This blog features instructions for retrieving and transforming a Smart List entry (stored against a dimension member) into a member name to be used within a calculation script. This member name is in a valid format for use with cross dimensional operators. This functionality is particularly useful for Staff Costing models. It can be used to retrieve a grade or payscale point from a staff member and lookup its relevant base salary. I came across this trick when writing a calculation script that would pass through each employee in a Staff Cost model and retrieve their pay scale point – a Smart List value – and then transform this into a member in order to retrieve the corresponding base pay associated to that pay scale point. Pay scale points are members in my ‘Employee’ dimension. Upon configuration of the pay scale Smart List, I selected ‘Create from Members’. This is compulsory in order for the trick to work! I have attached this Smart List to a member in the Metric dim