Slide 1: SWIFT Quarterly Update Instructions
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Slide 2: State of Minnesota
Statewide Integrated Financial Tools
SWIFT Warehouse Update
June 8, 2010
www.swift.state.mn.us
Narration text:
The Data Warehouse is where the State of Minnesota stores and retrieves information for State Agencies. This
update is about the progress of the project team charged with supplying State Agencies with a cutting edge
information storage and retrieval system.
This SWIFT Data Warehouse update was originally presented through iLinc to a technical audience on June 8th. For
the purposes of this presentation, terms and acronyms will be defined and more explanations will be offered than
during the original presentation.
Two acronyms you will encounter throughout this presentation include:
IA: Information Access – this refers to the information storage vehicle used to house State information prior to the
SWIFT project.
DW: a collection of data designed to support decision making for State managers. Data warehouses allow users
access to a broad variety of data to represent business conditions at a given point in time.
Slide 3: Agenda
Where We’ve Been and Where We Are Now
New Data Warehouse, Information Access / Transfer and Reporting
What’s Next?
Slide 4: SWIFT Data Warehouse Background
SWIFT contains numerous reporting and data requirements
Vendor solutions identified through SWIFT RFP process
Acquired Oracle/PeopleSoft products
- Enterprise Performance Management System (EPM)
\Delivered information datamarts
\Vendor-supplied infrastructure
-Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE)
\Delivered information relationships
\Delivered reporting templates and reports
Narration: To start with, the SWIFT project had a lot of information to gather, specifically requirements around
reporting and the warehouse in the request for proposal (RFP).
Once we gathered the requirements, we sent out a request for proposal and gathered information about vendor
products.
We acquired Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) which comes with predefined data warehouse data
models (a framework for storing typical business data), the infrastructure to move data from the source to the
warehouse, and OBIEE reporting tools which comes with a number of pre-delivered reports and pre-established
data relationships.
A datamart is a virtual framework used to hold and organize typical data used for a specific business need – like
Financials, Procurement, Human Resources, etc.
OBIEE: Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition. This is the reporting and query tool that allows access to
the State data that will be stored in EPM. OBIEE contains pre-established data relationships, so that neither
technical staff nor users have to join tables to retrieve all the data required for reporting. It also includes ways to
move data from EPM to use with Oracle’s Dashboards and Answers (queries and reporting) tools. It also allows
users to export data to other commonly used tools like MS Excel and Crystal Reports.
Slide 5: Challenges around Current IA Data Warehouse
For MMB staff to recreate Information Access (IA) Warehouse
-Analyze application changes
-Redesign financial tables due to SWIFT
-Develop data relationships by creating views
-Create security system to protect data
-Design and implement technical access methods
For Agency staff with SWIFT
-Understand complex data relationships
-Have technical expertise to create queries / SQL
-Implement reporting delivery systems for agency reporting
-Rewrite all financial reports due to SWIFT
Narration:
For the Current Warehouse: It was determined that re-creating the current warehouse to fit the new systems
would possibly take even more effort than implementing the delivered EPM modules.
This is because we have to figure out what we have and how it and EPM fit together, what the relationships were,
etc.
Because the Financial system is changing, a total redesign of the financial side of the warehouse would have been
required anyway.
In addition, we’d have to create our own security system.
Finally, significant technical expertise and effort is currently required to set up data in the IA DW for reporting. So
PeopleSoft and OBIEE will help streamline that considerably.
Slide 6: Where Are We Today?
Warehouse fit/gap sessions conducted in January 2010
-Current IA usage requirements reviewed
-Measured current IA against EPM/OBIEE products
-Some areas matched well, but many did not fit 100%
-Several discrepancies were due to differences in product philosophy
-Ability to deliver data in reporting formats wasn’t really measured
Maximus developed Data Warehouse Approach Paper
-Reviewing results of fit/gap sessions
-Recommended use of delivered Oracle software
-Documented best practices for implementing EPM/OBIEE
SWIFT Project Change Order signed for EPM/OBIEE
-Defines scope of warehouse implementation
-Includes identification of standard reports / extracts
Narration:
When we compared the current IA warehouse to what EPM delivers, some areas fit well, but they don’t match
100%. During FIT/GAP sessions we didn’t know enough about the product to identify what it would take to deliver
data and reporting. But now we have more understanding of what that is going to involve.
So we worked with Maximus, the vendor helping us deliver SWIFT, to develop a data warehouse approach paper.
This paper includes a recommendations to use the delivered Oracle software (OBIEE and its front-end user
modules Dashboards and Answers). Another recommendation is that we follow documented best practices.
In addition, the legislature wants us to use more vendor products to minimize extra time to develop additional
systems.
We also signed a project change order for EPM/OBIEE that defines the warehouse scope and includes a list of
standard reports and extracts from IA DW that will be delivered as part of the SWIFT project. An extract allows us
to pull raw data from a data warehouse. This data can then be loaded into another data warehouse, like EPM.
Agencies can use extracts to load their own databases, create a report, or pass the data on to whoever needs it.
Slide 7: New Direction for SWIFT
Switch from data repository to business intelligence
-IA focused on data warehousing
-EPM focuses on information
/EPM already contains information datamarts for SWIFT
/Infrastructure and security solutions provided by Oracle
/Oracle supplies updates to support changes in source systems
-OBIEE delivers relationships and reporting
/Data relationships pre-built for easy reporting
/Agency reporting staff can focus on information needs
/Agency technical requirements reduced
Narration:
The current warehouse just stores data while EPM focuses on business intelligence - information and how it’s
structured.
EPM also comes with regularly scheduled vendor patches and fixes so State technical staff can keep warehouse
information up to date as the PeopleSoft application changes. Today, the IA warehouse takes a lot of work on
technical side to do the same thing. EPM reduces the number of technical requirements agencies must provide and
allows agencies to focus instead on information needs.
OBIEE is a very robust report and query building tool. One significant change with OBIEE is that technical users will
not have to join tables in order to retrieve needed data for their agencies. Also non-technical users won’t need to
know what’s in data tables OR join tables themselves if they create their own reports.
Slide 8: EPM Implementation Scope
Utilize Pre-Defined Delivered Datamarts
-HCM Warehouse
-Financials Warehouse
-Supply Chain Warehouse
Add to Delivered Datamarts
-Custom SEMA4 tables not in HCM Warehouse
-Customizations from SWIFT as needed
Narration:
We plan to use three pre-defined datamarts: Human Capital Management or HCM, Financial, and Supply Chain.
The technical team will also be adding custom tables and fields that people currently using to create reports,
except for a couple of training tables.
Slide 9: Benefits of OBIEE
Contains vendor provided configurations
-Pre-built data / table relationships
-Pre-built analytics and reporting templates
Designed for less technical user
-No need to understand table relationships
-Drop and drag interface
Ad-hoc Reporting from OBIEE easily downloaded
-Excel , PowerPoint, CSV, Text, Dashboards
Additional information delivery options through
-Web Services interface (SOAP/XML)
-Oracle Business Intelligence ODBC / JDBC connections
Narration:
OBIEE comes with vendor configurations such as pre-built tables and data relationships right out of the box.
There are also many pre-delivered reports that come with the product.
The technical team will customize data relationships, column names, and some reports to meet State needs.
OBIEE provides a drag & drop interface to create new reports, as well as ability to interface with other applications.
Its reporting and querying tools, Answer and Dashboards, include many of the same features that MS Excel and
Crystal Reports offer: charts and graphs, functions, pivot tables and more.
Users can download data to other applications such as PowerPoint, Excel, etc. There is a MS Office plug-in that
allows users to access data directly within Excel and PowerPoint that we have yet to explore.
Last, users can have data delivered to other tools like Crystal Reports, etc. utilizing a web interface or Object-based
or Java-based connections through OBIEE.
Slide 10: Agency Reporting
SWIFT Project means existing financial reports need to be recreated
-PeopleSoft data structure is different from MAPS
-Agencies will need to evaluate existing reporting requirements
OBIEE will be the supported reporting tool
-Web Interface accessed through the PeopleSoft Portal
-OBIEE training and support planned as part of the project
Historical data will remain in current IA warehouse
-EPM will only contain data existing in SEMA4 and SWIFT
-Multi-year reporting will need two reporting methods
Other tools
-Files from OBIEE easily downloaded and imported
-Web Services / ODBC / JDBC can be used for real-time access to data
-Oracle BI ODBC allows agencies to continue to use tools like Crystal Reports
Narration:
All financial reports will have to be recreated anyway, but the new tools should help that happen faster.
PeopleSoft structures data differently from the way that MAPS does. Existing reports and data needs will be looked
at and evaluated to ensure they still make sense. OBIEE will be the supported reporting tool and does offer webbased reporting accessed via the PeopleSoft portal. User training and support for OBIEE’s Dashboards and
Answers tool is being created.
Historical data will remain in the current IA data warehouse, although some historical HCM data will be loaded into
SWIFT if it is contained in the source system.
In some cases multi-year reporting may require you to use 2 systems (the old one and OBIEE), especially in the
case of Financials. We don’t have a date for removing the old warehouse, but at this point, it is not part of the
project.
If you need to use other tools like Crystal Reports, you will be able to use the same infrastructure and security as
Answers and Dashboards.
Existing warehouse access remains the same.
Slide 11: Accessing OBIEE Data
OBIEE Answers and Dashboards
-Limited number of reports will be created as part of the project
-End users can create or modify their own versions of reports
-End users can create libraries of reports
ODBC
-Access (Linked and Imported Tables)
-Crystal Reports
-SQL Tools
JDBC
-Java Application (Standalone and Oracle Stored Procedure)
-SQuirreL SQL Client
Narration:
A limited number of reports will be created out of the project. There will be 25 extracts and 25 reports created by
the project team.
Agencies can modify delivered reports to create their own versions of the reports and own report libraries.
Agencies, with the aid of their technical staffs, will be able to create their own dashboards.
Reports (Answers) are easy to build. Just pick the columns you want to show up in your report, and drag and drop
them into place. The Answers feature has many features similar to MS Excel built in, like filters, pivot tables, etc.
Dashboards allow you to view critical data consistently at a glance. Not only will you be able to view the data as
graphs or metrics, you can set up the query so that if data goes above or below your pre-set limit, you will be
notified automatically.
OBIEE’s Object databased and Java data base connections will allow both technical and non-technical users to pull
data from EPM to be used in existing reporting tools.
Slide 12: Planned Timing and Timeline
November 2010
-Implement HCM EPM
-Vendor provided HCM datamart with custom tables not affected by SWIFT
-OBIEE available for agency testing and planning
-IA Warehouse continued to be updated
January 2011
-Implement Financial and Procurement EPM plus SEMA4 updates
-Vendor provided Financials and Procurement datamarts with SWIFT customizations
-Additional HCM information with SWIFT changes required for SEMA4
-IA Warehouse continued to be updated
July 2011
-Implement EPM for FY 2012
-IA Warehouse updates discontinued (except FY 2011 close)
-IA still available for historical data
-EPM receives updates from SEMA4 and SWIFT
-New reporting through OBIEE
Narration:
We’re just starting to get going with implementation.
It took awhile to determine the best approach and work through issues. Implementation on the HCM side has a
November 2010 target date. HR datamarts and tables that require no structure changes will be available for
testing and reporting then.
Financial and procurement implementation is scheduled for January 2011. In July we plan to stop updating the old
warehouse and focus only on the new system.
Slide 13: Next Steps
Executing the SWIFT Project Warehouse Change Order
-Developing Implementation Plan
-Adding Staff to State and Maximus
-Developing Training and Support Plan
Completion of Approach Papers
-Security
-Infrastructure
-Data Access
-Reports
-Extracts
Agency Involvement
-SWIFT staff will work with identified agencies to determine statewide reporting needs
-SWIFT will be requesting agency assistance in deployment and support activities
Narration:
As you might guess our technical project team has plenty of work to do.
We’re also working on approach papers for how to:
-Handle Security
-Access Data
-Create state-wide reports
-Perform extracts,
-and to try to ensure performance will meet our needs.
Because we’ve worked through issues and know the products better, we now are executing a more rigorous report
design process.
We are currently targeting agencies to help define reporting needs.
We will also be asking agencies for help with implementation and support.
Slide 14: Thanks for Viewing DW Quarterly Update!
Questions:
-Email SWIFT at Swift.Project@state.mn.us
-Contact your Agency Relationship Manager
-Visit the Website: www.Swift.state.mn.us
Your feedback is welcome – any time!
Please click here to view:
-SWIFT End-User Training Update
-SWIFT Agency Quarterly Update