Nested group hierarchies for analytics applications

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system having at least one hardware processor, a first request to create a first nested group hierarchy in a first data universe from a first computing device of a first user, the first request comprising a first definition for the first nested group hierarchy, the first definition specifying a hierarchical relationship structure for a plurality of non-leaf group nodes and at least one leaf node, the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node corresponding to data stored in a data source in a non-hierarchical structure, the first definition comprising at least one dynamic member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one dynamic member selection specifying at least one search criteria for identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes, the at least one search criteria comprising a plurality of conditions that are required to be satisfied for inclusion in the one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes;

creating, by the computer system, a first hierarchy object in a semantic layer of an application platform based on the first request, the first hierarchy object specifying the hierarchical relationship structure for the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node based on the first definition;

receiving, by the computer system, a second request to query the data source from a second computing device of a second user, the second request comprising an indication of the first hierarchy object;

generating, by the computer system, a query result based on the second request using the first hierarchy object from the semantic layer of the application platform to retrieve the data from the data source; and

causing, by the computer system, the query result to be displayed on the second computing device using the first hierarchy object, the retrieved data being displayed in a hierarchical format indicating the hierarchical relationship structure based on the first hierarchy object.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data source comprises a relational database.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data source comprises an online analytical processing (OLAP) cube comprising a multi-dimensional array of data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first definition comprises at least one static member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one static member selection identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the query result comprises:

accessing the first hierarchy object in the semantic layer of the application platform;

generating a query script according to a database language of the data source using the accessed first hierarchy object; and

retrieving the data of the query result from the data source using the query script.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the query script comprises a Structured Query Language (SQL) script or a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) script.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the application platform comprises a plurality of applications, and the first hierarchy object is accessible for use by the plurality of applications.

8. A system comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first request to create a first nested group hierarchy in a first data universe from a first computing device of a first user, the first request comprising a first definition for the first nested group hierarchy, the first definition specifying a hierarchical relationship structure for a plurality of non-leaf group nodes and at least one leaf node, the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node corresponding to data stored in a data source in a non-hierarchical structure, the first definition comprising at least one dynamic member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one dynamic member selection specifying at least one search criteria for identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes, the at least one search criteria comprising a plurality of conditions that are required to be satisfied for inclusion in the one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes;

creating a first hierarchy object in a semantic layer of an application platform based on the first request, the first hierarchy object specifying the hierarchical relationship structure for the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node based on the first definition;

receiving a second request to query the data source from a second computing device of a second user, the second request comprising an indication of the first hierarchy object;

generating a query result based on the second request using the first hierarchy object from the semantic layer of the application platform to retrieve the data from the data source; and

causing the query result to be displayed on the second computing device using the first hierarchy object, the data of the query result being displayed in a hierarchical format indicating the hierarchical relationship structure based on the first hierarchy object.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data source comprises a relational database.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the data source comprises an online analytical processing (OLAP) cube comprising a multi-dimensional array of data.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first definition comprises at least one static member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one static member selection identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generating of the query result comprises:

accessing the first hierarchy object in the semantic layer of the application platform;

generating a query script according to a database language of the data source using the accessed first hierarchy object; and

retrieving the data of the query result from the data source using the query script.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the query script comprises a Structured Query Language (SQL) script or a Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) script.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the application platform comprises a plurality of applications, and the first hierarchy object is accessible for use by the plurality of applications.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, tangibly embodying a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first request to create a first nested group hierarchy in a first data universe from a first computing device of a first user, the first request comprising a first definition for the first nested group hierarchy, the first definition specifying a hierarchical relationship structure for a plurality of non-leaf group nodes and at least one leaf node, the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node corresponding to data stored in a data source in a non-hierarchical structure, the first definition comprising at least one dynamic member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one dynamic member selection specifying at least one search criteria for identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes, the at least one search criteria comprising a plurality of conditions that are required to be satisfied for inclusion in the one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes;

creating a first hierarchy object in a semantic layer of an application platform based on the first request, the first hierarchy object specifying the hierarchical relationship structure for the plurality of non-leaf group nodes and the at least one leaf node based on the first definition;

receiving a second request to query the data source from a second computing device of a second user, the second request comprising an indication of the first hierarchy object;

generating a query result based on the second request using the first hierarchy object from the semantic layer of the application platform to retrieve the data from the data source; and

causing the query result to be displayed on the second computing device using the first hierarchy object, the data of the query result being displayed in a hierarchical format indicating the hierarchical relationship structure based on the first hierarchy object.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the data source comprises a relational database.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the data source comprises an online analytical processing (OLAP) cube comprising a multi-dimensional array of data.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first definition comprises at least one static member selection corresponding to the at least one leaf node, the at least one static member selection identifying at least one specific member of one of the plurality of non-leaf group nodes.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the generating of the query result comprises:

accessing the first hierarchy object in the semantic layer of the application platform;

generating a query script according to a database language of the data source using the accessed first hierarchy object; and

retrieving the data of the query result from the data source using the query script.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the application platform comprises a plurality of applications, and the first hierarchy object is accessible for use by the plurality of applications.