Data Warehouse naming standards

At Indiana University, the naming conventions detailed below apply to Data Warehouse applications, system names, and abbreviations. To request a new application name, system name, or abbreviation, fill out the EDSD Support Form ; under "Application", select Naming .

• Business names: A business name is an English phrase with a specific construction and length that describes a single data object (for example, table, column name, etc.). Each business name comprises one or more prime words, optional modifying words, and one class word. It cannot exceed 100 characters in length. Systems developers assist end users in the construction of meaningful business names. Business names should meet the following guidelines:
  • Singular for nouns and present tense for verbs
  • As meaningful as possible
  • Self-documenting
  • Easily distinguishable

  Abbreviations are not used in business names with few exceptions. One reason to do so is to limit the length of a business name, and then only if the abbreviation is for a universally known acronym or abbreviation such as IRS.

  Tables

  There are several types of tables: for example, move tables, fact tables, and dimension tables. All tables have the same formatting requirements for the business name and the same length requirement for the generated technical name.

  Types of tables

  The Naming application recognizes the following types of tables. The CLASS_WORD identifies the table type and is shown with the technical name abbreviation:

  Type	Abbreviation
  TABLE	_T
  DIMENSION_TABLE	_DM
  FACT_TABLE	_FT
  DATAGROUP	_GT
  SECURITY_TABLE	_ST
  MOVE_TABLE	_MT

  Length of table name

  The maximum Oracle table name length is 30. The generated technical name for a table must be 27 characters or less to reserve space for index names built from the table technical name. This requirement exists in the EDSS Data Warehouse since the original complete technical table name must be present in the names of indexes for the table.

  Following are examples of a table business name, a maximum-length generated technical name, and associated index names:

  PURCHASING_PURCHASE_ORDER_RESTRICTED_MATERIAL_STATUS_HISTORY_TABLE Generated technical table name, length=27

  Formatting requirements

  Table names should follow the format: APPLICATION_NAME, MODIFIER words or phrases, CLASS_WORD. For example:

  • STUDENT_LOAN_BORROWER_TABLE
  • STUDENT_ADVISING_CONTACT_TABLE
  • PURCHASING_COUNTY_DIMENSION_TABLE
  • HUMAN_RESOURCES_PERSONAL_DATA_DIMENSION_TABLE

  Dimensions and fact tables

  • Conformed dimensions should be named using SH (Shared) as the application code.
  • The SH dimensions should only contain those data that can be truly shared amongst several sources/systems, based on the definition of a conformed dimension: a dimension that has exactly the same meaning and content when being referred to from different fact tables.
  • Naming should be based on the content of the data, not whether the data are shared. However, as dimensional modeling has already been employed for several areas, the SH prefix shall remain. The second qualifier of the dimension name should follow the module (application code) areas that currently exist, for example:

  Abbreviation	Full name
  SR	Student Records
  IR	Institutional Research
  FA	Financial Aid
  SF	Student Financials
  HRS	Human Resources
  GL	General Ledger

  • applying security for end-user consumption, thus being published in IUIE
  • increased usability from naming nomenclature

  Views

  The Naming application recognizes two types of views. The CLASS_WORD identifies the view type and is shown with the technical name abbreviation:

  Type	Abbreviation
  VIEW	_V
  MATERIALIZED_VIEW	_MV

  Length of view names

  The generated technical view name is limited to 27 characters or less as for generated table names.

  Formatting requirements

  View names should follow the format: APPLICATION_NAME, MODIFIER words or phrases, CLASS_WORD. For example:

  • GENERAL_LEDGER_BALANCE_ORGANIZATION_HIERARCHY_VIEW
  • ADMISSIONS_APPLICANT_SUMMARY_MATERIALIZED_VIEW

  Columns

  Class words for column names

  A column name may end with any class word that does not represent a table, view or file as described above. Examples of valid CLASS_WORDS for columns are NUMBER, TEXT, ADDRESS, KEY, INDICATOR.

  Length of column names

  The generated technical column name is limited to 30 characters or less.

  Formatting requirements

  Column names should follow the format: PRIME_WORD, MODIFIER words or phrases, CLASS_WORD (Note: PRIME_WORD can be in any position except the last word). For example:

  • ACADEMIC_ADVISING_LOGICAL_NAME_CODE
  • BORROWER_CITY_NAME
  • CONTACT_PERSON_PHONE_NUMBER

  Summary charts

  Type of name	First word or phrase	Subsequent words or phrases	Last word or phrase
  Oracle object	APPLICATION_NAME	PRIME_WORD or MODIFIER	CLASS_WORD
  Column name	PRIME_WORD or MODIFIER	PRIME_WORD or MODIFIER	CLASS_WORD

  Business name class word	Generated abbreviation
  TABLE	_T
  SECURITY_TABLE	_ST
  FACT_TABLE	_FT
  DIMENSION_TABLE	_DM
  DATAGROUP	_GT
  MOVE_TABLE	_MT
  VIEW	_V
  MATERIALIZED_VIEW	_MV

  Get help

  If you have questions about naming standards or need assistance with naming, fill out the EDSD Support Form ; under "Application", select Naming .

  This is document bctf in the Knowledge Base.
  Last modified on 2023-08-22 08:04:11 .