Data historization, the process of recording data changes over time, is the cornerstone of effective data warehousing. It allows for trend analysis, understanding data progression, and regulatory compliance. However, manual implementation can be complex, requiring extensive coding and being susceptible to errors. Only when you have mastered this topic, can you utilize the Advanced Analytics functionality and AI.
Before we dive into the capabilities of AnalyticsCreator’s Historization Wizard, let’s discuss some key considerations:
AnalyticsCreator's Historization Wizard significantly streamlines this process. It provides built-in support for Slowly Changing Dimensions (SCDs), a crucial feature for managing master data, which changes slowly. Let’s dive into a practical example, to demonstrate the capabilities of this feature.
Consider you're a product manager at a healthcare company, aiming to track how patient health metrics evolve over time. You want to monitor changes in patient vitals, medication adherence, and demographic information. Manually tracking these changes in your "Patients" table would be a daunting task. But with AnalyticsCreator and its SCD support, it becomes straightforward!
AnalyticsCreator simplifies the process in 5 simple steps:
4. SCD Magic: This is where the magic happens. Select the suitable SCD type for each column:
SCD2 (default): Perfect for tracking changes in demographics like location, age group, or chronic conditions. It generates new rows for changes, closing the previous validity period, thereby preserving historical context.
SCD1: Updates existing rows in the historical table, reflecting the latest values but sacrificing individual change details. Ideal for columns like “Last_Checkup_Date” or "Current_Medication."
SCD0: Keeps the original “Patients” table unchanged, less commonly used for historical analysis.
5. Key Selection: Choose “Patient_ID” as the primary key to uniquely identify each patient over time.
This example merely touches the surface. AnalyticsCreator equips you with:
By harnessing the power of the Historization Wizard and SCD support, you can:
Remember, this is just the start of your data historization journey. Harness the power of AnalyticsCreator and SCD support to metamorphose your data warehouse into a time machine, unveiling valuable insights concealed within your historical data!