Key Concepts

This page defines frequently used terms and concepts in Holistics. The diagram below illustrates the main concepts in Holistics.

Data Source

A data source is a connection to your SQL database. This is the first thing you need to set up in Holistics.

Data Modeling

The core of Holistics, an abstract/semantic layer where mapping between business logic and underlying data table sits. Data Teams will spend most of their time in this layer.

An abstract concept that sits on top of a database table, where different business logic are added in the modeling layer. Part of the modeling layer. There are 3 types of data models: Table, Transform and Import.

Relationship

The linking between data models. Similar to joins/foreign-key relationship in database.

Dimension and Measure

Each data model contains fields (similar to the data table and their respective columns). There are 3 types of fields:

Base Dimension: the "original" fields in your source data.
Custom Dimension: created by using non-aggregate functions to transform one or multiple dimensions.
Custom Measure: A field that returns the result of a Metric, created by using aggregate functions (SUM, COUNT, etc)

As-code (Holistics 4.0)

As-code allows teams to manage their data system using Holistics’s code languages (AMQL). Data teams can treat their entire data stack as code, enabling easier management and more efficient automation of their data workflows.

Git Integration (Holistics 4.0)

Your Holistics code base is now powered by Git, a version control system that allows users to track every change, create separate branches for development, and conduct code reviews.

Data Exploration

This concept provides a user-friendly interface for exploring and visualizing data through drag-and-drop interface or SQL Editors, enabling faster insights and analysis.

Dataset

A selected collection of data models and their relationships. Dataset is needed to explore data, and creating charts/dashboards.

Business Calculation

Business Calculation is one type of the custom fields in Holistics computed on the result-set from your exploration activities, but it doesn't touch the original data warehouse and modeling layer.

Dashboard

A collection of charts put together. Dashboard can be shared to business users.

In Holistics, there are two types of widgets: Report widget and Text widget.

A report widget or a chart is a dynamic visualization of data, is created by exploring a dataset.
Text widgets are used to provide additional instructions, context, warnings... directly in your dashboard

Dashboard Filter

A component to add to dashboard to let viewers control/restrict the data being displayed based on certain conditions.