Midterm #1 Results
Grade Distribution
153.87
21.03
159.25
40
Students
Average
Std. Dev.
Median
Average
Grade:
30
20
Students
10
0
B+
A+
A
A- B+ B
B- C+ C
C-
Letter Grade
• Good work! Most students have a solid understanding
of the course material
• Exam solution will be reviewed in Wednesday’s session
• Extra credit points will be used for midterm and final
grade determination
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
1
Administrative Details
• Midterm grades will be posted to administration by
Monday 10/18
• HW #7 due Tuesday 10/26
• No lab or workshop this week due to Heinz School midsemester break and Network NY
• Lecture on Tuesday 10/19 will focus on class project
description and project management
• Lab on Thursday 10/21 will focus on reports
• Lab on Friday 10/22 will focus on project management
using Microsoft Project98
• HW #6 will not be collected
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
2
Reporting in the Relational Database Model
The relational database model (RDBM) we have studied has the
following key characteristics:
– Normalized tables
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•
•
Primary key uniquely defines each record in a table
All attributes are dependent on the primary key and not each other
Focus on data integrity
Multiple tables with minimum number of columns
– Operational focus
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•
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Short time frame
Specific transactions that occur at a given time
Queries are small in scope and complexity
Business rules implemented through E-R diagrams and application-level
code
How can we summarize and present data in order to make tactical or
strategic, as well as operational decisions?
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
3
Example Reporting Requirements for RDBM
Operational
Tactical/Strategic
• What 10 buses have had the most repairs in the
• What repairs have been performed
past year?
between 6/1/99 and 7/30/99? What
• What is the average number of gallons in gas
parts were used in each repair?
fill-ups?
• What inspections have been
performed on buses #30, 42 and 70? • What percentage of all brake inspections for
Ford trucks have resulted in repairs?
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
4
Architecture of RDBM Reports
Report Header - Information which
identifies the report: title, organization,
Group Header - Segment which identifies
section of data that are similar
according to grouping criterion
Group Body: Rows of data corresponding
to records in table/view that have same
grouping criterion
Group Footer: Segment which
summarizes information in group e.g.
though descriptive statistics
Report Footer: Segment which
summarizes information in entire
report
Page Footer: Information which appears
at the bottom of every page:
date/time/page #
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
5
Typical RDBM Reports
Basic reports:
– use a single table, or a
table plus a code table, as
input to the report
– one report row per table
record plus a summary
row
Example: report of buses
currently in use
– group by make
– summarize by average
odometer reading of all
buses in make category
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
6
Typical RDBM Reports (cont’d)
Complex reports:
– use a data view/
complex query
as input
– apply grouping
levels
Example: report of
employee usage by
repair event
(summarize total
cost)
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
7
Typical RDBM Reports (cont’d)
Reports/Subreports:
– use one data view for
information according
to one criterion (main
report)
– use another data view
for other information
according to another
criterion (subreport)
Example: Monthly gasoline
usage summary
– Gas fill up summary
(main report)
– Gas tank levels
(subreport)
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
8
Using the Report Wizard
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Select tables/queries
Confirm relationships
Select grouping levels
Select sorting rules
Specify summary information
Select report format
Preview
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
9
Scoping Out A Report
What information do I want the report to contain?
– List of data for particular tables and summary statistics (simple report)
– Trends over time, across company divisions or for ranges of values
– Spatial data as well as aspatial data
How do I want the information organized?
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–
–
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Simple tabular or columnar representation
Grouped/sorted by criterion values
Cross-tabulations by multiple criteria
Report/subreport
What will be the report’s look and feel?
– Report header/footer? Group header/footer?
– Font sizes/typefaces?
– Formal (annual report) or informal (newsletter)
How will the report be used?
– Once or periodically?
– Based on user input or hard-coded?
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
10
Putting the Report Together
Create queries that group the data
– Underlying data can be modified without having to open the report (useful on
the road)
– One query can be used for multiple reports
– Confirm data accuracy without printing out the report
Create a report template (perhaps with Access’ Report Wizard)
– Save header/footer formats and titles
– Preserve a consistent look and feel
Create a report prototype for inspection by client
– Are the data correct?
– Is the look and feel acceptable?
– Identify alternative ways to profile the data
Revise, revise, revise!
– Work by hand if Report Wizard can’t do what you want
– Automate work with macros or Visual Basic for Applications where possible
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
11
Reporting in a Decision Support System
DSS reports are often much more complex than reports in
operationally-oriented databases:
– Summarization of large volumes of data
• Use make-table queries for greater speed
• Frequent use of delete and update queries
– Complex cross-tabulations
• Variety of date ranges: by year/quarter/month/week/day/shift/hour
• Multiple row headings
• Summarize across rows as well as down columns
– Present data in a variety of formats
• Textual/Graphical/Spatial
– Interface with other applications
• Word processor
• Spreadsheet
• Web
Tuesday, October 12,
1999
90-728 MIS Lecture Notes
12