Report Specialists for the Healthcare Industry
The Database View
And How it Can Benefit Your Reporting Efforts
What is a Database View?
A database view is a special database table in your database. From a reporting standpoint, a
database view looks and behaves like any other database table in the system. However, a
database view has one unique characteristic: the data contained in it is actually a summary or
representation of data stored elsewhere in the database. The data that it contains is entirely
customizable. In fact, the database view is itself a custom feature of a database created from
scratch based on your reporting needs to give you and your department a simpler, more
meaningful “view” of your data.
What is the Purpose of a Database View?
Commonly, the way in which a database is designed (and therefore stores data) does not
match the way in which your department uses the data. This is because commercial databases
are generic; your needs are specific. Databases can also be poorly designed, or so well
designed that even though their structures make sense for the data-entry process, they do not
for reporting. The result is contrary database design. Contrary database design can make the
reporting process ten times more difficult and time-consuming, even for the most basic of
information and statistics.
How Can a Database View Benefit My Department?
The reporting advantages of a well-designed, well-placed database view should not be
underestimated. With a simplified view of data that matches your department’s workflow and
processes, a database view can make the difference between not being able to generate
data and successfully being able to generate data. And with a database view, what reporting
you are now able to achieve can be acheived in a fraction of the time.
What Kind of Data Can Be Stored in a Database View?
As mentioned above, a database view simply represents data stored elsewhere in the
database to provide you a simplified representation of that data, all in one table. The data a
database view “stores” is determined by the powerful SQL language that your reporting
specialist will employ in order to create it. The result: the type of data you store is virtually
unlimited: you can store a simple field from another table. You can also store a value that
represents a calculation, such as a subtotal. You can even combine data. Whatever your
choices, the data is analyzed, generated and stored for every record in the database view.
How Reliable is a Database View?
A database view is standard functionality in all the industry-leading database system on the
market, including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and even Access. The database view is
maintained by the database system you already have and is therefore just as reliable as the
data you store elsewhere in the database.
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(877) 777-1273  (530) 877-7633  (530) 872-8398 fax
[email protected]  www.clarityreports.com
Clarity Report Development
How Up-to-Date is the Data in the Database View?
A database view is always up-to-date. Think of a database view as not something that stores
data obtained from other tables, but rather as a convenient way of seeing data in other tables.
For this reason, the database view always represents current data in the database and
therefore is always up-to-date.
If I Use a Database View, Will I Be Limited to the Data in that View?
Absolutely not. The beauty of a database view is that it looks and behaves like any other
database table, once created. Database views can be linked conveniently to other tables in
the system, thereby expanding your report data as needed. Database views do not seek to
disable your reporting objectives but enable them, by providing ready access to a “view” of the
data that makes sense and is consistent with your reporting objectives. The result is marked
improvement in efficiency, reliability and quality in the reporting process, which is what we are
all after.
How Can I Determine If I Need a Database View?
Clarity Report Development is built upon a very basic philosophy : reporting should not be that
difficult. If you are finding that obtaining and generating report data is a time-consuming,
frustrating process, if you question the reliability of your data due to the complexity of the
process in obtaining it, or if the reporting process seems beyond the skills of your own staff, even
though they possess reporting skills and knowledge, then chances are, a database view
strategy is for you.
How Much Does a Database View Cost?
The good news is that database view development typically takes only a fraction of the time of
report development. Because of Clarity Report Development’s expertise in database view
development, a comprehensive, quality database view that effectively meets your
department’s reporting needs would cost less than $1,000.
I Want a Database View: How Do We Get Started?
The key to creating an effective strategic database view to meet your reporting needs requires
complete familiarity with your department’s processes and reporting needs. Clarity Report
Development has been serving numerous departments in the healthcare industry for over seven
years and specializes in database view development for Oracle, Access, and SQL Server. Call
today to begin your process for a faster, better way to database reporting:
toll-free (877) 777-1273
P.0 Box 928  Paradise, CA 95969  (530) 877-7633  (877) 777-1273
[email protected]