System and method for extending and validating a semantic model for use with an analytic applications environment

1 . A system for extending a semantic model, for use with an analytic application, data analytics, or other business intelligence environment, comprising:

a computer including one or more processors, that provides access to a data warehouse for storage of data received from an enterprise software application or data environment, wherein the data warehouse includes:

an analytic applications schema, and

for each customer of a plurality of customers, a customer schema that is used to supplement and utilize the customer's data within their own data warehouse instance;

wherein the system operates a process that executes at intervals to extract the data from a customer's enterprise software application or data environment, and transform the extracted data into a model format to be loaded into the customer schema of their data warehouse instance;

wherein the system includes a semantic model for use with the data that enables surfacing of data analytics or other business intelligence data at a presentation layer, including wherein the semantic model includes a metadata that defines one or more schemas, mappings, table navigation, or other constructs that implement the semantic model;

wherein the computer system performs a semantic model extension process that:

introspects the customer's data stored in the data warehouse instance, including importing one or more source table and columns,

evaluates the metadata associated with the one or more source table and columns to determine custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions associated with the customer's data, and

generates a payload descriptive of such customizations or extensions, wherein the payload is provided to a customization service and information provided therein is used by the customization service in performing a process or workflow and corresponding operations to modify the semantic model so as to extend or otherwise customize the semantic model, for use with the customer's data; and

wherein the system provides a user interface by which

customers can validate their data as stored in their data warehouse instance with an original source data, as provided by a source system, including an application of the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data; and

wherein the system displays actual data and differences between the data warehouse instance and the original source data.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an interactive tool and user interface that enables a user to manage the contents of the semantic model;

wherein during introspection by the semantic model extension process of a customer's source data, the system determines, based upon presentation layer, business model and mapping, and physical layer details or metadata, configurable by the interactive tool, the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the semantic model extension process generates a payload describing the customizations or extensions to the customer's data source model, wherein the payload is provided to the customization service adapted to receive an indication of custom facts, custom dimensions, or other customizations or extensions associated with the data source model, and update the semantic model accordingly.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes an administrative console application that prompts the user to select one or more data attribute columns by which the data validation details can be pivoted on in the displayed user interface;

wherein each time the administrative console application is instructed to run the process of data validation, the console application displays the data metric values and differences between the source and target instances, as defined by the tables and columns selected for validation purposes.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data plane responsible for performing extract, transform, and load (ETL) operations, including extracting transactional data from an organization's enterprise software application or data environment, transforming the extracted data into a model format, and loading the transformed data into a customer schema of the data warehouse.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each customer or tenant of the environment is associated with their own customer tenancy within the data warehouse, that is associated with their own customer schema and is additionally provided with read-only access to the analytic applications schema.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the metadata associated with the customer's data stored in the data warehouse instance includes one or more mapping from physical aliases to logical tables and logical table sources, and one or more logical table to subject area mappings.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes or operates with:

a physical layer having details or metadata that maps to a physical data model;

a business model and mapping layer having details or metadata that operates as a logical mapping of the data;

wherein the semantic model extension process introspects the customer's source data at their data warehouse instance to:

determine, based upon the presentation layer, business model and mapping, and physical layer details or metadata, the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions associated with the customer's data; and

generate a corresponding payload describing the customizations or extensions to the customer's data source model;

for use by the customization service in modifying the semantic model so as to extend or otherwise customize the semantic model, for use with the customer's data.

9 . The system of claim 8 ,

wherein the physical layer details or metadata include one or more table or dimension aliases or primary keys;

wherein the business model and mapping layer details or metadata include a mapping from physical aliases to logical tables;

wherein the presentation layer includes a logical table to subject area mapping.

10 . A method for extending a semantic model, for use with an analytic application, data analytics, or other business intelligence environment, comprising:

providing, at a computer including one or more processors, an analytic applications environment that that provides access to a data warehouse for storage of data received from an enterprise software application or data environment, wherein the data warehouse includes:

an analytic applications schema, and

for each customer of a plurality of customers, a customer schema that is used to supplement and utilize the customer's data within their own data warehouse instance;

performing, by the computer, a process at intervals to extract the data from a customer's enterprise software application or data environment, and transform the extracted data into a model format to be loaded into the customer schema of their data warehouse instance;

providing, by the computer, a semantic model for use with the data that enables surfacing of data analytics or other business intelligence data at a presentation layer, including wherein the semantic model includes a metadata that defines one or more schemas, mappings, table navigation, or other constructs that implement the semantic model;

performing, by the computer, a semantic model extension process that:

introspects the customer's data stored in the data warehouse instance, including importing one or more source table and columns,

evaluates the metadata associated with the one or more source table and columns to determine custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions associated with the customer's data, and

generates a payload descriptive of such customizations or extensions, wherein the payload is provided to a customization service and information provided therein is used by the customization service in performing a process or workflow and corresponding operations to modify the semantic model so as to extend or otherwise customize the semantic model, for use with the customer's data; and

providing a user interface by which

customers can validate their data as stored in their data warehouse instance with an original source data, as provided by a source system, including an application of the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data; and

wherein the system displays actual data and differences between the data warehouse instance and the original source data.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising an interactive tool and user interface that enables a user to manage the contents of the semantic model;

wherein during introspection by the semantic model extension process of a customer's source data, the computer determines, based upon presentation layer, business model and mapping, and physical layer details or metadata, configurable by the interactive tool, the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the semantic model extension process generates a payload describing the customizations or extensions to the customer's data source model, wherein the payload is provided to the customization service adapted to receive an indication of custom facts, custom dimensions, or other customizations or extensions associated with the data source model, and update the semantic model accordingly.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein an administrative console application prompts the user to select one or more data attribute columns by which the data validation details can be pivoted on in the displayed user interface;

wherein each time the administrative console application is instructed to run the process of data validation, the console application displays the data metric values and differences between the source and target instances, as defined by the tables and columns selected for validation purposes.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each customer or tenant of the environment is associated with their own customer tenancy within the data warehouse, that is associated with their own customer schema and is additionally provided with read-only access to the analytic applications schema.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the metadata associated with the customer's data stored in the data warehouse instance includes one or more mapping from physical aliases to logical tables and logical table sources, and one or more logical table to subject area mappings.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the semantic model extension process operates with:

a physical layer having details or metadata that maps to a physical data model;

a business model and mapping layer having details or metadata that operates as a logical mapping of the data;

wherein the semantic model extension process introspects the customer's source data at their data warehouse instance to:

determine, based upon the presentation layer, business model and mapping, and physical layer details or metadata, the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions associated with the customer's data; and

generate a corresponding payload describing the customizations or extensions to the customer's data source model;

for use by the customization service in modifying the semantic model so as to extend or otherwise customize the semantic model, for use with the customer's data.

17 . The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the physical layer details or metadata include one or more table or dimension aliases or primary keys;

wherein the business model and mapping layer details or metadata include a mapping from physical aliases to logical tables;

wherein the presentation layer includes a logical table to subject area mapping.

18 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions thereon, which when read and executed by a computer including one or more processors cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

providing, by the computer, an analytic applications environment that that provides access to a data warehouse for storage of data received from an enterprise software application or data environment, wherein the data warehouse includes:

an analytic applications schema, and

for each customer of a plurality of customers, a customer schema that is used to supplement and utilize the customer's data within their own data warehouse instance;

performing, by the computer, a process at intervals to extract the data from a customer's enterprise software application or data environment, and transform the extracted data into a model format to be loaded into the customer schema of their data warehouse instance;

providing, by the computer, a semantic model for use with the data that enables surfacing of data analytics or other business intelligence data at a presentation layer, including wherein the semantic model includes a metadata that defines one or more schemas, mappings, table navigation, or other constructs that implement the semantic model;

performing, by the computer, a semantic model extension process that:

introspects the customer's data stored in the data warehouse instance, including importing one or more source table and columns,

evaluates the metadata associated with the one or more source table and columns to determine custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions associated with the customer's data, and

generates a payload descriptive of such customizations or extensions, wherein the payload is provided to a customization service and information provided therein is used by the customization service in performing a process or workflow and corresponding operations to modify the semantic model so as to extend or otherwise customize the semantic model, for use with the customer's data; and

providing a user interface by which

customers can validate their data as stored in their data warehouse instance with an original source data, as provided by a source system, including an application of the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data; and

wherein the system displays actual data and differences between the data warehouse instance and the original source data.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , further comprising an interactive tool and user interface that enables a user to manage the contents of the semantic model;

wherein during introspection by the semantic model extension process of a customer's source data, the computer determines, based upon presentation layer, business model and mapping, and physical layer details or metadata, configurable by the interactive tool, the custom facts, custom dimensions, or extensions, associated with the customer's data.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the semantic model extension process generates a payload describing the customizations or extensions to the customer's data source model, wherein the payload is provided to the customization service adapted to receive an indication of custom facts, custom dimensions, or other customizations or extensions associated with the data source model, and update the semantic model accordingly.