How to Consolidate Your Business Data using the Business Data Catalog for Sharepoint Integration

The problem with business data is that there are many different data platforms. You need accurate and timely data to make the right business decisions, but with different data platforms, there can be delays while the data is converted. Your business may have data stored on many small database applications, or on large enterprise data platforms like SAP or Siebel. You may already have the data you need to solve a problem, but you can’t see it. You don’t know if the answer to your question exists, because the data may be located on a server in some other department or on a computer in another office. The solution is Sharepoint Integration.

How Did Your Business Data End up Scattered in So Many Different Systems?

Most businesses have several business applications and reporting systems that were developed at different times using varied databases or development tools. Over time, you can end up with important data scattered in several different systems. Worse yet, the crucial data needed to make the right decisions may only be visible to some one in another department. Many of these applications or reports only show parts of the available data. How do you make the right decision with only part of the data?With separate data systems, there is no easy way to search all the databases to determine which one has the specific information that you need right now. The departmental data shown in each separate application may solve a specific problem, but it may not be easily adapted for other business needs. Additionally, each of these separate business applications may have a different user interface, an uncommon data format or a separate reporting procedure.Oh, you can get the data. It just isn’t available until it’s converted. How long does that take? Maybe data conversion takes several hours, or with a large report it could take overnight. How does this delay affect your customers, or how you make your decisions? Sharepoint integration makes all your data sources visible, to give the complete business picture, without delays. Unbounded Solutions can use SharePoint integration to bring all these data sources together to give the business user a more complete picture of the business. The business user can quickly find and use different kinds of business data from the central Sharepoint interface, without having to learn several different applications.With quicker access to all your business data, delays are reduced. Faster solutions to client questions or customer problems can become a valuable competitive advantage.

How Sharepoint Integration Makes All Your Business Data Visible in One Place

Your line-of-business data is processed by the critical applications that are used to run your business, such as accounting, supply chain management, logistics or client resource management. The Sharepoint Business Data Catalog allows us to take data from back end data providers like PeopleSoft or SAP and display that line-of-business data in Sharepoint. The Business Data Catalog views each business application in terms of meta-data that describes business entities, business information and business processes.The Business Data Catalog makes it possible to integrate many of your business and reporting systems where they can all be seen from Sharepoint. With a Sharepoint hub that connects to your separate business data applications, all of the data can be used in Sharepoint Webparts to create reports and analyze the complete data picture. This comprehensive snapshot of your business will often reveal valuable nuggets of information that separate reports can not unveil.The Sharepoint platform hides all the complexities of accessing multiple data sources and makes the process appear easy to the business user. Unbounded Solutions consultants have the experience to confidently navigate the complex map of many different data interfaces, and bring all your departmental reports or enterprise data to a common Sharepoint hub.Once all the data is available it can be shared by your business users via your company extranet or over the web. The newly available data can even be configured to display in standard or custom Webparts, KPI (key performance indicators) or business dashboards. This complex process is smoother with Unbounded Solutions consultants, who are practiced in integrating enterprise data platforms with Sharepoint.

The Advantages of Sharepoint Integration with the Business Data Catalog Consolidate all your data from multiple business applications.

Does your business have several departments that report the same information differently, because each department uses a different data solution? Do you need access to older data that is only available from a legacy data platform? Is your Sharepoint integration not going as smoothly or not going as quickly as you desire?