BIRD navigator Userguide
Welcome to the BIRD navigator user guide!
The objective of this document is to provide the user of the BIRD navigator with an introduction to the application and its main functionalities. The document clarifies how to navigate the BIRD content via the navigator features of the BIRD website. It provides the definitions of the concepts used, and guides the user in the exploration starting either from the BIRD Input or Output.
Basic knowledge of the BIRD process and components is required for a better understanding of the navigator functionalities. Please refer to the related section of About BIRD to discover more about it.
The objective of this document is to provide the user of the BIRD navigator with an introduction to the application and its main functionalities. The document clarifies how to navigate the BIRD content via the navigator features of the BIRD website. It provides the definitions of the concepts used, and guides the user in the exploration starting either from the BIRD Input or Output.
Basic knowledge of the BIRD process and components is required for a better understanding of the navigator functionalities. Please refer to the related section of About BIRD to discover more about it.
What is the BIRD navigator
Definition of a data set in BIRD
In BIRD we often refer to some objects:
- Cube: is the representation of a certain entity type or table. Cubes are typically implemented as tables in a database.
- Variable: is a generic and reusable concept that normally represents attributes in an entity type or columns in a table. They can have different roles: Dimension, Attributes or Observations. Please refer to the Browsing BIRD Input components section for more details about the roles.
- Domain: is a generic restriction establishing the set of values which can be assigned to a Variable. It can be enumerated if the allowed values are countable. In the context of a specific Cube, the set of values can be limited to a more restricted set of values/constraints (Subdomain).
- Member: is a single allowed value of an enumerated domain.
Dealing with different codification systems
E.g. : in BIRD there are two frameworks related to SHS: reference and non-reference.
For both the types of frameworks, the tables contain the same informative content and the same granularity.
For both the types of frameworks, the tables contain the same informative content and the same granularity.
Additional BIRD Terminology
Simplified BIRD Terminology
Main page of the BIRD Navigator
The main page of the BIRD Navigator depicts the BIRD process.
It is possible to access input or output reporting Frameworks' information by clicking on one of the BIRD process component icons.
Browsing BIRD Input components
BIRD Input components can be accessed by clicking on one of the related icon.
For example, by clicking on "Input Layer" we access the related data model, which organises and visualises the related tables and the relatonships among them.
A Data Model (ERM) is composed of entity types (represented by Cubes, the boxes of the graph) and relationship types (i.e., lines between the boxes of the graph).
A Data Model (ERM) is composed of entity types (represented by Cubes, the boxes of the graph) and relationship types (i.e., lines between the boxes of the graph).
By clicking on a box, more information about the Cube is shown.
By clicking on a line, the description of the relationship is shown.
You may find the list of attributes and related restrictions in the Cube representation section.
They are categorised according to their Role.
They are categorised according to their Role.
Dimensions represent identifiers of the cube, which allow the identification of a unique record in the cube (e.g., Party identifier, Party Reference Date and Party Reporting agent Identifier).
Observation values are items that provide information on the full set of dimensions (e.g., measures such as Annual turnover, Balance sheet total).
Complementary attributes provide additional information on a single dimension or observation value. Attributes are dependent variables, but they depend on a single element (that can be dimension or variable), while the observation values depend on the combination of all values for the dimension (e.g., currency referring to a specific variable)
Observation values are items that provide information on the full set of dimensions (e.g., measures such as Annual turnover, Balance sheet total).
Complementary attributes provide additional information on a single dimension or observation value. Attributes are dependent variables, but they depend on a single element (that can be dimension or variable), while the observation values depend on the combination of all values for the dimension (e.g., currency referring to a specific variable)
Browsing BIRD Output components
BIRD Output components can be accessed in the "Output reporting Frameworks" section on the right-hand side of the homepage.
In the home page, the Frameworks are organised in “Reference” and “Non-Reference”.
- Reference version uses the common BIRD reference dictionary. This version is more easily linkable with the BIRD input.
- Non-Reference version refers to the original codification system.
Click on one Framework to access the related information.
Prudential Frameworks
Prudential frameworks, such as FINREP, can be browsed by visualizing single annotated templates which are represented by Cubes in BIRD.
The only difference between reference and non-reference versions of the Frameworks will be on the codification used to represent Variables and Members. The layout of the templates represented will be mostly the same.
In General, reference Frameworks are interesting in order to be integrated with other reference Frameworks.
Non-reference Frameworks are interesting for those who would like to browse the information of the data points as originally codified (in the taxonomy provided by EBA)
In addition, for the prudential frameworks it is possible to visualize in the BIRD Navigator the Data Point Templates by selecting a cube inside the "Cube" section of a specific framework.
Statistical Frameworks
Statistical Frameworks, such as AnaCredit and SHSG can be browsed Cube by Cube if the user knows in advance which is the Cube of interest.
In addition, when available, the user can browse the Data Models which give an overview of multiple entity types of a Framework (and their relationships) based to certain business needs. In some cases, a data model would be simply represented by a single entity type, and therefore it is omitted.
By double-clicking on one entity type of the data model or by clicking on the entity type of interest in the hierarchy on the right side, the user is redirected to the correspondent Cube page.
Browsing BIRD content using the search engine
Step 1: Click on Navigator to browse the BIRD content
Step 2: Click on Filters to see the list of objects you can filter your search on
Step 3: Click on the objects you are interested in. By default it will only search for Variables, Cubes, and Members
Step 4: Type something in the search bar (e.g., economic activity) and click on the magnifying glass (or press Enter)
Step 2: Click on Filters to see the list of objects you can filter your search on
Step 3: Click on the objects you are interested in. By default it will only search for Variables, Cubes, and Members
Step 4: Type something in the search bar (e.g., economic activity) and click on the magnifying glass (or press Enter)
Result:
List of objects (e.g., Cubes and Variables) related to the entry in the search bar (e.g., economic activity). The green label shows the Object Type:
List of objects (e.g., Cubes and Variables) related to the entry in the search bar (e.g., economic activity). The green label shows the Object Type:
- Framework
- Cube
- Variable
- Subdomain
- Member
- Domain
- Combination
When searching for a Variable, the BIRD navigator automatically showcases the Members that Variable uses.
Filtering by Framework
The user can also search for meta-data of a specific Framework.
Step 1: Click on “All frameworks” to choose the Framework
Step 2: Click on the Framework to narrow the search
Step 3: When searching for an information, only those related to the selected framework will be shown (e.g., AnaCredit)
Step 2: Click on the Framework to narrow the search
Step 3: When searching for an information, only those related to the selected framework will be shown (e.g., AnaCredit)
Frameworks' related information
Related information are those elements that further describe a component in BIRD (e.g., Cubes, Variables, Frameworks)
Step 1: Browse the information related to the Framework (e.g., AnaCredit)
Step 2: Search for a certain Data Model or Cube. The results can be grouped by the type of cube (e.g., dissemination, collection, etc...)
Step 3: Filter for a variable of interest (e.g., Accumulated impairment). The result is a list of variables whose name matches the criteria
Step 2: Search for a certain Data Model or Cube. The results can be grouped by the type of cube (e.g., dissemination, collection, etc...)
Step 3: Filter for a variable of interest (e.g., Accumulated impairment). The result is a list of variables whose name matches the criteria
Related Information Section
In the Member and Variable views, it is possible to visualize which Cubes they are used in.
It is also possible to visualise Cubes that are using a more specific or more generic concept.
This type of relationship is a metadata link expressing the fact that a metadata object is used across different Frameworks / data models, it does not necessarily imply that data processes are defined to derive the Variable or generate the related Cube.
In addition, the user can find information on other related meta data, e.g. Member Hierarchies, Variable Sets and Mapping Definitions.
It is also possible to visualise Cubes that are using a more specific or more generic concept.
This type of relationship is a metadata link expressing the fact that a metadata object is used across different Frameworks / data models, it does not necessarily imply that data processes are defined to derive the Variable or generate the related Cube.
In addition, the user can find information on other related meta data, e.g. Member Hierarchies, Variable Sets and Mapping Definitions.
Member Hierarchies
The hierarchy organises Members of a certain Domain in structure allowing to understand the relationships between them (i.e., which is more specific and which is more generic).
There can be multiple hierarchies associate to a certain Domain, representing different breakdowns of a certain Member (e.g. breakdown of Loans depending on different regulations). Some Domains however, have a main hierarchy which is the starting point to understand the hierarchical structure of this Domain. Such hierarchy will also be visibile in the Variable view.
For example, by accessing the Type of Instrument view, we will be able to see its main hierarchical structure (tree structure):
By clicking on each Member the user is redirect to the respective Member view.
There can be multiple hierarchies associate to a certain Domain, representing different breakdowns of a certain Member (e.g. breakdown of Loans depending on different regulations). Some Domains however, have a main hierarchy which is the starting point to understand the hierarchical structure of this Domain. Such hierarchy will also be visibile in the Variable view.
For example, by accessing the Type of Instrument view, we will be able to see its main hierarchical structure (tree structure):
By clicking on each Member the user is redirect to the respective Member view.
Mappings
| Reference | Non-Reference |
|---|---|
| Reporting Framework are described with the unique codification system of the BIRD Framework. | Reporting Frameworks are described with original codes, the Maintenance Agency is not ECB (e.g. EBA for EBA ITS). |
| Frameworks are easier to be linked/integrated with other reference Frameworks. | Frameworks are harder to be integrated with other Frameworks. |
NB: The tables contain the same informative content and the same granularity but they are described with different codes
Mapping is an operation that consists of linking concepts from a non-reference dictionay with the corresponding ones of the common reference dictionary (see Dealing with different codification systems).
In the mapping process we map Variables and Members of the involved Cube(s)
From the Cube Variables Mapping section of the Cube view it’s possible to match the Variables of the Non-reference cube with those of the reference Cube (i.e., mapped variables).
Simple mappings consist of 1 Variable mapped to 1 Variable (e.g. Frequency, Unit), some others are 1 to n (e.g. Instrument ESA-2010 class) or even m to n.
In the mapping process we map Variables and Members of the involved Cube(s)
From the Cube Variables Mapping section of the Cube view it’s possible to match the Variables of the Non-reference cube with those of the reference Cube (i.e., mapped variables).
Simple mappings consist of 1 Variable mapped to 1 Variable (e.g. Frequency, Unit), some others are 1 to n (e.g. Instrument ESA-2010 class) or even m to n.
Below an example of Mapping Representation for SHSG - NON ISIN data: Issuer Sector (1:many Mapping)
Variables and Primary Variables
It is possible to apply similar concept of Member Hierarchies to the Variables; in this case we refer to Variables and Primary Variables.
Primary Variables represent the most generic concepts that refer to a certain Framework. In Micro Frameworks some Variables of Cubes that are disseminated to final users can derive from a calculation that is necessary to represent a certain perspective. In that case, the original (source) Variable of the calculation (e.g. from the Collection Cubes) will be considered a “Primary Variable”. In some other cases the Primary Variables are simply a generalisation of the more specific ones.
In the example, General government type, or Legal person type are more specific views of the more generic Party type.
The Primary Variables section is useful to have a more simplified overview of the Variables of the framework.
Primary Variables represent the most generic concepts that refer to a certain Framework. In Micro Frameworks some Variables of Cubes that are disseminated to final users can derive from a calculation that is necessary to represent a certain perspective. In that case, the original (source) Variable of the calculation (e.g. from the Collection Cubes) will be considered a “Primary Variable”. In some other cases the Primary Variables are simply a generalisation of the more specific ones.
In the example, General government type, or Legal person type are more specific views of the more generic Party type.
The Primary Variables section is useful to have a more simplified overview of the Variables of the framework.
Non-enumerated constraints
Non-enumerated Variables are normally constrained by a set of rules on the values that can be admitted. This set of rules is called Facet.
Some rules are trivial (e.g. The Maximum/Minimum value acceptable) while some others are represented by a pattern: i.e., regular expression which displays a more complex rule to be applied to validate the field.
Some rules are trivial (e.g. The Maximum/Minimum value acceptable) while some others are represented by a pattern: i.e., regular expression which displays a more complex rule to be applied to validate the field.
There are different types of rule that can be shown:
- Min value
- Max value
- Min Length
- Max Length
- Start Time
- End Time
- Time Interval
- Start Value
- End Value
- Interval
- Decimals
- Is Sequence
- Pattern
Export BIRD Content
The user can download a user-friendly individual Cube export from the specific Cube view:
Furthermore, the user can export the SDD content, in various different structures, from the Metadata & Exports Section:
Step 1: Click on Metadata & Exports.
Step 2: Click on Export.
Step 2: Click on Export.
Step 3: Select the type of export you want to perform
- Entity export allows you to export one or several BIRD entities (e.g Cubes, Variables, Subdomain), following the BIRD technical format (SMCube)
- (Multiple) Framework export allows you to export all the entities related to (multiple) a framework
- Framework Matrix and Individual Cube exports allow you to export entities in a business oriented way
The export of Individual cubes can be by Cube type(s) (Collection, Staging and Dissemination) or Cube name.
The export is in Excel format and contains:
- One sheet per cube exported, with the list of the involved variables and the information on subdomain, role, description. There is one cube sheet in case of Cube name export, more than one sheet in case of Cube type(s) export
- A number of sheets related to the subdomains involved in the export. They contain the members or the pattern of the subdomain
Transformation rules
Available soon.