Reference Data System
Modern management technologies include processing of the huge amount of information that, in its turn, is impossible without information control systems (ICS). That's why we can say that any company should be automated and (or) have been automated with these or those information systems.
Thereupon, neither the very fact of ICS creation at a certain company, nor the quality of services rendered and (or) of a platform (though these are very important aspects) come first, but the quality of information in ACS is of primary importance which directly depends on company reference data status.
What to begin with
While describing this or that information system we discuss different parameters such as:
- Number of workplaces
- Cost
- Flows of documents being processed
- Complexity and quantity of automated business processes
- Total volume of data bases
- Firmware platform and other characteristics
But we not always pay attention to the quantity and structure of directories. Directories are taken as self-evident and something natural "Reference data is present in any corporate ICS". However, specialists know the role which directories play in creating/ improving a corporate ERP-system and also in the whole life cycle of any ICS.
Directories:
- Provides data coordination and consolidation
- Eliminates data superfluity
- Optimizes search of required information
- Unites all other document systems (accounts, contracts, orders and the like)
At present corporate reference data is as follows:
Reference data is used nearly in all processes existing in the company:
If we consider the process of creation/ improvement of the corporate RD system, we think that RD is the combination of:
- Software. Complex of hardware and software for accumulation, storage, modification and access.
- Dataware. Classifiers, directories and normative documents.
- Organizational support. System of established procedures for carrying on, support and control of transformation and analyses processes.
A few words about problems
A few simple questions:
- Are there any common rules for entry of reference data into your data system?
- Is there any common classifier of materials, partners, main assets, norms and the like?
- Is there any influence on the quality of information contained in the corporate ICS? What influence?
At the present stage of development of information system management methods there appeared strong trends the main of which is the quality of information interaction.
Local
It is related wit the problem of information space creation (data integration) at one certain company (holding).
An example may be a company possessing a few different information systems, different directories (nomenclatures of goods and so on) and as a result having difficulties related to controllability, consolidated reporting and the like.
Or an example may be a company which in its development buys another company having the established ICS and its own RD. In this case merger of information structures is impossible without improvement and (or) creation of the common reference data of the merged companies.
Global
It is related to involvement of big companies (group companies) into join (all-Russian, international) processes of information interaction.
We suggest considering quality of information change between the manufacturer and the supplier of raw materials and (or) the wholesale buyer. Thus, we can make the following conclusion.
Without creation and improvement of any information system kernel, i.e. the common reference data system, it is impossible to correctly execute any processes related to:
- Creation of the complex and integrated ICS.
- Information interaction and analyses.
- On-line and reliable information.
- Creation and standardization of business processes.
- Consolidated reporting and so on.
Besides, lack or imperfect RDS is:
Poor quality of information
- Record duplication.
- Heterogeneous information structure.
- Incomplete description of properties, characteristics of objects and so on.
Lack of established procedures and uncoordinated activity in processing corporate reference data:
- Lack of support procedures
- Uncoordinated normative bases of organizational departments (subsidiaries)
- Nonoptimal separation of liability for RD maintenance.
Creation/ improvement of reference data (RD)
Complex of services on RD creating and improvement from business study to introduction of "turnkey" systems:
- Development of a corporate RD system (classifiers, directories, vocabularies, standards and methodical support and the like) meeting all national and international standards.
- Integration of heterogeneous structure and format of information received from different information systems, company departments and branch offices and its unification according to the common standards of information presentation.
- Selection and introduction of firmware for maintenance and analyses of RD, automation of solutions as regards RD based on commercial ERP-systems (SAP R/3, MBS Axapta and others.)
- Consulting services on creation, introduction and support of RD systems.
- Support of RD systems (support of RD in actual condition, consulting and program-technical assistance).
- Company personnel training of RD systems creation and maintenance methods with the help of RD maintenance facilities, acquaintance with international and national standards as regards RD and the like.
- Creation of a corporate technical and normative library (data bases of national standards, branch standards and building regulations and others.).
Corporate automated information system of reference data "Data Integration Processor"
The corporate automated information system of reference data "Data Integration Processor" ("CAIS RD DIP") is designed for unification of reference data of a company, its organizational departments and partners in the common information space.
CAIS RD DIP provides:
- Access of users via local application information systems and directly (i.e. via the use of the client's software or web-interfaces).
- Operation of departments servicing and supporting the common RD system, classification and coding systems according to the existing procedure, separation of access rights to information).
- Support of different methods of information classification and coding.
- Standardized formats of data exchange.
- Information security and reliability.
- Scalability - replication of system nodes to branch offices and organizational departments of the company as well as inclusion of new data sources in the system framework.
- Integrability with the existing corporate and local application systems.
- Conformity to the existing national and corporate standards.
Potentialities of CAIS RD DIP:
- On-line browsing of key summarized financial and production indices
- On-line control and monitoring of production and supporting processes in the real rime mode
- Automated consolidation of information received from subsidiaries and organizational departments (for example, consolidated application campaign and formation of consolidated demand for MTR)
- Creation, support and use of the common RD base continuously updated and maintained in the actual condition
- Inclusion into system and use of the existing local information systems
- Transfer of local RD bases of organizational departments into the common firmware platform
- Interfacing of RD of subsidiaries with the central RD base and with each other
- Handy search system of RD with different types of navigational hierarchies for various user profiles in respect of their professional activity
- Full formalized description of RD objects (for example, formalized description of technical and consumer properties of inventories)
- Handy multivariant search means of RD in accordance with production tasks and technical requirements
- Handy and easy on-line access to the continuously updated RD base
- Quick and qualified assistance of experts in the real time mode, "hot line" and technical support
- Increased company controllability
- Increased objectiveness and quality of analyses of company departments activities
- Increased quality of management decisions made
- Reduced material losses thanks to quick coordination of information between organizational departments
- Reduced costs associated with preparation and processing of primary data
- Significant acceleration of automated systems integration in the course of through business processes
