Investigating Clarity Flashcards

1
Q

What is the three-step process to find Clarity tables and columns?

A
  1. Find the INI + item number of the data point to use on the report.
  2. Use the INI + Item number to find the appropriate Clarity table and column.
  3. Join the clarity tables together using the correct foreign key.
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2
Q

What are the two tools within hyperspace to use a resource for clarity queries?

A
  1. Clarity compass which is access with two activities in hyperspace
  2. Cogito data dictionary found in the analytics catalog.
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3
Q

What are the clarity compass activities in hyperspace?

A

Column Search and Database object search.

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4
Q

What is Clarity Compass?

A

The clarity compass is used to set the definitions for how chronicles items will translate into clarity. The clarity compass provides organization-specific information about your clarity database.

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5
Q

What are the two ways to access the Clarity compass data?

A

Column Search and Database Object search

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6
Q

True or False: Column Search and Database Object Search open up the same areas of the dictionary?

A

False, both utilities are found within hyperspace but each will open different sections of the dictionary.

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7
Q

How would you access the column Search?

A
  1. You will login into classic
  2. Use the search to open column search
  3. In the INI Field enter EPT and press tab to enter the field.
  4. in the item field enter .2
  5. Click accept.
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8
Q

Explain the tables of A-G

A

A. Column Name: The name of the column.
B. Chronicles Info: The Ini and item number that extracts data to the column.
C, Data Type: The SQL Data Type of the column
D. Deprecated: When a column is deprecated, data is no longer extracted to it.
E. Replacement Columns: Only appears for columns that are deprecated.
F. Column Description: The Epic-released notes on the column.
G Column Notes: The column notes documented by TEL administrators at your organization.

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9
Q

True or False: The relationship between items and columns is one-to-one?

A

False, the relationship between items and columns is not one-to-one: a single chronicles item can be extracted to multiple columns in clarity.

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10
Q

True or False: Clarity Columns can Extract data from a single chronicles item?

A

True

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11
Q

True or False: Clarity Columns can not extract data from multiple chronicles items

A

False, They can extract data from multiple chronicles items.

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12
Q

True or False: Clarity Columns can extract data not stored in a chronicle item

A

True

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13
Q

True or False: Clarity Columns can extract calculated data.

A

True

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14
Q

When will you see an empty grid like below?

A

You will generally see an empty grid like this in one of two cases:
The column extracts data not stored in a chronicles item
The column extracts calculated data.

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15
Q

True or False: All chronicles items are extracted to Clarity?

A

False, not all chronicles items are extracted to clarity. Some items store internal data that would not be relevant outside the context of chronicles. Some items change by the second, and extracting a fixed snapshot of it would be pointless.

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16
Q

True or False: Here the EPT 110 and 110 are separate. That is how SQL stores them in chronicles?

A

False, SQL combines these together into the date time. whereas in chronicles they were separate.

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17
Q

True or False: All of Chronicles information is in clarity?

A

False, most of it is but not all of it.

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18
Q

True or False: Chronicles items can- be extracted to one column?

A

True

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19
Q

True or False: Chronicles items can be extracted to multiple columns?

A

True

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20
Q

True or False: Chronicles items can not be extracted at all

A

False

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21
Q

Where are clarity column data types documented?

A

Clarity column data types are documented in the clarity compass.

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22
Q

What are the data types used by chronicles?

A

They are string, number date, time, instant, and category.

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23
Q

What happens to the data types during the ETL process?

A

When the ETL process transforms this data(string, number date, time, instant, and category) into a relational format, it also converts the data into standard datatypes used by relational databases (the ANSI standard)

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24
Q

True or False: During the ETL process do strings become numeric?

A

False, as a general rule, strings become Varchars

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25
Q

True or False: During the ETL process Numbers become Varchar?

A

False, numbers become numeric

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26
Q

True or False: During the ETL process Categories become numeric?

A

False, categories may be extracted either as an integer or a varchar.

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27
Q

What do the dates, times, and instants turn into int the ETL process?

A

All become Datetime

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28
Q

True or False: Chronicles, dates, times, and instants are not stored in an “Internal Format”?

A

False, Recall that in chronicles, dates, times, and instants are all stored in an “Internal format” (number of days since 12/31/1840 or number of seconds since midnight).

These are concerted into actual dates or times during the ETL process. In order to fit into the DateTime format, dates and times are often extracted to a single column or modified to include a default date or time.

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29
Q

True or False: You can view clarity tables in the analytics catalog?

A

True, you can view the tables in the cogito data dictionary in the analytics catalog.

To open the analytics catalog, search analytics catalog and click show catalog. To find clarity tables in the analytics catalog filter for a specific database. CL:<keyword></keyword>

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30
Q

What is the Summary tab, after you have put in an item in the database object search?

A

The summary tab is broken into different sections. It has the overview, columns, dependences, indedexs, and advance.

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31
Q

What is the overview section inside the summary tab?

A

The overview section will be at the top section of the summary form. It will display
*Different chips that describe different attributes of the table
*Organized specific table motes if your ETL administrator added table notes
*Grouped tables

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32
Q

True or False: Chronicles stores category items as a number?

A

True, chronicles stores items with the type of category as a number that number is part of a list. We can view those lists in clarity and in clarity.

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33
Q

What is the type of database object in the overview section?

A

PAT_ENC_HSP is an extracted table which means it gets its data from chronicles during the nightly ETL Process. Other options would include derived table, view, and function.

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34
Q

What is the Load Frequency In the picture?

A

Load Frequency is set to incremental. The load frequency referrs to how often data gets loaded into a specific clarity table. The most common load frequencies include incremental weekly, full and monthly.

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35
Q

What is the master file in the picture

A

Many extracted tables will have a ship that helps to inform report writers what master file the data is extracted from. For PAT_ENC_HSP, the master file is the EPT master file.

36
Q

What does the columns section consists of?

A

It consists of the name of the variable, the data type, available, category look up, chronicles info, and description.

37
Q

What is category list tables?

A

Category list tables are items in chronicles with the data type category will store the category value. The category value will be extracted to clarity.

37
Q

How are category items stored in chronicles?

A

They are stored in a list but in chronicles, chronicles stores them as a number for each category. Clarity is kind of matching out of chronicles.If we ind that in clarity if we search for that item we are just going to be getting a number.

38
Q

How can you identify the correct category list table in the summary form of the dictionary?

A

Every category column will list the appropriate Zc_table in the category lookup column in the columns section.

39
Q

True or False: The columns that store category values will end in _C?

A

True

40
Q

True or False: Tables that often begin with ZC_?

A

True

40
Q

How are category items stored in chronicles?

A

They are stored in a list but in chronicles, chronicles stores them as a number for each category. Clarity is kind of matching out of chronicles. If we find that in clarity, in column search, we are just going to be getting a number. They are category numbers.

41
Q

True or False: There are forced naming conventions in clarity like caboodle?

A

False, There is no enforced naming convention in clarity like you see in caboodle. An example is ZC_Sex

42
Q

What are Dependencies?

A

The dependencies section lists out the database objects that are dependent on the table you are looking at. In other words, which tables depend on this table. This will include database objects in clarity that depend on the database object you are viewing, as well as database objects in caboodle that extract data from this table in clarity.

43
Q

True or False: You will see Caboodle tables in the dependencies section?

A

True, caboodle gets a lot of its data from clarity. In the example picture AttendingProviderFact depends on the PAT_ENC_HSP table for its data.

44
Q

True or False: Are there ER diagrams in Clarity?

A

False

45
Q

What are Indexes?

A

The indexes section lists the indexed columns within the database object. Using these columns as filters in a query can improve performance and speed up the query.

46
Q

How would you open the cogito data dictionary?

A
  1. In Classic type in Ana Cat in the search bar.This will take you to the analytics catalog.
  2. In the left hand side click on the data dictionary button.
  3. In the top of the search bar of the analytics catalog, put in CL:< Keyword>. This will bring you all the clarity tables with that specific keyword.
47
Q

What is the difference between searching CL:<keyword> and CB:<Keyword></Keyword></keyword>

A

Cl searches thought the cogito dictionary for instances of that keyword in clarity. In contrast CB searches for the instances in caboodle.

48
Q

True or False: The cogito dictionary support searching by INI and item number, and will return database objects in clarity or caboodle that references that item.

A

True, this also allows report writers to use the dependencies section of the summary form to identify caboodle database objects that depend on a specific clarity table.

49
Q

Managing the extraction of data from chronicles to clarity involves what two main tools?

A

The clarity compass and the clarity console

50
Q

What is the clarity compass do in the ETL process?

A

Clarity compass defines what chronicles/production data will be extracted into which clarity tables and columns. Defines the structure of your clarity tables, including primary keys.

51
Q

What is clarity console do in the ETL process?

A

The clarity console schedules the extract of defined tables from chronicles into clarity. Displays information about previously run extracts.

52
Q

What are the 4 main tools for clarity research?

A

Clarity compass: Column search
Clarity compass: Database object search
Clarity Dictionary
Analytics catalog

53
Q

What does the load frequency determine?

A

The load frequency of a table determines how often the data in the table is extracted from chronicles to clarity. This is set by your clarity ETL administrator in the clarity console.

54
Q

What is the most common load frequency for the ETL process?

A

The most common load frequency in incremental. The incremental load takes place nightly, so the data contained in most clarity tables is updated every 24 hours.

55
Q

What are the load frequencies in the ETL process?

A

Incremental, weekly, and monthly.

56
Q

True or False: Different tables can have different frequencies.?

A

True, since different tables can have different frequencies, some of your data in clarity may be more up to date than other data. Make sure you know the extract frequencies of the tables that you use.

57
Q

Why would you need to make a left outer join fora table with different frequencies?

A

It is important to understand how the data might be affected when tables in a single report extract data at different frequencies. If you are joining two different tables with different frequencies, a left outer join may be needed to make sure the report returns the necessary data.

58
Q

What does deprecation mean?

A

Epic doesn’t delete columns or tables once released. However, there are times when an epic data structure changes so radically that it is no longer possible to populate old tables with it. In these cases, the t able or column will be deprecated. While the table or column will still exist in your clarity database, no new data will be extracted. The clarity compass will tell you what column to use as a replacement, or any additional pertinent information.

59
Q

True or False: When a column is deprecated, data extracted?

A

False, when a column is deprecated, data is no longer extracted to it. The replacement column is populated going forward and a backfill process takes care of the previously existing rows in the table.

60
Q

What is a common reason for deprecation?

A

The most common reason for deprecation is due to a change in the underlying chronicles data. The item extracted to the column may no longer be in used, or may not behave as desired, so a different item will be configured to replace it.

61
Q

What happens when your organization is not using all of the applications?

A

If your organization is not using all of the applications available through EPIC, you will not have all possible tables available in your clarity database.

62
Q

What are core tables?

A

Each Epic application( ASAP,Beaker, OpTime) has a set of core clarity tables, which contain the majority of reportable data points populated by workflows for that application. The relationship goes the other way as well:every clarity table has a list of the applications for which it is considered “Core”

63
Q

Clarity Compass?

A

Clarity Compass: The clarity compass is used to set the definitions for how chronicles items will translate into Clarity. It defines what chronicles/production data will be extracted into which clarity tables and columns. Defines the structure of your clarity tables, including primary keys.

64
Q

Column Search

A

Column Search: Column search is an activity you use in classic. This gives you the opportunity to search for a column. To search you use the search to open column search and in the INI field enter “EPT” and press TAB to enter the item field. Put in the INI and the Item number to find the column.

65
Q

Database Object Search

A

Database Object Search: The database object search gives us information over the table. Let us say that we do not know any of the column names, but we know the table. This is where the Database object search comes in because we can search a table and gather information over that table. How you do this is in classic you can find it at the very top and click on the database object search button. You put in the table name and click open to enter the table summary.

66
Q

Report Repository:

A

Report Repository: The report repository contains reference information for Epic-released and customer-written reporting content, including clarity reports.

67
Q

_C Column:

A

_C Column: The columns that store category values will often end in C, and the tables will often begin with ZC. Be sure to look up the category list tables in the columns section of the dictionary and do not rely on the naming convention. There is no enforced naming convention in Clarity like you see in Caboodle.

68
Q

Category List Table (ZC_Table):

A

Category List Table (ZC_Table): If the table is a category table it will begin with ZC_. Items in chronicles with the data type category will store the category value. The category value will be extracted to clarity. To determine the name that pairs to the category value, you will need to use a category list table in Clarity, often called a ZC_table. It is easy to identify the correct category list table in the summary form of the dictionary. Every category column will list the appropriate ZC_table in the category look up column in the columns section. To determine what column you should join on, open the category list table and identify the primary key.

69
Q

ETL:

A

ETL: Managing the extraction of data from Chronicles to Clarity involves clarity compass and clarity console. The clarity compass defines what chronicles/production data will be extracted into which clarity tables and columns. Defines the structure of your clarity tables, including primary keys. The clarity console schedules the extract of defined tables from chronicles into clarity. Displays information about previous run extracts.

70
Q

Deprecation:

A

Deprecation: When deprecation happens, it means that no new data is extracted. Epic does not delete columns or tables once released. There are times when an EPIC data structure changes so radically that it is no longer possible to populate old tables with it. In these cases, the table or column will be deprecated. While the table or column will still exist in your Clarity database, no new data will be extracted. The Clarity compass will tell you what column to use as a replacement, or any additional information.

71
Q

Clarity Console:

A

Clarity Console: The clarity console schedules the extract of defined tables from chronicles into clarity. Displays information about previously run extracts

72
Q

Identify Research tools available for use.

A

There are two tools within Hyperspace that you are able to use as resources for Clarity queries. Clarity compass which is accessed with two activities in Hyperspace—Column search and Database Object Search. The second is Cogito Data dictionary found in the analytics catalog. In addition, using Record Viewer and Item Editor for investigating the data at the source (in Chronicles). The more you know about where the data is coming from, and the characteristics of that source data, the better you can help anticipate where that data will be downstream in Clarity.

73
Q

Identify Hyperspace activities used to access the clarity compass.

A

The clarity compass provides utilities in hyperspace to open two different sections of the dictionary, they are Column Search and database object search. Column Search you search by a chronicles INI and item number, or a clarity column name. The database Object Search, you search by a table name or the name of another database object and it brings you to the summary tab in the table workspace.

74
Q

Use EPIC tools to map chronicles items to Clarity tables and columns.

A

When you are looking for an item in chronicles, let us say that you were able to CRTL Click, and you were able to get the EPT and INI. Using this information, you can use the column search activity to help you find dictionary information about the columns within a table in Clarity. You can do this by using the following steps:
* Log into classic
* Go to the search at the top and put in column search and open it.
* In the INI field enter EPT and press tab to enter the item field. In the item field enter .2 and click accept.
You will then get all the tables associated with that column.

75
Q

Use Epic tools to map more information about clarity database objects in hyperspace.

A

You would use a database object when we are interested in the whole table. But if we do not know what any of the columns are called. But we know what the table is called, we use the database object search. We can find it at the very top of the screen or top right corner. We put the name of the table (no underscores necessary) in the object name search. We then select the table that we want, and it will take us to the data dictionary of the table we are looking at.

76
Q

Return and filter on category values.

A

When writing an SQL query. If we want to filter on category values, we will be using the numeric version of it unless we connect it to the ZC_ version of the table. An example would be to Join _C to _C and display the Name from the ZC table.

77
Q

Identify deprecated columns in clarity.

A

In clarity, we do not delete columns. When that happens data will not be updated. In the Analytics catalog, it will be marked as deprecated. Epic does not delete or rename columns. If a column is deprecated, that means we no longer extract data to that column (previous values may still be there, but going forward, we don’t extract any new data to a deprecated column.

78
Q

Identify when to reach out to the clarity ETL administrator.

A

When you need to bring in over data or change the load frequency.
Explain the Following Concepts

79
Q

Why clarity research begins in chronicles?

A

Clarity research begins in chronicles because that is where the data is entered, and you can get an idea of the tables and columns that you will be using. As well as the characteristics of the data (like add type and response type, which determines what granularity table the data ends up in over in Clarity).

80
Q

Why some items in the Chronicles info portion of the clarity compass show single, multiple, or no items

A

The relationship between items and columns is not one-to-one: a single chronicles item can be extracted to multiple columns in clarity. An example would be I EPT 18850 (Hospital Admission Date) is stored in Pat_Enc and pat_Enc_Hsp. Clarity columns can:
Extract data from a single chronicles item.
Extract data from multiple chronicles items.
Extract data not stored in a chronicle item.
Extract calculated data.
Thus, one chronicles item can be put into multiple tables.

81
Q

The structure and purpose of category tables.

A

The columns that store category values will often end in C, and the tables will often being with ZC. The category value will be extracted to clarity. To determine the name that pairs to the category value, you will need to use a category list table in clarity, this is often called a ZC_table. To identify the correct category list table in the summary form of the dictionary, every category column will list the appropriate ZC_table in the category lookup column in the columns section.

82
Q

The role of the Clarity ETL administrator

A

The role of a Clarity ETL administrator is to manage and monitor the ETL process. The Clarity Console is one of the main tools used by the ETL administrators. The Clarity Console schedules the extract of defined tables from Chronicles into Clarity and displays information about previously run extracts.
Another item that the Clarity administrator manages is changes between versions. They keep track to determine if any changes may affect clarity or reports after an upgrade.

83
Q

How the ETL process can impact the data in Clarity.

A

One of the areas that the ETL process can impact data is through the load frequencies. The load frequencies of a table determine how often the data in the table is extracted from chronicles to clarity. This load frequency is set by the Clarity ETL administrator by using the Clarity console. Load frequencies happen in incremental, weekly, or monthly time spans.