Lura OLAP solution Main goal of this project was to implement integrated Reporting & Analysis system to cover all business of Lura and associated companies in a way that all users can prepare reports they need by themselves. According to project aspect, OLAP implementation is one of the most successful projects in Lura. Business Challenge Reporting and business analyses for efficient and in time decision-making, was based on reports from Lura transaction system, and also on Access and Excel tables. Those tables had direct access to the transaction data. Time needed for new reports preparation was not acceptable (sometimes it took several days, or even more than a week). Creating some advanced parameterized queries lasted longer and longer and it caused low level of user satisfaction. A great number of analysts were involved in process of editing data in Excel tables because it was only way to prepare “flexible” reports, consolidations and analysis. The challenge was recognized in time and it was decided to implement Analysis, Reporting and Planning System in Lura. Main goal of this project is to implement integrated system to cover all business of Lura and associated companies in a way that all users can prepare reports they need by themselves (as easy as working with Excel) without any negative impact on data integrity or analysis results. It was needed to integrate this new system into existing IT infrastructure, in a way that time needed for new reports and queries creation is acceptable for users.
Transaction database is daily updated by business data on central IBM AS/400 through applications developed in Lura. Transaction data represents basic data source for Data Warehousing. Some other data sources also exist, such as data from users Excel tables. At the end of the day all data transactions and eventually main data changes are updated in Data Warehouse by Data Transformation Services, ODBC and OLE DB. Data Warehouse is on Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Platform. There are about 430 tables from almost all business areas in the Data Warehouse. Those tables are filled and create about 230 DTS procedures. About 40 multidimensional cubes are daily generated from Data Warehouse by Cognos PowerPlay Transformation Server. Ucers can consume daily reports and analysis at Cognos PowerPlay Enterprise Server by Microsoft Internet Explorer or PowerPlay Windows Client. Authorization is realized through Microsoft Active Directory. Data reviews are additionally secured by 128-bit encryption. In the early stage, system was measured for 100 interactive users who were analyzed business data of actual year and the year before. In the time when project was closed, the number of users increased to almost 300 active users. Data Warehouse is more than 120 GB large. Together with OLAP structures, it is about 150 GB. There are five Intel based Servers dedicated for OLAP system (one for Data Warehouse, one for OLAP server and three smaller servers for development and OLAP cubes creation during night). Project implementation has started on April 2002 (after platform and partner definition). The project is officially finished on December 31, 2003. Last four months of the project were spent exclusively for documentation and knowledge transfer. As development methodology allows cube prototype usage, cubes were reviewed and iterative improved almost every day due to users needs. The project was also adapted to new Lura organization. Model integrity is achieved by conform dimension usage (collection point of Data Warehouse). Project leaders were defined both from business side and from partner’s side. Project supervision was conducted through Supervision team with Executive sponsor of OLAP (Board member) as a head of Supervision team. IT Coordinator was dedicated to assure that IT activities needed for this project would be realized. First module (seven in total) was taken over by users after 10 weeks of intensive work. Big reorganization was conducted in Lura after three modules were delivered to the users. Therefore all delivered modules and Data Warehouse structure had to be adopted to fulfill new business needs. Because of the reorganization, project took a few months more than it was planned. The same model of Data Warehouse, after the implementation in Lura, was implemented also in associated companies. Business Advantages This System covers reporting and analyzing of all business segments on daily basis. There is no problem any more with delayed information in decision-making process. Results are presented either in static form in PDF format, or through web interface. After standard periodic reports structure preparation, reports are ready to use according to users queries, without any need for analyzers. The System allows multidimensional analyze of revenues and expenditures, costs structure, key performance indicators, financial positions, stocks, investments, profit and loss statement, cash flow, sales and plan comparison at daily level, payment tracking from, HR costs and all other important business indicators. Analysts now spend much more time analyzing the information, defining new analytical models and making improvements to reporting and analyzing process and standards. Users can now use distributed reports and find more detailed information when they need it by themselves through web browser. The System assures top standard data integrity because there is no need for reediting the data. Web browser usage reduces PCs administration and assures high-level access flexibility and review of business information. Work from the distance is now simple and efficient. If it is needed, models can be changed on daily basis.
According to project aspect, OLAP implementation is one of the most successful projects in Lura. Nevertheless during the implementation Lura has introduced new organization and has incorporated Lura Drinks (January 01 2003), the project was realized in acceptable time and in budget. We strongly believed that Cognos OLAP implementation would improve our reporting system. However, results were higher than most optimistic expectations. But, only users can really testify how the System works and they can evaluate if this project is successful or not: Božo Pržić, Logistic “In certain areas, such as “Realization” and “Stock level and flow” the potential of COGNOS System is almost beyond any limitations.” Meri Lovrić, Dairy Division, services in sales “We needed two persons at least 2 – 3 days to produce monthly realization report before COGNOS. Today we need one person working only few hours to do the same job.” Mario Pranjić, Soft Drinks Division, Operative Controlling “We produce about 10 new analyzes daily and weekly after the COGNOS installation; monthly even more, about 50 new analyzes...” Tanja Janković, Central Controlling “After COGNOS installation, we produce detailed
analyze of material costs by all cost centers and by each material.
This, very detailed report, couldn’t be produced before COGNOS
installation because of it’s complexity.”
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