take place at a higher level of detail or over fewer dimensions than Actual can. Models are nonprocedural, which means that Express will determine the correct order of execution regardless of the order of the equations - useful when creating or making changes to existing models.
Models can also solve simultaneous equations.
This capability can be useful, for example, to a company forecasting its balance sheet. Solves are models, hierarchies, or combinations of the two that define how an FDI should be calculated. Group Solves sequentially run multiple Solve definitions. Group Solves can also contain Copy Data Profiles. This allows for, say, Actuals to be processed for the latest month, this latest month then copied to Forecast, and then the revised Forecast calculated, in an automated way.