Project Description

A custom Data Flow component for SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) that replaces the standard SCD Wizard with a superior experience, from the configuration UI to runtime performance. Performs 100x faster than the standard component, and edits are non-destructive.


The Slowly Changing Dimension Wizard in SQL Server Integration Services is a very useful tool for setting up and handling slowly changing dimension processing, which is a very common requirement of Data Warehousing. The SCD Wizard is easy to configure and works as advertised.
However, there are some significant issues with it that have been experienced by many:
  1. It can be very slow.
  2. Re-running the Wizard destroys parts of the data flow.
  3. It can’t be used against all data providers.
  4. It can be hard to troubleshoot why it makes the decisions it does. Click here for more details on these and other disadvantages of the SCD Wizard
This component provides an improved design-time, maintenance, and execution experience for processing slowly changing dimensions. It provides more options to support complex dimension table processing while executing over 100x faster than the Wizard.

New walkthrough videos of the upcoming v1.6 release are now available on Youtube, and in full-size/full-quality on my SkyDrive:
Part OneIntroducing the sample dataOn YouTubeDownload
Part TwoIntroducing the sample SSIS packageOn YouTubeDownload
Part ThreeLoading the dimension table with the SCD WizardOn YouTubeDownload
Part FourLoading the dimension table with other SSIS components (Lookup/Conditional Split)On YouTubeDownload
Part FiveLoading the dimension table with the T-SQL MERGE commandOn YouTubeDownload
Part SixLoading the dimension table with the Dimension Merge SCD componentOn YouTubeDownload

You can download the Sample Data and Package used in the videos.

What you should do next:
  1. Download It
  2. Install It
  3. Use It
  4. Optimize It
  5. Subscribe to Updates
If you have any questions, review the FAQ, then post your question or problem in the discussions or send a tweet to @Todd_McDermid.

Last edited Mar 9, 2011 at 4:07 PM by toddmcdermid, version 24