The present invention discloses a method for using a relational database management system to support on-line analytical processing (OLAP) systems by providing a security access mechanism. The method of restricting access to data contained in a business intelligence system, comprises the steps of defining one or more security roles, associating the security roles with business intelligence data, selecting one or more security roles from the one or more security roles, combining the one or more security filters with a data access language statement, and interpreting the data access statement.