System and method for validating the technical correctness of an OLAP reporting project
Inventors
Assignees
Andrei Iancu Under Secretary Of Commerce For Intellectual Property And Director Of United States Patent And Trademark Office And Successors Thereto • Ashley Moody Florida Office Of Attorney General And Successors Thereto • Heuer Joan D • Jeanette Nunez Lieutenant Governor Of Florida And Successors Thereto • Laurel M Lee Florida Secretary Of State And Successors Thereto • Steven Mnuchin United States Secretary Of Treasury And Successors Thereto • Bureau of the Fiscal Service
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Publication Number
US-7203671-B1
Publication Date
2007-04-10
Expiration Date
2024-02-04
Abstract
A system, method and computer program product for validating the technical correctness of an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) reporting project is provided such that the likelihood of errors is systematically reduced. The method and computer program product is a proactive, repeatable methodology to prove or disprove the “correctness” of any OLAP reporting project. The present invention helps assure the correctness of the OLAP reporting project by reducing the likelihood that major design and data components within the OLAP application environment are not synchronized. That is, the present invention identifies discrepancies among the OLAP tool, the OLAP project schema, the data warehouse metadata and the data warehouse data, thus identifying potential errors which could occur as a result of those discrepancies.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system, method, and computer program product for validating the technical correctness of an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) reporting project, aiming to systematically reduce the likelihood of errors. It offers a proactive and repeatable methodology to prove or disprove the correctness of any OLAP reporting project by identifying discrepancies among the OLAP tool, the OLAP project schema, data warehouse metadata, and data warehouse data, thus detecting potential errors arising from unsynchronized components.
The problem addressed is the absence of a consistent, repeatable methodology for verifying OLAP reporting projects' correctness, resulting in recurring data quality errors during OLAP report generation. OLAP project schemas can contain inadvertent errors, causing the OLAP tool's SQL generation engine to produce unexpected SQL and erroneous reporting results. Dynamic report modifications by analysts may cause unexpected and confusing changes in report values, diminishing confidence in OLAP reporting quality. The invention addresses these issues by systematically auditing the alignment of key OLAP project components before production report generation.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims covering a method and a computer readable storage product for validating OLAP reporting projects, focusing on generating validation reports identifying discrepancies among OLAP project components.
Storing and utilizing OLAP project schema and tests
Storing an OLAP project schema reflecting data and metadata in a data warehouse alongside storing search code generator code that embodies tests to determine validity among the OLAP tool's SQL generation engine, OLAP schema, data warehouse metadata, and data.
Generating validation code and reports to identify discrepancies
Querying the OLAP project schema with the stored search code generator to obtain results, using these results to generate validation code which queries data warehouse metadata and data to create validation reports identifying discrepancies among the SQL generation engine, schema, metadata, and data, and outputting these reports.
Interpreting validation reports with audit rules to produce actionable outputs
Applying a set of audit rules to interpret the validation reports to produce data quality statistics and a list of recommended actions to resolve discrepancies.
The claims collectively cover techniques for storing, querying, generating, and interpreting validation code and reports that systematically validate and identify synchronization errors among the OLAP tool's components and data warehouse elements to improve OLAP project correctness.
Stated Advantages
Provides a proactive, repeatable methodology to prove or disprove the correctness of any OLAP reporting project.
Systematically reduces the likelihood of errors by ensuring synchronization among the OLAP tool, project schema, data warehouse metadata, and data.
Improves data quality control before production report generation by producing validations that help refine project schema and related data components.
Documented Applications
Used within an enterprise's OLAP project schema development, testing, and production report generation workflow to validate technical correctness before production.
Implemented as a client-server application interfacing with OLAP tools via APIs to assess and improve OLAP reporting project components.
Applied to audit and synchronize four principal components of OLAP reporting—SQL generation engine heuristics, project schema, data warehouse metadata, and warehouse data—to prevent reporting errors.
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