Dimensional models are resilient when data relationships change. All the following changes can be implemented without altering any existing BI query or application, and without any change in query results.

  • Facts consistent with the grain of an existing fact table can be added by creating new columns.
  • Dimensions can be added to an existing fact table by creating new foreign key columns, presuming they don’t alter the fact table’s grain.
  • Attributes can be added to an existing dimension table by creating new columns.
  • The grain of a fact table can be made more atomic by adding attributes to an existing dimension table, and then restating the fact table at the lower grain, being careful to preserve the existing column names in the fact and dimension tables.