Output options are provided to store the results of most types of analysis as one or more output tables or views. An output option is also provided in most cases to store the SQL generated by these analyses in a Stored Procedure that can easily be re-executed in the same or another application using a CALL statement. In order to make the availability of these output tables, views and stored procedures known, additional metadata tables are provided for advertised output. In addition to identifying available output tables, views and procedures, this metadata contains, if available, information about the data in output tables, the analyses that created them, and the stored procedures, if any, that are available to recreate them.
Users have the opportunity to request that an output table, view or procedure be “advertised” by checking a check box and optionally entering an identifying “advertise note”. This can be done on the output panel available with most analyses, or by using the same options on the analysis parameters panel of a Refresh analysis or an Export Matrix analysis. In this way, metadata can be created about the output of any analysis that creates a permanent output table or view.