What is Semantic Layer?
A business-friendly abstraction that translates technical data structures into understandable metrics.
A semantic layer is a business-friendly abstraction layer that sits between raw data sources and data consumers. It translates technical database structures (tables, joins, aggregations) into business concepts (revenue, customer lifetime value, churn rate) that users can understand and query without writing SQL. It ensures consistent metric definitions across all tools and reports, eliminating the 'my numbers don't match your numbers' problem.
Related terms
Business Intelligence
Technologies and practices for transforming raw data into actionable business insights.
Self-Service Analytics
Tools and practices that enable business users to create their own analyses without IT dependency.
Data Warehouse
A structured repository optimized for analytical queries and business intelligence reporting.
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