A database server receives a query from a remote application server that is associated with a calculation scenario. The calculation scenario defines a data flow model that includes one or more calculation nodes that each define one or more operations to execute on the database server. A top operator node of the calculation nodes specifies a plurality of attributes and the query requests a subset of the attributes specified by the top operator node; Thereafter, the database server instantiates the calculation scenario so that it is optimized by requesting only the subset of attributes. The database server then executes the operations defined by the calculation nodes of the optimized calculation scenario to result in a responsive data set. The database server then provides the data set to the application server.