Apparatuses, methods and systems for an automated data extractor
The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN AUTOMATED DATA EXTRACTOR (hereinafter “ADE”) implement efficient and scalable monitoring, regulation, and allocation of computational processing, data, labor, and/or the like resources within an enterprise. In some embodiments, the ADE may access data via a plurality of universal variables linked to tables and/or fields across multiple, otherwise disparate database systems, providing economical access to data in those tables and/or fields. In some implementations, the universal variables may be selectively chosen for broad applicability to a vast swath of enterprise data types and organizations, and may themselves be organized in accordance with a hierarchical schema facilitating business understanding and decision making. The ADE may further facilitate, in various implementations, report generation, data accessibility, scheduled and/or triggered distribution of data updates, and/or the like through the use of universal variables and economical interface features.
1. An automated data extracting processor-implemented method, comprising:
receiving a data report specification including at least a limiter and a chooser;
receiving a plurality of universal variables associated with at least one database identifier and application system, wherein the universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems containing related data, wherein said universal variables are organized into a business grammar hierarchy, each segment of the hierarchy following a business grammar rule for an enterprise, and wherein one or more universal variables provide database access query languages details and relational database organization structures necessary for accessing each of said disparate databases and different software application systems;
obtaining from the universal data librarian system information defining a relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable, including a display name associated with the universal variable, business grammar rules and a reformatting function that is to be applied to a plurality of database values associated with each particular universal variable;
generating a relational database query statement based at least partially on the received chooser, information defining the relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable;
querying tables in a relational database associated with the received limiter using the generated database query statement;
retrieving at least one data value corresponding to the chooser based on the querying; and
generating a report comprising the at least one data value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data report specification is received from a user, and further comprising: providing the report to the user.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chooser is received via a drag- and drop user interface.
4. An automated data extracting processor-implemented method comprising:
receiving an output specification and a plurality of universal variables associated with at least one database identifier and application system, wherein the plurality of universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems containing related data; and wherein said universal variables are organized into a business grammar hierarchy, each segment of the hierarchy following a business grammar rule for an enterprise and wherein universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems and wherein one or more universal variables provide database access query languages details and relational database organization structures necessary for accessing each of said disparate databases and different software application systems;
receiving an output target identifier;
receiving an output trigger condition;
obtaining from the universal data librarian system information defining a relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable, including a display name associated with the universal variable, business grammar rules and reformatting function that is to be applied to a plurality of database values associated with each particular universal variable;
generating a database query statement and retrieving a plurality of data values associated with the plurality of related table fields in disparate databases based at least partially on the received target identifier, information defining relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable;
providing the plurality of data values to the output target after occurrence of the output trigger condition.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output target identifier comprises at least one e-mail address.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the output target identifier comprises a distribution list including a plurality of e-mail addresses.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output target identifier comprises a printing device identifier.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output target identifier comprises a display device identifier.
9. The method of claim 4 , wherein providing the plurality of data values further comprises:
configuring the plurality of data values as a structured data file.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the structured data file comprises a fixed length file.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the structured data file comprises a delimited file.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the structured data file comprises an XML file.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the structured data file comprises a spreadsheet file.
14. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output trigger condition comprises a scheduled time.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the scheduled time reoccurs periodically.
16. The method of claim 4 , wherein the output trigger condition comprises a user request.
17. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of data values associated with the plurality of table fields are retrieved after occurrence of the at least one trigger condition.
18. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of universal variables are linked to a plurality of table fields in at least two databases.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the at least two databases is a local database and at least another of the at least two databases is a remote database accessible via a communications network.
20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
receiving a database identifier in association with at least one of the plurality of universal variables.
21. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving at least one data retrieval limitation; and
selecting the plurality of data values consistent with the at least one data retrieval limitation.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the at least one data retrieval limitation comprises at least one token value of a delimited string configured with a descriptive business grammar.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the delimited string configured with a descriptive business grammar is a program code.
24. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
reformatting at least one of the plurality of data values before providing the plurality of data values to the output target.
25. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
combining at least two of the plurality of data values to yield a combined data value; and providing the combined data value with the plurality of data values to the output target.
26. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining a linkage relationship between at least two table fields of the plurality of table fields in the at least one database;
generating a table joining clause based on the determined linkage relationship; and
wherein a subset of the plurality of data values associated with the plurality of table fields are retrieved using the generated table joining clause.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein determining a linkage relationship further comprises:
determining a first table containing a first table field of the at least two table fields;
querying at least one key field in the first table connecting to at least one linked table;
determining whether the at least one linked table contains a second table field of the at least two table fields;
recording the first table, the at least one linked table, and the at least one key field as the linkage relationship if the linked table contains the second table field;
repeating the querying, both determining and recording steps for the at least one linked table and tables linked to the at least one linked table it until a table containing the second table field is found, or a maximum number of linking steps has been reached.
28. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of universal variables are dragged from a selectable listing and dropped in a position indicative of selection for output.
29. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of universal variables are selected from a business descriptive set of universal variables.
30. An automated data extracting computer processor-accessible medium, comprising:
a plurality of processing instructions stored in a permanent computer memory that is accessible and readable by a processor, and upon execution by said processor operating to:
receive an output specification and a plurality of universal variables associated with at least one database identifier and application system, wherein the plurality of universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems containing related data and wherein said universal variables are organized into a business grammar hierarchy, each segment of the hierarchy following a business grammar rule for an enterprise and wherein the universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems and wherein one or more universal variables provide database access query languages details and relational database organization structures necessary for accessing each of said disparate databases and different software application systems;
receive an output target identifier;
receive an output trigger condition;
obtaining from the universal data librarian system information defining a relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable, including a display name associated with the universal variable, business grammar rules and a reformatting function that is to be applied to a plurality of database values associated with each particular universal variable;
generating a database query statement and retrieving a plurality of data values associated with the plurality of related table fields in disparate databases based at least partially on the received target identifier, information defining the relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable; and
provide the plurality of data values to the output target after occurrence of the output trigger condition.
31. An automated data extracting processor-implemented system, comprising:
means for receiving an output specification and a plurality of universal variables associated with at least one database identifier and application system, wherein the plurality of universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems containing related data, and wherein said universal variables are organized, into a business grammar hierarchy, each segment of the hierarchy following a business grammar rule for an enterprise and wherein universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems and wherein one or more universal variables provide database access query languages details and relational database organization structures necessary for accessing each of said disparate databases and different software application systems;
means for receiving an output target identifier;
means for receiving an output trigger condition;
means for obtaining from the universal data librarian system information defining a relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable, including a display name associated with the universal variable, business grammar roles and a reformatting function that is to be applied to a plurality of database values associated with each particular universal variable;
means for generating a database query statement and retrieve a plurality of data values associated with the plurality of related table fields in disparate databases based at least partially on the received target identifier, information defining the relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable; and
means for providing the plurality of data values to the output target after occurrence of the output trigger condition.
32. An automated data extracting apparatus, comprising:
a computer memory;
a processor disposed in communication with said memory and configured to issue a plurality of processing instructions stored in the memory, wherein the processor issues instructions to:
receive an output specification and a plurality of universal variables associated with at least one database identifier and application system, wherein the plurality of universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems containing related data; and wherein said universal variables are organized into a business grammar hierarchy, each segment of the hierarchy following a business grammar rule for an enterprise and wherein the universal variables comprise intermediate data objects managed by a universal data librarian system that allow access to a plurality of disparate databases and different software application systems and wherein one or more universal variables provide database access query languages details and relational database organization structures necessary for accessing each of said disparate databases and different software application systems;
receive an output target identifier;
receive an output trigger condition;
obtain from the universal data librarian system information defining a relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable, including a display name associated with the universal variable, business grammar rules and a reformatting function that is to be applied to a plurality of database values associated with each particular universal variable;
generate a database query statement and retrieve a plurality of data values associated with the plurality of related table fields in disparate databases based at least partially on the received target identifier, information defining the relationship between disparate but related fields in the disparate databases and at least one universal variable; and
provide the plurality of data values to the output target after occurrence of the output trigger condition.