Abstract: A business intelligence system comprises a business intelligence interface system that enables users to interface with a business intelligence system and an electronic learning system that delivers electronic learning related to the business intelligence system. The business intelligence interface system enables one or more portions, such as folders of reports, individual reports, metadata or other business intelligence objects, or a report definition, of the business intelligence system for use by a user based on information related to whether the user has engaged in electronic learning associated with the one or more portions. A user may self-provision access by earning a privilege based on reviewing a lesson, passing a test, and/or other activities relative to the business intelligence object. Upon meeting electronic learning criteria, the electronic learning system updates privileges to enable access to the business intelligence object or class of objects.

Abstract: A selection engine for a cooperative processing network, in which databases compute portions of searches and analyses which they may most efficiently compute. A data mining network may contain large scale databases, analytic engines which communicate with the databases, and other resources, each capable of performing or executing certain functions, such as statistical functions. When a user desires to run a specified report against the databases, those functions that can be computed locally in the database are trapped and computed therein, whereas other functions, such as advanced statistical functions, may be distributed to remote analytic engines or other resources in the network. A management module may coordinate the transmission and assembly of the data, including to order dependencies. The management module may contain a selection engine to allocate computations to databases or other resources as a default, to test for load balancing before choosing a compute site, or apply other criteria.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the performance of administrator tasks in performing changes to enterprise level data that is associated with various users. The method includes the steps of generating a login dialog box to accept login information from an administrator; establishing a connection to at least one project source name; providing an outline to the administrator, the outline facilitating the creation and submission of command based instruction by providing syntax for a purpose, the outline being maintained in a predetermined folder; and providing a history feature to save a set instructions that were executed successfully.

Abstract: A system and method for syntax abstraction in query language generation in an online analytical processing system, a business intelligence system, a reporting system, or a data mining system. The system generates one or more query language statements that can be run against one or more data sources to return a desired data result set. The system includes a syntax pattern selector module and a statement assembly module. The syntax pattern selector module selects a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function and a syntax standard. The statement assembly module populates the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with the desired data set. The result is the generation of one or more query language statements with the correct function, syntax, and data parameters to return the desired data result set from the data sources. A method and medium having processor readable code therein are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for filtering data in a database using an execution plan. The execution plan has a first processing pass against the database that calculates a filter set using a filter criteria, and a second processing pass against the filter set that calculates a report result.

Abstract: An reporting system that incorporates prompt objects in a report definition to enable a user to specify answers to questions to customize a report at execution time. A prompt object contains a single question to be answered, validation values for the answer, and attributes indicating how the prompt object is to be processed. A collection of answers is built up in a resolution object. A report is thus defined by selecting prompt objects in place of templates, filters, or any of the aspects of a template or filter. As a separate object, a single prompt may be issued once and the answer supplied to each reference to the prompt object in a report. A resolution object may be created and saved before the execution of a report. The saved resolution object can then be used to answer prompts at the time of the report execution.

Abstract: A multi-level interface client for business productivity clients such as spreadsheet, word processor, presentation, database and email clients. The multi-level interface client provides backend functionality permitting a business intelligence server, such as an OLAP system to be accessed directly from the productivity client. Reports displayed in the documents native to the productivity client can be updated directly in the client by executing operations on the business intelligence server through the interface client. Layout and formatting information specific to the client is stored as persistence information by interface client in the productivity client document file and is used to refresh the displayed report in the file without a loss of formatting or layout properties.

Abstract: An report system that incorporates prompt objects in a report definition to enable a user to specify answers to questions to customize a reporting system (e.g., decision support system, business intelligence and OLAP) report at execution time. A prompt object contains a single question to be answered, validation values for the answer, and attributes indicating how the prompt object is to be processed. A report is thus defined by selecting prompt objects in place of templates, filters, or any of the aspects of a template or filter. As a separate object, a single prompt may be issued once and the answer supplied to each reference to the prompt object in a report.

Abstract: An reporting system that incorporates prompt objects in a report definition to enable a user to specify answers to questions to customize a report at execution time. A prompt object contains a single question to be answered, validation values for the answer, and attributes indicating how the prompt object is to be processed. A collection of answers is built up in a resolution object. A report is thus defined by selecting prompt objects in place of templates, filters, or any of the aspects of a template or filter. As a separate object, a single prompt may be issued once and the answer supplied to each reference to the prompt object in a report. A resolution object may be created and saved before the execution of a report. The saved resolution object can then be used to answer prompts at the time of the report execution.

Abstract: A technique for limiting access to the resources of a system is disclosed. In one embodiment, wherein the system has a server for processing requests, and wherein the server supports a plurality of projects, the technique includes receiving a request to access the resources of the system. The request is denied based upon an application level and a setting level, wherein the application level is associated with one of a plurality of functional layers within the system that is affected by the request, and wherein the setting level is a limiting value associated with one of the server alone and the server with one or more of the plurality of projects. The limiting value limits an operation on one of the plurality of functional layers, thereby limiting access to the resources of the system.

Abstract: A method and system for implementing database connection mapping for mapping a user who may be associated with a group of users to an appropriate database via a database connection wherein the database connection comprises information for locating and logging into the appropriate database. A centralized server may control the access to databases, thereby ensuring efficient use of database resources. A user may log into a server and then be mapped to an appropriate database via a database name and login, provided by a database connection. Database connection mapping may provide the ability to map multiple users to the same database login as well as the ability to map different users to different database logins.

Abstract: A reporting system that incorporates prompt objects in a report definition to enable a user to specify answers to questions to customize a report at execution time. A prompt object contains a single question to be answered, validation values for the answer, and attributes indicating how the prompt object is to be processed. A collection of answers is built up in a resolution object. A report is thus defined by selecting prompt objects in place of templates, filters, or any of the aspects of a template or filter. As a separate object, a single prompt may be issued once and the answer supplied to each reference to the prompt object in a report. A resolution object may be created and saved before the execution of a report. The saved resolution object can then be used to answer prompts at the time of the report execution.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and analyzing statistics regarding informational and transactional data is provided. Data distribution servers provide e-mail and other messages of topical interest to a subset of the subscribers. The content may be generated by an OLAP based channel database system, and the output may also be communicated to individuals via spreadsheet programs data, pager, telephone, mobile phone, fax, personal digital assistants, HTML e-mail and other formats, including a workbook file attachment. Statistics regarding the provided reports are generated and compiled. Analysis of the statistics may enable evaluations of system performance, application usage, and optimal configurations for the system.

Abstract: A system and method for manipulating objects between related projects. Dependencies between object are checked as objects are moved between projects. The dependency review enables all dependent object to be copied simultaneously. The system and method facilitates the management of multiple stages of a project by permitting as object and all of its modified dependents to be easily copied from one stage to another.

Abstract: The methods and systems of the invention provide for processing of jobs, that comprise one or more reports to be processed in a reporting system, by assigning a priority to a job. The priority may include a queue or a queue set priority, as well as a sub-queue priority in accordance with some embodiments of the methods and systems of the invention. Once the priority is assigned, the job is placed into a selected queue, selected from a plurality of possible queues, based on the queue priority assigned to the job. The job may also be designated to a particular sub-queue within the selected queue, i.e., based on the sub-queue priority. Then, the job is processed based on the priority.

Abstract: A system and method for efficient data retrieval and processing in an online analytical processing system, a reporting system, a business intelligence system, or a data mining system. The system provides for retrieval and processing of a data result set from a plurality of data sources. The system includes a query structure assembly module, a syntax assembly module, and a process optimization module. The query structure assembly module defines a query structure based upon query assembly rules and a desired data set (such as the set of data for a particular OLAP report). The syntax assembly module defines one or more query language statements based upon the defined query structure. The process optimization module evaluates processing options based upon a database schema associated with the data sources. One or more query language statements may be assembled by the system and run against the data sources to return the desired data result set.

Abstract: A system for a personal intelligence network provides informational and transactional data. Data distribution servers provide e-mail and other messages of topical interest to a subset of the subscribers. The content may be generated by an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) based channel database system, and the output may also be communicated to individuals via spreadsheet programs data, pager, telephone, mobile phone, fax, personal digital assistants, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) e-mail and other formats, including a workbook file attachment. Reports generated may enable a subscriber to act upon the content within the report, thereby providing an interactive component to the report. Subscriber actions or inaction to the report and content may be obtained and analyzed, including analysis in connection with the other informational and transactional data.

Abstract: Security filters that manage user access to data based on user identification and other data when a user attempts to access information via a query or other mechanisms. Security filters may be implemented to prevent users from viewing or otherwise accessing certain data in a database or other source of information in a reporting or other system. The level of access authorized by a security filter may be based on a user's role, capabilities, or other criteria. For example, a regional manager may have a security filter that allows a user to view data from the user's particular region regardless of the report the user runs. A security filter may include a filter expression, a top level and a bottom level where each component may be further define a user's ability to access certain data.

Abstract: A report resolution system that includes prompt objects used to define every aspect of a report and specifically an object-prompt object. To resolve a report with prompt objects, a report instance is created and passed to a resolution server that collects the prompt objects contained therein to create a resolution object that includes the prompt questions from the prompt objects. A report server raises an event to prompt the user to respond to the questions in the resolution object.

Abstract: The invention provides a configuration tool to allow a user to build a custom-selected data object hierarchy, for business intelligence or other purposes. Under conventional data storage technologies, the physical layout of the disk drive or other media has dictated what logical views and searches a user could run on the underlying data. For instance, levels could not be readily skipped or many-to-many data object relationships were difficult to maintain. In the invention, a user may select and connect a set of data objects into a hierarchy of their choosing, to permit desired reports and other manipulations on the data to be performed. The hierarchy may be edited, and entry points may be defined. Different levels of security may be applied to the different levels of the hierarchy. Multiple hierarchies or representations may be built for one database or other data source.