1. A non-transitory data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising: a. accessing a plurality of databases, at least two of which are incompatible, wherein each of the plurality of databases contains live source data and associated metadata; b. retrieving at least a portion of the associated metadata from each of the plurality of databases; c. storing the portion of the associated metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository; d. receiving user login credentials corresponding to a user; e. identifying one or more access codes corresponding to the user login credentials, each identified access code providing access to one or more of the plurality of databases; f. receiving a data retrieval request through a graphical user interface in response to user input, and in response to receiving the data retrieval request: i. using the portion of the associated metadata to search the live source data in the plurality of databases, wherein the use of the associated metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more identified access codes provides access to one or more of the plurality of databases; ii. retrieving source data responsive to the data retrieval request, wherein the retrieved source data includes live source data; and iii. dynamically assembling a slice of an OLAP cube using at least a portion of the retrieved source data, wherein at least a portion of the dynamically assembling is performed without accessing a repository of warehoused; g. displaying a representation of the slice of the OLAP cube on the graphical user interface, wherein the operations further comprise: h. receiving, from the graphical user interface in response to user input, a request to modify a portion of the displayed representation of the slice of the OLAP cube; and i. in response to receiving the request to modify: i. directly updating one or more of the plurality of databases consistent with the request to modify; and ii. directly updating the slice of the OLAP cube consistent with the request to modify.