In most cases, metadata is a neglected area of the DW/BI system; however, an increasing number of DW/BI teams have made positive strides in delivering business metadata to their users. This Design Tip looks beyond the business metadata to suggest several opportunities for leveraging ETL process metadata to improve data warehouse operations. The goal is […]

There are three fundamental types of fact tables in the data warehouse presentation area: transaction fact tables, periodic snapshot fact tables, and accumulating snapshot fact tables. Most DW/BI design teams are very familiar with transaction fact tables. They are the most common fact table type and are often the primary workhorse schema for many organizations. […]

Dimensional designs often need to accommodate multivalued dimensions. Patients can have multiple diagnoses. Students can have multiple majors. Consumers can have multiple hobbies or interests. Commercial customers can have multiple industry classifications. Employees can have multiple skills or certifications. Products can have multiple optional features. Bank accounts can have multiple customers. The multivalued dimension challenge […]

We’re sad to tell you that Warren passed away yesterday. He was diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor nearly 14 months ago. Warren and his wife Elizabeth fought the disease with incredible determination and optimism while remaining focused on living life to the fullest. All of us at the Kimball Group will miss […]