ETL
When there is a need to copy data from one source into another on a routine basis, the process required is called ETL (Extract, transform, load).
- Extract the data from a source system (i.e. sales data from an ERP)
- Transform the data by manipulating it into an organized form that fits the schema of the destination data store
- Load the cleaned up data into the new data store (data warehouse)
In the case of data warehousing, once a database is built specifically for usability and performance the step that most commonly follows is to build a layer on top of it to quickly display the data in the form of analytics and/or reports.