Collapse scattered order flags into one junk dimension

My fact table has ten flag columns for gift, rush, and taxable, and I don't know if that's normal.

Beginner to intermediateRead 6 minDoing: an hour6 steps

What you'll have at the end

A junk dimension table holding one row per real flag combination with its own surrogate key, the fact table carrying that one key in place of six flag columns, and a report that used to filter on those flags returning the exact same count through the new key.

Before you start

You need

An orders fact table with several yes-or-no flag columns you already query, plus a way to run SQL against it to add, fill, and later drop a column.

Not covered

Keeping the junk dimension current as brand-new flag combinations turn up in later data loads.

Leans on

Kimball Data Modeling Cheat SheetCarries the junk dimension, surrogate key, and null-handling rows this recipe builds from.
SQL Cheat SheetCarries the DISTINCT and UPDATE-with-JOIN syntax this recipe runs.

6 steps

Checked 25 Aug 2026

Part of the Kimball Data Modeling cookbook