Data Context Selection in Business Analytics Reports

• US 20120303669A1
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chmiel, Matthew S., Hiltz-Laforge, Jason, Pourshahid, Alireza, Watts, Graham A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/797
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method for changing data context in a business analytics report is described herein. In one embodiment, such a method includes providing a business analytics report, wherein the report contains data and current metadata categories describing the data. The method enables selection of a current metadata category directly on the business analytics report. The method displays a metadata hierarchy associated with the current metadata category. This metadata hierarchy may include the current metadata category as well as related metadata categories arranged in a tree-like structure. The method further enables selection of a related metadata category from the metadata hierarchy to apply to the business analytics report. The method automatically updates the business analytics report with the metadata category and populates the report with the associated data. A corresponding computer program product and apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for changing data context in a business analytics report, the method comprising:

providing a business analytics report, the business analytics report comprising data and current metadata categories describing the data;

enabling selection of a current metadata category in the business analytics report;

displaying a metadata hierarchy associated with the current metadata category, the metadata hierarchy comprising the current metadata category and related metadata categories arranged in a tree-like structure;

enabling selection of a related metadata category from the metadata hierarchy to apply to the business analytics report; and

automatically updating the business analytics report with data associated with the related metadata category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy comprises superimposing the metadata hierarchy over the business analytics report.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy further comprises showing the current metadata category in its correct position in the metadata hierarchy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy comprises displaying a portion of a larger metadata hierarchy.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising enabling traversal of the larger metadata hierarchy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling selection of a related metadata category comprises enabling selection of multiple related metadata categories.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling selection of a related metadata category further comprises causing the metadata hierarchy to disappear in response to selecting the related metadata category.

8. A computer program product to change data context in a business analytics report, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer-readable program code to provide a business analytics report, the business analytics report comprising data and current metadata categories describing the data;

computer-readable program code to enable selection of a current metadata category on the business analytics report;

computer-readable program code to display a metadata hierarchy associated with the current metadata category, the metadata hierarchy comprising the current metadata category and related metadata categories arranged in a tree-like structure;

computer-readable program code to enable selection of a related metadata category from the metadata hierarchy to apply to the business analytics report; and

computer-readable program code to automatically update the business analytics report with data associated with the related metadata category.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy comprises superimposing the metadata hierarchy over the business analytics report.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy further comprises showing the current metadata category in its correct position in the metadata hierarchy.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein displaying the metadata hierarchy comprises displaying a portion of a larger metadata hierarchy.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising computer-readable program code to enable traversal of the larger metadata hierarchy.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein enabling selection of a related metadata category comprises enabling selection of multiple related metadata categories.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein enabling selection of a related metadata category further comprises causing the metadata hierarchy to disappear in response to selecting the related metadata category.

15. An apparatus to change data context in a business analytics report, the apparatus comprising:

a report generation module to generate a business analytics report, the business analytics report comprising data and current metadata categories describing the data;

a selection module to enable selection of a current metadata category on the business analytics report;

a display module to display a metadata hierarchy associated with the current metadata category, the metadata hierarchy comprising the current metadata category and related metadata categories arranged in a tree-like structure;

the selection module further configured to enable selection of a related metadata category from the metadata hierarchy to apply to the business analytics report; and

an update module to automatically update the business analytics report with data associated with the related metadata category.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display module is further configured to superimpose the metadata hierarchy over the business analytics report.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display module is further configured to show the current metadata category in its correct position in the metadata hierarchy.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display module is further configured to display a portion of a larger metadata hierarchy.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a traversal module to enable traversal of the larger metadata hierarchy.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the selection module is further configured to enable selection of multiple related metadata categories.