---
title: "Document and Script an Analysis Services Database | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "03/06/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: "analysis-services"
ms.topic: conceptual
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "XML for Analysis, scripts"
  - "XMLA, scripts"
  - "scripts [Analysis Services], databases"
  - "documenting databases"
  - "databases [Analysis Services], documenting"
  - "databases [Analysis Services], scripts"
ms.assetid: 125044e2-8d36-4733-8743-8bb68ff9aa4e
author: minewiskan
ms.author: owend
manager: craigg
---
# Document and Script an Analysis Services Database
  After an [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] database is deployed, you can use [!INCLUDE[ssManStudioFull](../../includes/ssmanstudiofull-md.md)] to output the metadata of the database, or of an object contained in the database, as an XML for Analysis (XMLA) script. You can output this script to a new **XMLA Query Editor** window, to a file, or to the Clipboard. For more information about XMLA, see [Analysis Services Scripting Language (ASSL) Reference](https://docs.microsoft.com/bi-reference/assl/analysis-services-scripting-language-assl-for-xmla).  
  
 The generated XMLA script uses [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] Scripting Language (ASSL) elements to define the objects contained by the script. If you generated a CREATE script, the resulting XMLA script contains an XMLA **Create** command and ASSL elements that can be used to create the entire [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] database structure on an instance. If you generated an ALTER script, the resulting XMLA script contains an XMLA **Alter** command and ASSL elements that can be used to restore the structure of an existing [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] database to the state of the database at the time the script was created.  
  
 You can use the generated XMLA script from an [!INCLUDE[ssASnoversion](../../includes/ssasnoversion-md.md)] database in many ways, including:  
  
-   To maintain a backup script that allows you to recreate all the database objects and permissions.  
  
-   To create or update database development code.  
  
-   To create a test or development environment from an existing schema.  
  
## See Also  
 [Modify or Delete an Analysis Services Database](modify-or-delete-an-analysis-services-database.md)   
 [Alter Element (XMLA)](https://docs.microsoft.com/bi-reference/xmla/xml-elements-commands/alter-element-xmla)   
 [Create Element (XMLA)](https://docs.microsoft.com/bi-reference/xmla/xml-elements-commands/create-element-xmla)