Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
understanding of the business, how it works, and why it works that way. It
also requires that you take a good look at how your business functions are
currently set up. If there is a great deal of autonomy for each function, then you
are likely to find a lot of segregation between the systems that support each
function. Changes may be needed to your business processes to better support
an overall information management strategy. This example is focused on the
data itself. In order to attain the vision of integrated data, there is much more
involved than changing application systems. It involves the many different
facets mentioned earlier.
2
3
Order Entry
Shipments
1
4
Marketing
Prospects & Link
to Master
Customer Database
Customer
Data
Customer Billing
Financial Package
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Payable
General Ledger
Customer
Feedback
6
Data communication paths
5
Figure 8-4
Integrated customer data flow
IM Beyond the Data Warehouse
Information management often comes to the surface when data warehouse
initiatives are being discussed. Data warehousing is certainly part of an overall
information management strategy, but it is not the whole thing. Information
management encompasses all systems, operational and analytical.
In fact, the more comprehensive information management practices you
have in place, the easier it is to build a data warehouse. This is because things
