Data model workspace

To enter the Data model section, click on "Data model" in Board's Main Menu. You will be taken to the homepage of the Data model section, where it is possible to navigate and access the existing Data models. The small square at the top left corner of the page will become yellow, meaning that you're in the Data model homepage.

Depending on your Board license and security settings, the entire section or some Data models may not be available.

The Data model homepage provides common navigation elements used in the entire Board Platform, such as tiles and the Top Menu. See Board workspace for more details.

The navigation left panel allows you to browse through available Data models: hover over the Data model icon () on the left to open the panel.

 

Tiles

Tiles in the Data model section represent all available Data models: click on a tile to access the desired Data model.

Before working on a Data model, it must be loaded in memory first: this happens automatically when a Data model request is sent to the Board Engine (a Screen linked to the Data model is opened, a Developer/Power user clicks on the Data model tile, and so on). For large Data models, this operation may take some time: as it progresses, a loading animation is displayed and users cannot perform any action on the Data model.

The burger icon  () in the upper right corner of a Data model tile lets you perform the following actions:

  • Backup Data model: this option creates a full backup of the Data model in the default backup directory. Cloud customers can also backup Data models from the Cloud Administration Portal. Each backup will always overwrite the previous one. Learn more about the backup and restore functions
  • Delete Data model: deletes the current Data model. This option cannot be undone
  • Restore Data model: restores the existing backup of the Data model. This option cannot be undone. Learn more about the backup and restore functions
  • Rename Data model: changes the name of the Data model. All references to it (in Screens, Layouts, Procedures, etc.) will be retained
  • Edit Data model: this option allows you to change the Time range and the language of time Entities in the Data model.

 

Tiles of Data models from older versions of Board

When you import a Data model that needs to be updated in order to work with your current version of Board, the corresponding tile will only show the Update icon () in the upper right corner. Click on it to initiate the updating process: if the process ends successfully, the Upgrade icon will disappear and the usual burger icon  () will appear in the upper right corner of the tile.

 

 

Other options

The "+ Data model" tile allows you to create a new Data model.

 

 

Fast Track

The "+ Fast Track" tile gives you access to the Fast Track tool, which is a self-service data discovery tool that automates data preparation, data modelling, blending and mash-up, allowing you to load a data set and analyze it immediately. The data set can be an Excel or CSV file, a relational or non-relational database, or other data sources. 
Learn more about the Fast Track tool.

 

 

Data model design functions

By clicking on a Data model tile, you will enter the designer space for that specific Data model.

The designer space offers the following functions:

  • Entities. In this area you can:
    • Create, rename and remove Entities
    • Add, edit or remove Entity members
    • View the Entity saturation and size of sparse structures
  • Relationships. In this area you can:
    • Create and manage hierarchies
    • Assign relationships, scan for relationships, find and fix orphan members
  • Cubes. In this area you can:
    • Create, rename and remove Cubes and Cube versions
    • Verify version alignments and run the versions alignment process
  • Data Reader. In this area you can:
    • Create data reading protocols to load data from external systems such as transactional systems, ERP systems, CRM softwares, etc. into Board Data model Entities, Relationships and Cubes.
  • Drill through. In this area you can:
    • Create and manage Drill-Throughs to drill-down on data held in an external relational database or an ODBC or OLE-DB compliant data source
  • Rules. In this area you can:
    • Create and manage calculation rules on Entity members. With a rule, you can output an Entity member as a result of a formula which is calculated in real time from other members of the same Entity
  • Time Range. In this area you can:
    • Define and manage the time range and time Entities
    • Create and manage custom time Entities
  • Procedures. In this area you can:
    • Create or edit Data model Procedures
  • Logs. In this area you can:
    • View the Data model log file
  • Database security. In this area you can:
    • Create and manage security profiles that define access privileges to:
      • The entire Data model (read-only or read/write)
      • Custom data selections
      • Cubes (ok, read-only or exclude)
  • Summary. In this area you can:
    • View statistics about the Data model
    • Enable maintenance mode
    • Unload the Data model from memory
  • B.E.A.M. Forecasting. In this area you can:
    • Access the Board Predictive Analytics Engine and define new forecasting scenarios
  • B.E.A.M. Clustering. In this area you can:
    • Define new clustering scenarios for the Board Predictive Analytics Engine
  • Format. In this area you can:
    • Define and manage graphic/format styles for each Entity: these customizations will be available when you add those Entities to Layouts associated with Data View Objects
  • Impact Analysis. In this area you can:
    • View the relationships between all Objects and structures that constitute a Board application, in table format or as a diagram
  • API queries. In this area you can:
    • Create and manage custom REST/API calls to integrate Board with other systems