Business Intelligence Vocabulary

Flashcards of key vocabulary related to Business Intelligence.

Business Intelligence (BI)

Integrating strategies, processes, and technologies to generate critical knowledge about the current status and potential of the often fragmented divisions of a company.

Data Warehouse (DWH)

A subject-oriented, integrated, nonvolatile, time-variant collection of data in support of management’s decisions.

Dispositive

Relates to the management and control of operational processes.

Operational systems

Systems (e.g., ERP, CRM) that manage up-to-date information.

Operational data objective

Handling of business processes.

Dispositive data objective

Information for management; decision support.

Granularity

The level of detail data has within a data structure.

Staging area

A work area in which data is temporarily stored to relieve downstream systems when processing large amounts of data.

Operational data store (ODS)

Does not have aggregated data and longer history considerations; frequently used as a preliminary stage for supplying data for conventional DWH approaches.

Basic database (core data warehouse)

The central database within the DWH; data are made available for various evaluation purposes or downstream systems after the initial transformation process.

Evaluation database (data mart)

Forms the basis for downstream analysis tools; data are stored with the help of a multidimensional model.

Extracting, transforming, and loading (ETL) process

Integrates the data from the source systems into the DWH, using ETL tools to carry out the processing steps of extracting, transforming, and loading.

Aggregation

Data are required at a lower granularity than in the source systems; considerably reduces the amount of data.

Independent data marts

These are where independent DWHs are created in individual departments.

ETL process

This process is used to convert operational data into management-relevant information.

Filtering

Includes the intermediate storage of extracts and data cleansing.

Harmonization

The harmonization sub-process includes the business reconciliation of filtered data.

Staging area

This is where extracts are stored temporarily in order to relieve downstream systems.

Basic database

This contains integrated data for downstream systems.

Evaluation database

This contains sections of the C-DWH.

Operational data store (ODS)

This is a preliminary stage of the DWH that contains current transaction data for evaluation purposes.

Technical metadata

These focus on filtering.

Business metadata

These focus on harmonization, aggregation, enrichment, and authorization management.

Central metadata management

This is where the metadata of all components and authorization structures are stored in a database.

Decentralized metadata management

This is where all components have their own metadata repository.

Federated metadata management

This is where, in addition to the individual metadata, there is a central repository with shared metadata.

Technical administration interface

This serves to modify data and the first transformation layer (filtering).

Business administration interface

This serves to modify the subsequent transformation layers (harmonization, aggregation, enrichment) and authorization structures.

Facts

Corporate key figures, such as turnover, costs, and unit numbers.

Dimensions

Describe key business figures, e.g., by specifying time, region, or product.

Drill-down

Using drill-down, you can jump to a deeper level of detail in a report.

Roll-up

Using roll-up, you can jump to a higher level of aggregation.

Slice

The slice operation allows you to view data across a single plane.

Dice

The dice operation allows you to view individual sub-cubes.

Relational storage model (ROLAP)

This is where multidimensional data models are converted into relational storage concepts.

Multidimensional storage model (MOLAP)

This is where the physical storage of data takes place in a multidimensional database management system.

Hybrid storage model (HOLAP)

This model combines the strengths of the relational and multidimensional concepts.

Star schema

This describes how dimensions are arranged in a star shape around the fact table.

Slowly changing dimensions (SCD)

Describes concepts for the historicization of dimensions.

SCD type 1

This overwrites the data record.

Key performance indicators (KPI)

Key business indicators.

Scorecards

With scorecards, data are offered at a glance in visualized form.

Dashboard

A dashboard visualizes key figures by means of graphics and tables.

Management information systems (MIS)

These are report-oriented analysis systems.

Decision support system (DSS)

Is a model-based and formula-based system.

Data mining

Is the software-supported determination of previously unknown correlations, patterns, and trends.

Concept-oriented systems

These include tools that implement comprehensive business concepts in BI analyses.

Balanced scorecard (BSC)

This type of scorecard directs the attention of management to all relevant parts of the company.

Portals

Central web applications used by companies to offer structured information.

Portlets

The component parts of a portal.

Personalization

This allows content to be offered in a user-oriented way.