A data warehouse merges data from multiple systems to enable the creation of reports (views of data) that cannot be generated from a single system. Data from any system that has a database at its core can be readily integrated into a warehouse; and, with some manipulation, virtually any other data can be integrated as well. The KUMC Data Warehouse will include data from a number of KUMC systems (for example, PeopleSoft Financials, PeopleSoft Human Resources, PeopleSoft Student, IDX, and MIP, among others), thus enabling the creation of reports from multiple systems that cannot be generated from any single system. For example, combining financial data from University, KUPI, and Research Institute systems enables comprehensive reporting on revenues, expenses, compensation, etc.

What can the KUMC Data Warehouse do for me?

The Department of Information Resources uses the highly flexible Oracle data warehousing tools to create views of data that are customized to individual needs and preferences. The views can be personalized to the extent that a given analyst or executive sees exactly what he or she wishes to see and is authorized to see.and nothing else. These tools also include an end-user application called "Discoverer" which enables analysts and other power data users to create custom queries, reports, and data views as they wish. Reports with widely varying degrees of detail can be created, from high-level graphical representations to the presentation of individual data elements including extensive drill-down functionality (for example, from a chart showing that 83% of a department's budget consists of salaries to the total amount of department salaries to individual salaries to the amounts of individual salaries from various sources, etc.)

Is it really this easy? What are the challenges associated with the KUMC Data Warehouse?

Most of the challenges in building data warehouses are found in the data itself.

When we integrate a new data source into the warehouse, innumerable errors in the source data usually become visible and must be corrected.

When we create custom views of data from different sources, we have to work with the user to analyze the data and adjust for variation. For example, the same data in different systems isn't necessarily comparable. If, in system A, an FTE is 2,080 hours per year (52x40) and, in system B, it's 1,856 (52x40 minus 22 days vacation minus 50% of allocated sick leave), the data must be adjusted to determine (for example) compensation per hour worked. Also, similar data collected over time, even within the same system, may incorporate variation. If, in year 1, students who use laptop computers are counted and, in year 2, students who use laptop computers OR PDAs are counted, the variation must be addressed.

What's in the KUMC Data Warehouse at this time?

The KUMC Data Warehouse currently contains:

Selected information from the PeopleSoft Financial System (refreshed daily)
Selected information from the PeopleSoft Student Administration System (refreshed daily)
Statistical information from the Library's Endeavour Information System
Financial information from the Department of Information Resources Budget Management System
Historical information from the Research Institute's InfoEd system (not currently refreshed)
3rd-year clerkship experience data (School of Medicine)

What are the immediate priorities for development of the KUMC Data Warehouse?

Implement a financial reporting system merging data from multiple KUMC transactional systems that process and store financial data.
Support Student Services Data Warehouse project.
Complete the implementation of the Faculty Data Mart currently under development.

Contact information

Tania Stastny, Director
tstastny@kumc.edu
(913) 588-7183
3010 Eleanor Taylor
Mailstop 3024
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City, KS 66160

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