Methods and apparatus for integrated management of structured data from various sources and having various formats

A method of processing structured data based upon analyzing a copy of the structured data by a user to determine a set of actions taken from a plurality of data process actions using an open data platform that accesses one or more data sources, the method comprising:

• providing a data process engine, through a computer user interface associated therewith, that enables users to access and perform the plurality of data process actions with the one or more data sources;
• allowing the user to select one of the one or more data sources through the computer user interface by specifying one of a plurality of different database and file formats of the selected data source through the computer user interface and to select a permitted load action, wherein permitted load actions include a no change action, a Split action and an Append action;
• responsive to the selection of the selected data source and the selection of the load action, causing the data process engine to automatically transform and save the structured data within the selected data source having the specified one of the plurality of different database and file formats into a unique named database table that is in one of several file formats and contains the copy of the structured data, wherein a modification to the copy of the structured data in the unique named database table is not permitted;
• wherein the unique named database table allows the user to view the copy of the structured data in the one of the several file formats, and
• responsive to the selection of the set of actions by the user, automatically causing the data process engine to perform the set of actions on the copy of the structured data in the unique named database table, thereby changing the unique named database table to include modifications due to the set of selected actions, and;
• wherein the plurality of data process actions include Sort and Filter actions;
• wherein the plurality of data process actions does not permit any user created programming actions or programming commands via any programming language;
• wherein none of the plurality of data process actions allow for content of the data within the unique named database table to be changed;
• wherein the plurality of actions available to the user for creating the set actions are fixed and predetermined;
• wherein, subsequent to performing the set of actions, saving of the unique named database table causes creation of a new unique named database table different from the unique named database table and which includes the modifications due to performing the set of actions, thereby maintaining the unique named database table without modification.