Capturing OLAP analysis thread as refreshable business intelligence data

• US 8,892,501 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Guder, Heike, Kalisz, Karol, Mohraz, Karim, Bruland, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): SHMATOV, ALEXEY
• Application Number:
  US12/644,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 707/600, 707/603, 707/713, 707/759, 707999001-999004
• US Class Current: 707/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

Described herein are methods and systems for capturing OLAP analysis thread and transferring the data into a data visualization tool. According to one aspect, OLAP analysis step queries and the corresponding results are recorded and transferred to a data visualization tool. In another aspect, the data in the data visualization tool may be refreshed without affecting the data format.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

recording an analysis step from an OLAP analysis, wherein the analysis step changes a corresponding query, the query made to a multi-dimensional data source on an OLAP server, wherein the analysis step that changes the corresponding query comprises a structural description of the changed query, and wherein the structural description of the changed query is associated with a first part of an analysis step record for the analysis step;

recording a result set corresponding to the changed query, wherein the result set is associated with a second part of the analysis step record; and

transferring the analysis step record to a data visualization tool, wherein the analysis step record is placed on a first slide in the data visualization tool and wherein a second slide in the data visualization tool comprises a link for quick access to the analysis step record placed in the first slide.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising storing the analysis step record in a file, the file to serve as a mediator to the data visualization tool.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the file is a BICS XML document.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the analysis step record is placed as a table or a chart in the data visualization tool.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising refreshing the transferred analysis step record in the data visualization tool.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein refreshing the transferred analysis step record in the data visualization tool does not affect the data format.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first part of the analysis step record is translated in a natural language and placed as a title of the first slide.

8. A computerized method for transforming an OLAP analysis into a data visualization tool, comprising:

recording an analysis step from the OLAP analysis, wherein the analysis step changes a corresponding query, the query made to a multi-dimensional data source on an OLAP server, wherein the analysis step that changes the corresponding query comprises a structural description of the changed query, and wherein the structural description of the changed query is associated with a first part of an analysis step record for the analysis step;

recording a result set corresponding to the changed query, wherein the result set is associated with a second part of the analysis step record; and

transferring the analysis step record to a data visualization tool, wherein the analysis step record is placed on a first slide in the data visualization tool and wherein a second slide in the data visualization tool comprises a link for quick access to the analysis step record placed in the first slide.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing the analysis step record in a file, the file to serve as a mediator to the data visualization tool.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the file is a BICS XML document.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the analysis step record is placed as a table or a chart in the data visualization tool.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising refreshing the transferred analysis step record in the data visualization tool.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein refreshing the transferred analysis step record in the data visualization tool does not affect the data format.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first part of the analysis step record is translated in a natural language and placed as a title of the first slide.

15. A system for transforming an OLAP analysis into a data visualization tool, comprising:

an OLAP database;

a data access interface to connect to the OLAP database and provide unified data access;

an OLAP client to send queries to the data access interface;

a BICS XML file to keep track of the queries sent and the results received;

a data visualization tool document to present the data from the BICS XML file;

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory memory devices, the memory devices having stored thereon instructions related to a processing module configured to;

record an analysis step from an OLAP analysis, wherein the analysis step changes a corresponding query, the query made to the OLAP database on an OLAP server, wherein the analysis step that changes the corresponding query comprises a structural description of the changed query, and wherein the structural description of the changed query is associated with a first part of an analysis step record for the analysis step;

record a result set corresponding to the changed query, wherein the result set is associated with a second part of the analysis step record;

transfer the analysis step record to the data visualization tool document, wherein the analysis step record is placed on a first slide in the data visualization tool document and wherein a second slide in the data visualization tool document comprises a link for quick access to the analysis step record placed in the first slide.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data visualization tool document is refreshed upon receiving notice of updates in the OLAP database.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data in data visualization tool document is refreshed without affecting any custom format of the data.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first part of the analysis step record is translated in a natural language and placed as a title of the first slide.