Challenges of Onboarding Operational Data
Onboarding operational data requires handling data from a variety of sources and partners, represented in different formats. Because companies have to handle many different data sources and partners in a rapid and efficient manner, the process of onboarding operational data to support business partners can be challenging for companies.
The data artifacts that are exchanged between business partners may contain differences in the way that the data is represented, and there may be inconsistencies from one onboarding to the next. This makes it difficult to develop standardized data integration applications to handle the process. For example, one partner may create an Excel spreadsheet with a data element called “Acct_Nm,” defined as a 12 character length alphanumeric field, which is the database representation of the “Account Number.” Another partner may create a CSV file with “Account_Nbr” defined as an integer. While both data elements are functionally the same, they are represented in different formats that require different processing. The different processing will have to take place at the data integration level for the integration to be successful.
“Onboarding operational data is a source of pain for many organizations. We hear this again and again. Organizations need to normalize data from different clients or partners, and they need a solution that lets them adapt easily to each new onboarding requirement, which is where expressor can really help. expressor enables organizations to onboard new data much faster and more efficiently through a reusable data integration framework. With expressor, organizations will no longer need to write or modify one-off, custom programs and queries, which will simplify the onboarding process and reduce the maintenance associated with the traditional approach. Organizations will need fewer resources, while still reducing the time needed to add new customers or partners, enabling them to scale without adding significant costs to their business process.”
Mr. Chaudry, expressor software Product Manager
Apart from the onboarding operational data challenges of integrating new data from new partners and sources, the metadata that defines the underlying data is very different. As a result, it is difficult to standardize and reuse existing onboarding operational data applications, whether developed using data integration tools or different coding techniques. Companies are forced to develop new applications to handle one-off data artifacts in customized ways for partners or data sources. In addition, the differences between data elements require lot of attention to detail, causing delays and errors. Traditional approaches to onboarding operational data are typically manually intensive, expensive, time consuming, and error prone. As the volume of data, data elements, and frequency of onboarding operational data events increase, the challenges and costs associated with processing these data artifacts are magnified. This in turn leads to creating issues around an organization’s ability to scale its business process.
About Author (Expressor Software)
expressor software delivers simplified data integration software that is easy to use, powerful, and affordable. Unlike traditional approaches, expressor is powered by an innovative metadata foundation that simplifies data mapping and enables reuse to improve time-to-value. With a rapidly growing community of over 17,000 unique users, expressor is helping organizations such as SKECHERS USA, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Viverae, Western World, LABVANTAGE, and BHI Energy integrate on-premises and cloud data sources with their business critical applications. For more information visit www.expressor-software.com or view our community forum at www.expressorCommunity.com.
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