Working with data and SQL
The examples and exercises that will be utilized in this book will come from the AdventureWorks database. This database has a comprehensive list of tables that mimics a fictional bicycle retailer called AdventureWorks. The examples in this book will draw on different tables from the database to highlight BI reporting from various segments appropriate for the AdventureWorks organization. The areas that we will report on for the AdventureWorks organization are the following:
Human resources
Inventory
Sales
Discounts
A different segment of the data will be highlighted in each chapter, utilizing a specific set of tools. We've already mentioned SQL earlier on in this chapter. SQL or Structured Query Language is the programming language used by databases to communicate relationships between all of the tables in their system. The beauty of SQL is that is pretty much universal with regard to how the tables communicate with each other. A cursory understanding of SQL will be helpful to get a grasp of how data is being aggregated with dimensions and measures. Additionally, an understanding of the SQL statements used will help with the validation process to ensure a single source of truth between the source data and the output inside the BI tool of choice.
Every database environment, whether it is Oracle, Teradata, SAP, or Microsoft, will use a slightly modified version of SQL syntax. The essence is the same but the formatting may be slightly different. Since we will be using Microsoft SQL Server to develop our SQL statements, it will be important for us to become familiar with its formatting and syntax. For more information about learning Microsoft SQL syntax, visit the following website: https://www.techonthenet.com/sql_server/select.php.
