Using NON_EMPTY_BEHAVIOR

In SSAS 2005, the NON_EMPTY_BEHAVIOR property (NEB for short) was used for optimization of calculated members and cells as well as MDX script assignments. The optimization was done by indicating under which circumstances the expression can be ignored because the dependent expression returns null and vice versa. The rules for proper usage were either unknown or a bit too complex for many, so there was a lot of a misuse and incorrect results.

The situation changed with SSAS 2008. The new engine handled many scenarios automatically, without the NEB specified. It has been said that NEB is required only in a small number of situations where the expression is very complex or dense. In all others it should be left out.