Introduction to TSQL for Business Intelligence

This module discusses writing analytical queries vs. transactional DML queries, and describes the typical architecture of a business intelligence environment. It discusses the role of SELECT queries in retrieving data for analysis from relational databases. It introduces the sample database to be used in the course, and begins a presentation of the SELECT query.

Lessons

• Two Approaches to SQL Programming
• TSQL Data Retrieval in an Analytics Environment
• The Database Engine
• SQL Server Management Studio and the CarDeal Sample Database
• Identifying Variables in Tables
• SQL is a Declarative Language
• Introduction to the SELECT Query

Lab : Lab 1

• Create a database diagram
• Create and execute basic SELECT queries

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the purpose of analytical queries
• Describe the function of TSQL data retrieval in an analytics / business intelligence environment
• Describe the primary functions of the database engine
• Discuss TSQL as a declarative language
• Identify variables of interest in database tables
• Write basic SELECT queries

Turning Table Columns into Variables for Analysis: SELECT List Expressions, WHERE, and ORDER BY

This module covers the identification of and relationship between levels of measurement and column data types. It continues a discussion of the SELECT query and adds the WHERE and ORDER BY clauses.

Lessons

• Turning Columns into Variables for Analysis
• Column Expressions, Data Types, and Built-in Functions
• Column aliases
• Data type conversions
• Built-in Scalar Functions
• Table Aliases
• The WHERE clause
• ORDER BY

Lab : Lab 2- Write queries using:

• Column and table aliases
• DISTINCT
• WHERE
• ORDER BY
• Built-in functions
• Explicit and implicit data type conversion

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement column expressions in SELECT queries
• Implement column and table aliases
• Describe data types and Implement data type conversions
• Implement built-in functions
• Use WHERE and ORDER BY clauses in SELECT queries

Combining Columns from Multiple Tables into a Single Dataset: The JOIN Operators

Module 3 discusses creating single datasets for analysis by combining results from multiple database tables using JOIN.

Lessons

• Primary Keys, Foreign Keys, and Joins
• Understanding Joins, Part 1: CROSS JOIN and the Full Cartesian Product
• Understanding Joins, Part 2: The INNER JOIN
• Understanding Joins, Part 3: The OUTER JOINS
• Understanding Joins, Part 4: Joining more than two tables
• Understanding Joins, Part 5: Combining INNER and OUTER JOINs
• Combining JOIN Operations with WHERE and ORDER BY

Lab : Lab 3- Write SELECT queries using:

• Inner join
• Left, right, and full join
• Joins of more than two tables
• Join operators, in addition to WHERE and ORDER BY

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Discuss and describe the conceptual flow of JOIN operations
• Implement INNER and OUTER JOIN operations on two or more tables
• Describe the order of operations of SELECT clauses
• Combine JOIN operations with WHERE and ORDER BY

Creating an Appropriate Aggregation Level Using GROUP BY

This module covers the aggregation of quantitative column values across grouping factors for the purpose of group-wise comparisons and/or changing the granularity of a dataset.

Lessons

• Identifying required aggregation level and granularity
• Aggregate Functions
• GROUP BY
• HAVING
• Order of operations in SELECT queries

Lab : Lab 4- Write queries using:

• Aggregate functions
• Aggregate function with HAVING
• Aggregate function with GROUP BY and HAVING
• Aggregate function with GROUP BY, HAVING, WHERE, and ORDER BY

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe row granularity of result sets
• Discuss and implement aggregate functions to achieve required row granularity
• Use GROUP BY to calculate aggregate values for groups
• Use HAVING to filter records in the result set by aggregate value
• Combine GROUP BY and HAVING with WHERE and ORDER BY