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Who Needs SQL?
by:
Kristen St. Jean, Sr.
BI Consultant, CRCP
Many times we find ourselves needing quick answers that can
only be found by creating complex joins and writing complex SQL to extract the
necessary data from our database.
Not only is this time consuming, but creating complex SQL statements is not a
skill that all business users possess.
In order to make this process simpler and more efficient, Business
Objects has created Universes.
By using Business Objects’ ad-hoc query tool, Web
Intelligence, business users can access data pertinent to their business via a
Universe. A Business Objects
Universe is a semantic layer that acts as a buffer between the database and the
business users. The business users
need not know how to write SQL statements to turn the data in their databases
into valuable information. Instead,
the Universe is designed to allow business users to create queries against their
data by dragging and dropping objects with business friendly names into a Web
Intelligence query panel in order to extract the data that is required from the
database. No knowledge of the
SQL language is necessary for the end user.
The Universe designer creates a structure that defines how the database
tables are related and joined together.
The designer then creates objects by defining the correct SQL to be
placed in the Select statement of a query when the user chooses that object as a
result in the Web Intelligence query panel.
Complex Universes can be created to include items such as
pre-defined filters that users can choose to incorporate into their Web
Intelligence queries, as well as hierarchies that allow users to drill down
through their data in a logical fashion once the query has been executed.
Different pathways, or contexts, through the tables can also be defined
by the Universe designer so that different users can choose which path they take
to get the correct information from the database.
Almost anything that can be accomplished by writing SQL directly against
a database can be done in a Universe.
At a very basic level, a Universe is simply a SQL generator
that pre-defines tables joins and objects that allow users to create a variety
of queries from simple select statements to advanced combined queries without
ever needing to write SQL on their own.
Next month we will discuss tips and tricks for creating
Universes.
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