A data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause a computational device to perform a method comprising: a. receiving with a computer a data retrieval request to form an OLAP cube from a graphical user interface (GUI) on a programmable user display device, b. in response to the retrieval request to form an OLAP cube, accessing with the computer a plurality of disparate digital databases and retrieving with the computer requested data from such databases, c. viewing the OLAP cube formed from the retrieved data using the GUI, wherein the retrieved data is accessed dynamically on demand directly from the disparate digital databases, d. accepting through the GUI a user update of specific data in the OLAP cube, e. accessing a database relevant to the specific data, and updating that database dynamically on demand with the specific data, and f. dynamically updating the OLAP cube data displayed on the GUI with the specific data. view more

A data storage medium containing instructions programmed to perform a method, the method comprising: a. receiving with a computer a data retrieval request from a graphical user interface (GUI) on a programmable user display device, b. in response to the retrieval request, accessing with a computer a plurality of disparate digital databases and retrieving with a computer requested data from such databases, c. assembling with a computer an OLAP cube of the retrieved data, wherein the OLAP cube is assembled dynamically on demand without accessing a multidimensional database of stored retrieved data, d. displaying the OLAP cube to the user using the GUI, e. providing a plurality of access codes, each access code corresponding to a number of disparate databases that may be accessed with the access code, f. assigning each user an access code, and j. receiving and responding to a data access request only if the request is from a user with code authorizing access to all relevant constituent databases with the requested data. view more

A data storage medium containing instructions programmed to perform a method, the method comprising: a. receiving with a computer a data retrieval request from a graphical user interface (GUI) on a programmable user display device, b. in response to the retrieval request, accessing with a, computer a plurality of disparate digital databases and retrieving with a computer requested data from such databases, c. assembling with a computer an OLAP cube of the retrieved data, wherein the OLAP cube is assembled dynamically on demand without accessing a multidimensional database of stored retrieved data, d. displaying the OLAP cube to the user using the GUI, e. accepting through the GUI a dynamic on demand user update of specific data displayed from the assembled OLAP cube, f. accessing an affected constituent database relevant to the specific data of the user update, and dynamically updating that database with the specific data of the user update, and g. dynamically on demand updating the assembled OLAP cube with the specific data update. view more

A data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform a method comprising: a. accessing a plurality of incompatible databases of different types, wherein each of said plurality of incompatible databases contains live source data and associated metadata; b. retrieving at least a portion of the metadata from each of said plurality of incompatible databases; c. storing said portion of the metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository; d. creating a graphical user interface; e. receiving a data retrieval request through said graphical user interface in response to user input, and in response to receiving the data retrieval request: i. using said portion of the metadata to search the live source data in said plurality of incompatible databases; ii. retrieving responsive source data, wherein responsive source data includes live source data that is responsive to the data retrieval request; and iii. dynamically assembling a multidimensional view of at least a portion of said responsive source data without first accessing a persistent repository of said responsive source data created after the data retrieval request is received, wherein the multidimensional view includes at least three dimensions; f. displaying a representation of at least a portion of said responsive source data in the assembled multidimensional view on said graphical user interface; g. receiving a request to modify a portion of the displayed assembled multidimensional view from said graphical user interface in response to user input; and h. in response to receiving the request to modify: i. directly updating one or more of said plurality of incompatible databases consistent with the request to modify; and ii. directly updating the assembled multidimensional view consistent with the request to modify. view more

The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises: i. receiving a plurality of access codes, each access code corresponding to one or more of said plurality of incompatible databases, j. assigning at least one of said access codes to a user, and k. wherein the use of metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more access codes assigned to the user authorizes access to one or more of the incompatible databases. view more

The data storage medium of claim 2 wherein said metadata repository is a database.

The data storage medium of claim 2 further comprising pivoting the displayed representation of at least a portion of said responsive source data in the assembled multidimensional view.

The data storage medium of claim 2 further comprising drilling-down on the displayed representation of at least a portion of said responsive source data in the assembled multidimensional view.

A data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform a method comprising: a. accessing a plurality of incompatible databases of different types, wherein each of said plurality of incompatible databases contains live source data and associated metadata; b. retrieving at least a portion of the metadata from each of said plurality of incompatible databases; c. storing said portion of the metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository; d. creating a graphical user interface; e. receiving a data retrieval request through said graphical user interface in response to user input, and in response to receiving the data retrieval request: i. using said portion of the metadata to search the live source data in said plurality of incompatible databases; ii. retrieving responsive source data, wherein responsive source data includes live source data that is responsive to the data retrieval request; and iii. dynamically assembling a slice of an OLAP cube using at least a portion of said responsive source data without first accessing a persistent repository of said responsive source data created after the data retrieval request is received; f. displaying a representation of the slice of an OLAP cube on said graphical user interface; g. receiving a request to modify a portion of the displayed representation of the slice of an OLAP cube from said graphical user interface in response to user input; and h. in response to receiving the request to modify: i. directly updating one or more of said plurality of incompatible databases consistent with the request to modify; and ii. directly updating the slice of an OLAP cube consistent with the request to modify. view more

The data storage medium of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises: i. receiving a plurality of access codes, each access code corresponding to one or more of said plurality of incompatible databases, j. assigning at least one of said access codes to a user, and k. wherein the use of metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more access codes assigned to the user authorizes access to one or more of the incompatible databases. view more

The data storage medium of claim 10 wherein said metadata repository is a database.

The data storage medium of claim 10 further comprising pivoting the displayed representation of the slice of an OLAP cube.