Dimensional Data

Data is the biggest asset for any business. It can help enterprises better understand their customers. It also improves their advertising campaigns and personalizes their content. However, you cannot access these benefits without proper analytics and reporting tools. While raw data has a lot of potential, a business needs data analytics and reporting too. This article will cover why analytics and reporting tools are essential. We will also see how businesses can use these to improve their performances. But before that, let’s understand the difference between data analytics, reporting, and picturing. What is the difference between data Analytics and reporting tools for visualization? Data analytics refers to examining data sets to conclude the information they contain. It is a technique that enables a business to take raw data to extract valuable insights from it.  Data visualization is a term used to represent data through typical graphics. It uses charts, plots, animations, and infographics to represent data. These visuals display information that communicates complex data affairs. It also shows data-driven insights that are easy to grasp.  Data reporting is the process of collecting and formatting raw data. It also includes translating it into a clear format to assess the ongoing performance. This data can then be used to answer basic questions about the state of a business.  Why analytics and reporting tools for visualizations are essential for businesses What are data analytics?  Data analytics is generally used to help companies better understand their customers. It also helps in personalizing content and creating content strategies. With analytics, businesses evaluate their ad campaigns and develop products. Generally, businesses use data analytics to boost performance and improve their worth. The data can include historical or new information businesses get for a particular initiative.  The sublime example of data analytics is segmentation. It is used to help segment audiences by different demographic groups and analyze attitudes and trends. The businesses can then produce more specific, accurate, and just snapshots of public opinion.  What do we mean by data visualizations? Data visuals are essential for businesses that want to communicate information clearly and efficiently. It is an advanced step in data analysis and data science. As per the report of Vitaly Friedman (2008), business groups use data visuals. They use it as an essential component of assertive connection. Visuals make research and data analysis effective and quicker. It does so by combining user-friendly and pleasing features.  The best example of data picturing is making an institution’s budget. Budget numbers that are otherwise obscure and tough can be made simple and digestible with data visuals. This can then be delivered to the members to estimate the budget better.  Why is data reporting important? Data reporting is essential when measuring the progress of every area of a business group. It informs professional decisions and day-to-day matters at any company. A data report is also essential to prioritize business tasks. It tells where a company should spend most of its time and resources and what needs more attention.  The prime example of data reporting is business intelligence (BI) in healthcare. With its help, physicians can save lives by providing more effective and efficient patient care.  Once you know why data analytics, reporting, and visuals are essential for business. Let’s understand how companies can improve their processes using analytics and […]

From this article, you will learn the difference between working with databases via the ADO technology and the FireDAC library. Using the right database technology is often a critical part of designing your apps, particularly for Windows application development where there is a very rich array of database choices, not all of which may be hosted on a Windows server. ADO (ActiveX Data Objects) is an app programming interface developed by Microsoft and based on the component technology ActiveX. ADO allows providing data from different sources (relational databases, text files, etc.) in an object-oriented format.  FireDAC is a universal data access library that is intended for developing apps for different devices that should be connected to corporate databases. Thanks to a universal and highly-effective architecture, FireDAC ensures high-speed direct native access from Delphi and C++Builder to InterBase, SQLite, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, DB2, SQL Anywhere, Advantage DB, Firebird, Access, Informix, etc. It’s important to understand that FireDAC is a library. At the same time, ADO is a global technology that ensures access not only to databases but also to texts, documents, tables, and others. In this article, we will consider the connection to MS Access and SQLite databases using both technologies, conduct data sampling and display them on the grid. How to set up a connection to MS Access databases using ADO? To get connected to the MS Access database we need to add a TADOConnection component to the form and tune it. For setting the connection we can move to the ConnectionString property in the object inspector and press the button with three dots “…” or make a double-click on the component. We will see a form where it will be required to choose an option Use Connection String and press a Build button. In the next form, it is necessary to choose Microsoft Jet 4.0 OLE DB Provider and press Next >> We will get to the next tab “Connection”. Here we need to indicate the path to the database file and click OK. Then we need to click OK once again in the window where you can see our Connection String We have only one step left. In the Object Inspector window, it is necessary to switch the LoginPrompt property to False so that after connecting to the database we won’t get a window for inserting login and password. Setting the ADO connection to active If everything is set correctly, we are able to add the Connected property to True and our component will connect to the database. But we won’t do that. The best practice is to get connected to a database during the program launch. For doing that, we can make a double-click on the form and open a code editor where we will see a procedure for a form creation event and add there one code line as you can see in the screenshot below. Then we need to add a TADOQuery component to the form and make all the settings. First of all, we need to set the Connection property. In order to do it, from the dropdown list we need to choose ADOConnection1 which has been set at the previous steps. Now in the SQL property, we will set a question for data sampling. After that let’s go back to the […]

You are familiar with FreeAndNil(), but do you use it? How often? Are you using it right? As with most things in software development, it is a complicated topic. So let’s see what the experts have to say. We are going to debate the details in a friendly discussion with some of your favorite MVPs. Webinar details: This blog post will include the replay, slides, and more after the webinar. The Survey Says… When you register for the webinar we’ve included a short survey to see where you stand on the issue. During the webinar we will compare the general consensus with that of our MVP panel of experts. The following MVPs have weighed in on the topic, register today to see what they have to say! Dalija Prasnikar Frank Lauter Uwe Raabe Paul TOTH Radek Cervinka Olaf Monien Dr. Holger Flick Patrick Prémartin Boian Mitov Matthew Vesperman Vinicius Sanchez Darian Miller Juliomar Marchetti Erik van Bilsen Allen Bauer Nick Hodges