Accelerate data modeling and query performance

June 13, 2023 | Pyramid Analytics

Last updated: June 12, 2023

We are excited to announce our latest product release—Pyramid 2023. Our recent features enhance the platform in key areas, representing the most unified, end-to-end platform for using data to make better, faster business decisions.

Below we continue our blog series highlighting the most important recent capabilities in Pyramid 2023. Features covered below include Custom Columns, Virtual Column Calculations, and Aggregate Tables.

Custom Columns

Sometimes you need to add new columns to an existing database on the fly without having the ability to actually change the underlying database itself, so we’ve introduced Custom Columns, calculations that are designed to virtually append calculated values to an existing data model as new columns of data. By virtue, they are calculations that run at the grain or transactional level, so they are sometimes referred to as ‘granular’ calculations. Custom Columns allow end users to easily extend an original data model with new column calculations with a simple point-and-click during the discovery process. Users can add or change the summation logic used on columns presented in the data model; generate and add new classification columns to the data model using existing data values – typically using mathematical logic or machine learning; extract date-time groupings from raw date-time columns.

No SQL coding is required, so it reduces the need for technical support and improves the accuracy of business models and shared semantic models (no debugging code). In the Formulate module, users can use a no-code approach to create shared new column calculations that will be appended as new attributes or new measures to an existing model. Custom Columns can be secured and shared, so they become yet another technique to customize the semantic layer for different groups of users based on security access and need. For technical users and developers, we’ve also added 100 new PQL functions to our library.

Virtual Column Calculations

Virtual Column Calculations is a self-service feature to help data modelers easily create virtualized calculations as part of the semantic model that allows direct queries into their database and, as part of that view, create new virtualized columns which are derived from existing columns. It provides the ability to define virtual calculated columns as part of the model, which is especially important for direct query. Users can create row-based calculations as part of the semantic model without having to write custom SQL queries. And there is no need to edit the underlying database or write custom SQL views with the required logic. Users work directly in Pyramid to add logical columns on the fly, which saves time and resources and speeds up time-to-insight.

Aggregate Tables

Sometimes the best way to improve query performance against large, granular data tables is through pre-aggregation. Pyramid’s new Aggregate Tables feature enables the semantic modeler to create and mark aggregate tables for Pyramid’s PYRANA query engine to use automatically. Aggregate Tables are special tables in your model containing Measures that have been aggregated by a selected Attribute or Attributes. Pre-aggregating Measures in this way can dramatically speed up certain queries at run time and make analytic queries and dashboards more responsive and easier to use. Without the user needing to adjust their use of the application, the query engine will select the most optimized tables to use to resolve a query. This includes using the aggregate tables for faster response times when needed. It also will automatically leverage joins when your aggregate table definition includes key values that are used to join tables. Now with Pyramid’s PYRANA query engine, users can experience unparalleled query speeds against large data tables.

In Pyramid 2023, we’ve improved the speed and efficiency of data modeling and data prep. We’ve released more self-service and AI-driven features so users can work more productively at every stage and help enterprises make faster, better decisions with data. And we’ve made the exercise of querying super large databases faster and more efficient than ever.

Learn more about Pyramid 2023 on our website. If you’d like a tour of the Pyramid Decision Intelligence Platform, please schedule time for a demo.