Configuration and Fixed Schema

The default cubes that are provided with Microsoft Dynamics AX were created
with full license and configuration keys. You can use the Configuration form to
modify the overall configuration of the system. When you disable a configuration
key, the features that are linked to the configuration key will be disabled and
hidden from the users. Likewise when you load a license file that does not have a
specific module or feature, the features linked to the license code are disabled
and hidden.

Fixed Schema

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009, when you turned off license or configuration
keys, associated columns were removed from tables in the OLTP database. As a
result:

• Cubes could not be processed (because they could not access the
columns they were designed to retrieve data from).

• Errors were displayed in reports and Role Center web parts that used
cubes as a data source.

In Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, the OLTP database has a fixed schema. This
means that when you turn off license or configuration keys, associated columns
are not removed from tables in the OLTP database. Instead, data is removed from
those columns. As a result:

• Cubes can be processed successfully.

• You may see errors displayed in reports and Role Center web parts
that use cubes as a data source. You will need to modify these
reports and web parts so that they no longer try to retrieve data from
a column or field that contains no data.

When you have finalized configuration keys or loaded a license file, you must
perform a final configuration of the cubes. The final configuration will remove
unnecessary content that is not relevant given configuration keys from the cubes,
but not the Microsoft Dynamics AX OLAP database. The two options for
configuring cubes include the following:

• SQL Server Analysis Services Project Wizard.

o No Business Intelligence (BI) skills are required for this option.

o The Wizard will perform a satisfactory configuration of the
cubes, but will be aggressive in removing irrelevant information.

• Manual configuration.

o Manual configuration of cubes is no longer needed, but it
provides the systems implementer more control on what to
remove.

A later change in the configuration or license file will require that you configure
the cubes again.

Regards,
Hossein Karimi