SAP Business Objects Universe | Semantic Layer vs universe
Semantic layer
The semantic layer is an abstraction layer between the database and the business user that frees the business users from needing to know the data structures and technical names. It enables business users to access, interact, and analyze their data regardless of the underlying data sources and their schemas.
The semantic layer encompasses the following elements: universes, query generation, calculator, local cache (that is, a microcube), query panel, and database connectivity parameters.
Universe
A universe is an organized collection of metadata objects that enable business users to analyze and report on corporate data in a nontechnical language. These objects include dimensions, measures, hierarchies, attributes, predefined calculations, functions, and queries. The role of the universe is to provide the business user with semantically understandable business objects, such as, Customer, Country, Quarter.
The user is then free to analyze data and create reports using the business objects that relevant to their needs without requiring knowledge of the underlying data sources
