Apparatus and method for creating new reports from a consolidated data mart

Abstract

The invention includes a computer readable memory with a consolidated data mart generator to generate a consolidated data mart based upon an analysis of a repository of individual reports. A report generation tool produces a report via access to the consolidated data mart.

1 . A method of forming a report, comprising: 
 analyzing a repository of individual reports;    generating a consolidated data mart based upon data collected during said analyzing; and    producing a report based upon information within said consolidated data mart.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein generating includes incrementally adding information to said consolidated data mart in response to the formation of new individual reports.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein producing includes accessing a semantic layer to produce said report.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising creating said repository of individual reports by processing data within a database.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein creating includes creating said repository of individual reports as time stamped instances of data within said database.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein creating includes creating said repository of individual reports by processing data from a plurality of databases with different formats.  
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a report, comprising: 
 defining a report repository with individual reports produced from database information;    loading selected data from various individual reports of said report repository to form a consolidated data mart; and    producing a report based upon information within said consolidated data mart.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein loading includes loading selected data from a new instance of a report.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein producing includes accessing a semantic layer to produce said report.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein defining includes creating a report repository with individual reports produced from database information selected from a plurality of databases with different formats.  
     
     
         11 . A computer readable memory, comprising: 
 a consolidated data mart generator to generate a consolidated data mart based upon an analysis of a repository of individual reports; and    a report generation tool to produce a report via access to said consolidated data mart.    
     
     
         12 . The computer readable memory of  claim 11  wherein said consolidated data mart generator incrementally adds information to said consolidated data mart in response to the creation of a new report instance.  
     
     
         13 . The computer readable memory of  claim 11  wherein said report generation tool access a semantic layer to produce said report.  
     
     
         14 . The computer readable memory of  claim 11  further comprising a query module to create said repository of individual reports by processing data within a database.  
     
     
         15 . The computer readable memory of  claim 14  wherein said query module processes data from a plurality of databases with different formats.  
     
     
         16 . The computer readable memory of  claim 11  wherein said report generation tool produces a report with links to source data within an individual report of said repository of reports.