Data warehouse system

Abstract

A data warehouse system for managing performance of organizations is provided. The data warehouse system comprises a data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, and a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization. The data model has placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A data warehouse system for managing performance of organizations, the data warehouse system comprising: 
 a data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the data model having placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and    a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         2 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data model implements a business model for representing the dimensions and measures applicable to the multiple organizations, the business model comprising: 
 a set of dimensions representing business reference aspects of the multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing the business reference aspects of the particular organization;    a set of measures representing measurements of business activity aspects of the multiple organizations, a subset of the set of the measures representing the measurements of business activity aspects areas of the particular organization; and    relationships between the set of dimensions and the measures, the relationships allowing for the measures to use common dimensions for cross-functional analysis.    
     
     
         3 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the measures are grouped into functional areas of analysis to answer business questions applicable to the multiple organizations, a subset of the business questions used to analyze the particular organization.  
     
     
         4 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 2 , wherein one or more dimensions contain one or more placeholders settable to reflect at least one of: 
 a fiscal pattern of the particular organization;    a common currency used by the data model;    one or more categories defined by a user, the categories used to analyze information in the data model; and    one or more multipliers used by the data model.    
     
     
         5 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 2 , wherein one or more measures contain one or more placeholders settable to reflect at least one of: 
 a fiscal pattern of the particular organization;    a common currency used by the data model;    one or more categories defined by a user, the categories used to analyze information in the data model; and    one or more multipliers used by the data model.    
     
     
         6 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the configuration unit comprises at least one of: 
 a fiscal pattern settor for setting one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a fiscal pattern of the particular organization;    a currency settor for setting one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a common currency used by the data model;    a user category settor for setting one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a category defined by a user, the category used to analyze information in the data model; and    a multiplier settor for aggregating amounts loaded into the data model.    
     
     
         7 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more connectors for extracting data from one or more data source systems and loading the data into the data model, the connectors having parameters settable such that connectors extract data from a particular data source system.  
     
     
         8 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the connectors contain one or more placeholders settable to specify the particular data source system.  
     
     
         9 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the connectors contain one or more placeholders settable to reflect environmental settings of the particular data source system.  
     
     
         10 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the configuration unit further sets the parameters in the connectors for configuring the connectors to the particular data source system.  
     
     
         11 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the configuration unit comprises a source details settor for setting one or more placeholders in the connectors to specify the particular data source system.  
     
     
         12 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the configuration unit comprises an environmental settor for setting configuration options relating to the particular data source system.  
     
     
         13 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the connectors comprise extraction transformation loading (ETL) software code.  
     
     
         14 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the connectors comprise: 
 a configuration ETL code unit for extracting values from a data source system to set the placeholders in the data model and to set the parameters in the configuration unit; and    a parameterized ETL code unit for using the values to extract information from the data source system, transform the data and load the data into the data model.    
     
     
         15 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data source systems comprise enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.  
     
     
         16 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1  further comprising an operational framework for managing the data warehouse system, the operational framework comprising a console for providing a user configuration options for configuring the data warehouse system, wherein the configuration unit is provided in the operational framework.  
     
     
         17 . The data warehouse system claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a content explorer for generating reports based on the analysis performed by the data model.  
     
     
         18 . A method for configuring a data warehouse system, the method comprising steps of: 
 obtaining a data warehouse system comprising: 
 a data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the data model having placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and  
 a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization; and  
   using the configuration unit to set one or more data model placeholders in the data model of the data warehouse system.    
     
     
         19 . An operational framework for managing a data warehouse system, the operational framework comprising: 
 a console for configuring a data model in the data warehouse system to a particular organization and for configuring an extraction transformation loading tool to a particular data source system; and    a configuration unit, the configuration unit comprising placeholders settable to specify the particular data source system.    
     
     
         20 . The operational framework claimed in  claim 19 , further comprising a console for providing administrator access to configure the data warehouse system.  
     
     
         21 . A connector for extracting source data from multiple data source systems and transforming the data for loading into placeholders in a data model, the connector comprising: 
 a configuration ETL code unit for extracting values from a data source system to set the placeholders in the data model and the operational framework; and    a parameterized ETL code unit for using the values to extract information from the data source system, transform the data and load the data into the data model.    
     
     
         22 . A dimensional framework for use as a foundation of a data warehouse system, the dimensional framework comprising a set of dimensions representing business reference aspects of multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing the business reference aspects of a particular organization, the dimensions having placeholders settable set such that the dimensional framework represents the particular organization.  
     
     
         23 . A method of providing a data warehouse for managing performance of organizations, the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a data model, the data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         24 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing placeholders comprises the step of providing placeholders in dimensions of the data model, the dimensions representing business reference aspects of the multiple organizations.  
     
     
         25 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing placeholders comprises the step of providing placeholders in measures of the data model, the measures representing measurements of business activity aspects of the multiple organizations, a subset of the set of the measures representing the measurements of business activity aspects areas of the particular organization.  
     
     
         26 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing placeholders comprises steps of: 
 providing placeholders in dimensions of the data model, the dimensions representing business reference aspects of the multiple organizations; and    providing placeholders in measures of the data model, the measures representing measurements of business activity aspects of the multiple organizations, a subset of the set of the measures representing the measurements of business activity aspects areas of the particular organization.    
     
     
         27 . The method claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising the step of providing relationships between the set of dimensions and the measures, the relationships allowing for the measures to use common dimensions for cross-functional analysis.  
     
     
         28 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of grouping the provided measures into functional areas of analysis to answer business questions applicable to the multiple organizations, a subset of the business questions used to analyze the particular organization.  
     
     
         29 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the step of providing placeholders comprises at least one step of: 
 providing one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a fiscal pattern of the particular organization;    providing one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a common currency used by the data model;    providing one or more placeholders in the data model to reflect a category defined by a user, the category used to analyze information in the data model; and    aggregating amounts loaded into the data model.    
     
     
         30 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of providing one or more settable parameters in one or more connectors, the connectors for extracting data from one or more data source systems and loading the data into the data model, the parameters settable such that the connectors extract data from a particular data source.  
     
     
         31 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing settable parameters comprises the step of providing settable parameters in the connectors for configuring the connectors to the particular data source.  
     
     
         32 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing settable parameters comprises the step of providing one or more settable placeholders in the data model for configuring the connectors to the particular data source system.  
     
     
         33 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing settable parameters comprises the step of providing one or more settable options in the configuration unit to reflect environmental settings of the particular data source system.  
     
     
         34 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing parameters in one or more connectors comprises the step of providing extraction transformation loading (ETL) software code.  
     
     
         35 . The method claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the step of providing parameters in one or more connectors comprises steps of: 
 providing ETL code for extracting values from a data source system to set the placeholders in the data model and to set the parameters in the configuration unit; and    providing ETL code for using the values to extract information from the data source system, transform the data and load the data into the data model.    
     
     
         36 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the data source systems comprise enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.  
     
     
         37 . The method claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising the step of providing one or more reports generated based on the analysis performed by the data model.  
     
     
         38 . A method of providing a dimensional framework for use as a foundation of a data warehouse system, the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a set of dimensions, the dimensions representing business reference aspects of multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the dimensional framework represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         39 . A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for providing a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization, the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a data model, the data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         40 . Computer-readable media for storing instructions or statements for use in the execution in a computer of a method for providing a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization, the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a data model, the data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         41 . A computer program product for use in the execution in a computer of a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization, the data warehouse system comprising: 
 a data model for storing data representing dimensions and measures applicable for multiple organizations, the data model having placeholders settable such that the data model represents a particular organization; and    a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the data model represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         42 . A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for providing a dimensional framework for use as a foundation of a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a set of dimensions, the dimensions representing business reference aspects of multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the dimensional framework represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         43 . Computer-readable media for storing instructions or statements for use in the execution in a computer of a method for providing a dimensional framework for use as a foundation of a data warehouse system data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization the method comprising steps of: 
 providing placeholders in a set of dimensions, the dimensions representing business reference aspects of multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing a particular organization; and    providing a configuration unit for setting the placeholders such that the dimensional framework represents the particular organization.    
     
     
         44 . A computer program product for use in the execution in a computer of a dimensional framework for use as a foundation of a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations, the data warehouse system for managing performance of a particular organization, the data warehouse system comprising a set of dimensions representing business reference aspects of multiple organizations, a subset of the set of dimensions representing the business reference aspects of a particular organization, the dimensions having placeholders settable set such that the dimensional framework represents the particular organization.