Data Term: Snapshot date

Ok, so you need a ‘snapshot’ of your data or database.  You’re institution has decided on a Snapshot Date.  Sooo….do you just take a copy of your data any time during the business day of the snapshot date, or when?  This, of course, depends on your definition of Snapshot, which I’m not going to focus on, but will just say it refers to a ‘set of data’ (i.e., transactional database, reporting database, data warehouse, spreadsheet, ….. or whatever).

So here’s the definition: Snapshot Date – data as-of end of business day.  It would be safe to say, technically, the Snapshot could be taken anytime between end of business day on the Snapshot Date, and beginning of business day on the next business day.

So practically speaking, we have a weeknightly ETL process that ‘refreshes’ our Operational Reporting database (OpsDB) from our transactional system.  To take a snapshot of OpsDB, any time during the business day following the Snapshot Date a copy can be made of it and be considered a valid snapshot-date Snapshot (of OpsDB).