An Overview and Business Case

Transcription

1 (Formally DCS Consulting, Inc.) Government Intelligence (GOVi) Financial Reporting Rapid Deployment Solution for SAP BusinessObjects Address: An Overview and Business Case Phone: Web: Author: Date: October

2 Introduction Financial offices in federal, state, and municipal governments are facing increasing challenges when it comes to financial reporting. Government agencies are faced with shrinking budgets and less funding, but they still have the same or greater expectations of services that they need to deliver. More and more these agencies need to have a solid handle on financial information. With accounting transactional data growing with volumes of account codes, subaccounts, and daily records, financial systems are multiplying in size at exponential rates. Subsequently, reporting on the transactional databases is almost always prohibitive. Generating reports from financial transaction systems can take hours due to aggregation of volumes of data in order to provide insights into a government agency s financial health. As a government agency, reporting is still mandatory and needs to be timely. Financial reporting from federal financial systems is often times very difficult, if not almost impossible. Nine times out of ten, government agencies will create reports outside of their financial or reporting systems, generally in MS Excel. This outside reporting in MS Excel forces the analyst to use valuable time for formatting and manual manipulation of data rather than on conducting analysis and decision making. Thus many government agencies are now looking to deploy a business intelligence system using already existing government accounting and financial system as a source of data. The GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solutions for SAP BusinessObjects solves the problem that many government agencies are facing conducting reporting and data analysis on accounting and financial systems. Subsequently, GOVi for SAP BusinessObjects is a complete business intelligence and data warehousing solution that is built upon the sophisticated and feature-rich platform of SAP BusinessObjects. Rather than a lengthy and costly process of building a financial reporting solution from scratch, organizations now have the option of configuring a pre-packaged financial rapid-deployment framework that integrates with their existing financial software and allows for true data analysis and enhanced decision-making capabilities. This whitepaper provides an overview of s GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution for, provides a business case for why your government organization should implement the GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution, describes the technical architecture of the solution, and provides some of the benefits for of deploying this solution. Page 1

3 Is Your Organization Ready for the GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid- Deployment Solution? There are many reasons why a government organization could choose to procure and deploy a GOVi Finanical Reporting Rapid-Deployment. Reasons will stem from issues around miscalulations of financial data, multiple differerent perspectives, complying with rules and regulations, and consistency of reporting. But for the most part, organizations will chose to deploy GOVi if the they have issues around the analytics of finanical reporting. Moreover, if an organization knows that it has large amounts of finanical data located within its financial systems, and the organization cannot accurately analyze this data and make knowledgable decisions from the data, the organization is at stage where the GOVi Financial Reporting solutionwill be greatly beneficial. If you can answer yes to the initial questions in the table below about your organization, then your organization is most likely ready for a GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid- Deployment Solution. Integration and Collaboration Visibility and Decision Making Regulatory Compliance Do different people use different software applications to complete their jobs? Are there miscommunications or barriers between Accounting, Procurement, Budget and other Divisions? Does it take too long to produce monthly, Quarterly, and Year End financial reports (Internal and external reporting)? When looking for financial data, do you request reports from several individuals? Is it difficult for all system users to gather the appropriate data to perform their jobs? Does it take a long time, or is it complicated, for users to assess how much budget is available, where/how they have spent their money and what is their on-going spend plan? Does your organization have challenges complying with regulatory mandates/reporting? Do you have trouble ensuring that you have accurate information? Do you need to create an audit trail with which you can track which users run reports and what data they are viewing? Are tasks related to compliance and external reporting completed manually? If they re manual, then is it possible that data errors can be made? Page 2

4 What is the GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution for SAP BusinessObjects? GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution for SAP BusinessObjects is built and delivered using the industry-leading SAP BusinessObjects platform of business intelligence products. Integration of GOVi with SAP BusinessObjects delivers a comprehensive suite of products that provide business intelligence functionality which empowers users to make effective, informed decisions based on solid data and analysis. All users of BusinessObjects -- from the high-end analyst to the casual business user -- are enabled with access to the information they need with access to reporting tools to conduct analysis on their organization s data. Capabilities within the BusinessObjects product suite include operational reporting, ad-hoc query and analysis, exploration, visualization, dashboards and integration with MS Office and related middleware. Components of SAP BusinessObjects that are utilized by the GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid- Deployment Solutions inlcude: BusinessObjects BusinessObjects Enterprise Data Services Web Intelligence (WebI) Dashboards Live Office Crystal Reports Explorer Views Universes Data Model What is Included in the GOVi Financial Reporting Solution? GOVi delivers pre-built, rapidly implementable reports, dashboards and metadata code for government organizations, providing support for internal financial staff, external reporting requirements, and business users ad hoc analytics. The solution supports multiple tool sets, enabling the information to be tailored to a usersneeds. The quick-time-to-value implementation methodology enables customers to go live with financial reporting in approximately 12 weeks. s GOVi offers not only fast time to value and lower implementation costs, but also the ability to grow and scale over time at the customer's pace. GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution contains a framework, pre-built data model, components, and content that are able to be deployed with in a rapid timeframe. Additionally, GOVi can Page 3

5 connect to all of the common government accounting, financial, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software packages including: Momentum SAP Oracle Financials Advantage GOVi provides a solution for jump-starting the deployment of an accouting or financial business intelligence solution for a government agency. Thus the government agency can quickly get a business intelligence solution up and running and can also customize the solution to meet their own unique specifications and requirements. Pre-built components that come shipped with GOVi can be either configured as-is or can be customized to meet requirements. New components can be added within the platform to enhance and augment the existing out-of-the-box components. Ultimately the GOVi solution is an extension of the SAP BusinessObjects environment, and it takes advantage of all of the functionality, power, and flexibilty that the SAP BusinessObjects environment provides. Upon a succesful implementation of a GOVi RDS, accounting and financial reports and analysis required for government agencies can be streamlined and executed in a much more rapid manner as GOVi includes components for conducting analytics on those required monthly, quarterly and annual required reports. GOVi can be deployed in phases to rapidly deploy certain features and lessen the potential impact on an organization resources. For example, GOVi can be initially deployed to the accounts payable department for the agency to get a better idea of the amount of money owed to suppliers and vendors and the amount of time it takes to pay those suppliers and vendors. Then GOVi can be deployed for external reporting purposes so that the agency can provide more transparency to its constiuents and other agencies into the agencies operations and financial results. Page 4

6 Technical Architecture of a GOVi RDS Deployment GOVi is a complete end-to-end, prebuilt business intelligence and data warehousing solution that provides strategic insight and decision support capabilities to government agencies conducting accounting and financial business processes. But rather than just being a platform or toolset, GOVi is a fully inclusive solution of key metrics and pre-built components. The GOVi components and data model are built within the marketing-leading SAP BusinessObjects business intelligence environment. Data connections have been established to many of the common government accounting and financial packages to allow the GOVi system to fully-utilize those source systems as the basis for analysis and decision making. The pre-built data model leverages the data structures already in place within the source government accounting and financial packages and optimizes for the presentation components that use the data model as a source and foundation. Moreover, the main way that data is sourced from the accounting and financial software packages is through a middleware or semantic layer known as a universe. A BusinessObjects Universe is a middleware device that contains a business representation of a database and enables the end-user of BusinessObjects to interact with data without having to understand the complexities of database logic or be familiar with where the physical data is stored. Operational reports within GOVi are built upon Crystal Reports, which allows for the creation of high-fidelity, pixel-perfect reports as well as the automated distribution of those reports. Adhoc queries and self-service access are built within Web Intelligence (WebI) which allows for both reports and queries to be customized by end-users of the system. WebI allows for end-users to find the information they are looking for through asking business questions without the need for someone else to execute and Page 5

7 distribute a report. Dashboards containing organizational metrics and key performance indicators (KPI) are built upon the product known as Dashboards and formally known as Xcelsius. The Dashboards within GOVi include graphical interfaces and real-time methods that provide guided analysis and for dynamic monitoring of organizational metrics. And lastly, Explorer contains an advanced and intuitive data exploration interface to end-users and provides the capability of quickly exploring and visualizing large data sets. Explorer encompasses the simplicity and speed of web-search technologies with the trust and analytical power of conventional business intelligence technologies to provide deep understanding and immediate answers to both simple and sophisticated business questions. Implementing GOVi Financial Reporting with SAP HANA SAP HANA is a revolutionary database technology that includes a combination of hardware, storage, operating system, management software, and an in-memory data query engine that is characterized by data being held in RAM rather than being read from disks or flash storage. Additionally, HANA has been built to split up queries to run in parallel on multiple processors and the database can have both row-based and column-based stores within the same database engine. This in-memory, massively parallel processing, and column based architecture of HANA allows for extremely Page 6

8 fast performance of queries and analytics on very large amounts of data. As government agencies are constantly gathering and collecting large amounts of data to analyze, SAP HANA ensures that the data and the analytics are available for analysis at any level of granularity at very rapid query speeds. The implementation of SAP HANA can be complimentary to the implementation of GOVi. While it is possible to integrate GOVi with any common database management system including Oracle, MS SQL Server, Sybase, DB2, Teradata, and Netezza, the integration with SAP HANA allows for the most optimal performance levels and for the most scalability. To this end, SAP has invested heavily in making sure that HANA is the fastest and most scalable database solution for business intelligence solutions. The database platform is ideal for the types of analysis that is provided in the GOVi system and for processing large voluments of data. The reduction in processing times for detail-level transactional data means an organization can forgo the typical Data Warehouse solution (which replicates data, is costly to implement and maintain and takes time to implement. GOVi includes a robust data exploration and querying tool that allows for analysis of very large amounts data,which requires a database management platform that can successfully execute on very large amounts of data. SAP HANA can handle the execution of very large queries in a very rapid fashion. Additionally as the amount of financial data that is being collected by government agencies is growing at alarming rates, there is also a need for the business intelligence solution to integrate with a database management tool that can store extremely large of amounts of data. Again SAP HANA satisfies this need to store extremely large of amounts as it encompasses a scalable storage unit. The storage unit in SAP HANA is not an external file system provided by another vendor, but rather is bundled within the SAP HANA hardware and is tightly integrated with its robust database and query processor. SAP HANA can greatly increase the amount of data included in a GOVi deployment, allow for more accuracy in the analysis conducted with the GOVi deployment, and greatly decrease the amount of time it takes to conduct analysis. As SAP HANA is the fastest and most scalable database management system for data warehouses in the marketplace, it is the perfect complement to the business intelligence components provided by the GOViFinancial Reporting solution Implementation Approaches for Rapid-Deployment Solutions Unlike custom solutions, deployments with Rapid Deployment Solutions tend to be much more focused on configuration rather than customization. Pre-built components that are delivered with the solution can be rapidly deployed as much of the required functionality will already be in place. Implementations of Rapid Deployment Solutions tend to focus on utilizing a large portion of the functionality that is delivered with the pre-packaged solution, and implementations only need to tweak or fine-tune this pre-packaged functionality. Page 7

9 Two distinct ways exist for deploying a Rapid Deployment Solution: Configure Solution: Implement the out-of-box Rapid Deployment Solution only utilizing components that come delivered with the pre-packaged solution Configure Solution and Build New Components: Implement the out-of-box Rapid Deployment Solution and enhance the solution with custom-built components. For the most part, the time to deploy a Rapid Deployment Solution with just configuration is significantly less than a solution that is completely custom-built. But in contrast, custom build solutions typically meet and satisfy more of the unique requirements of the business than solutions with a complete configuration. A combination approach that includes both medium amounts of configuration and customization is common as many organizations want to take advantage of a rapid time to deploy as well as implement of a large number of specific or non-common requirements. Time to Deploy / Number of Unique Requirements Met Deployment Path Time to Deploy Number of Unique Requirements Met Custom Build with Platform Lengthy Heavy Complete Configuration with Analytical Applications Rapid Light Perform a Combination of Platform and Application Solutions Moderate Moderate The Correct Deployment Path for Your Organization Correctly choosing whether a business intelligence solution implementation should be conducted ultizing the BusinessObjects Platform, Rapid Deployment Solution, or combination of both is critical to overall deployment success. The right path is going to be different for every organization as requirements, resources, budget, constraints, and risks are going to vary from organization to organization. But choosing the right deploymennt path allows for the most efficent implemenation, satisfies the most requirements, decrease project timelines, Page 8

10 achieves the highest user adoption rate, and obtains the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). Organizations will choose to custom build a solution with the BusinessObjects platform when they have a high degree of unique requirements. Organizations will choose to fully configure the Rapid Deployment Solution when most requirements that are similar to the best practices delivered in the package. Organizations will choose to utilize a combination of the BusinessObjects Platform and Rapid Deployment Solution when they want to take advantage of the pre-built components of the Rapid Deployment Solution and when they also want to enhance the Rapid Deployment Solution with custom built components. Custom Built Solution with BusinessObjects Platform: Best deployment path when all requirements for all business areas and functions have high degree of uniqueness. This approach can be costly, expensive to maintain, and take the longest to implement. Fully Configure Rapid Deployment Solution: Best deployment path for common business functions with similar requirements between organizations (i.e. AP, AR, General Ledger, Sales Pipeline Analysis, etc.). This solution is implemented in the shortest time frame and sees the quickest ROI. Utilize Both the BusinessObjects Platform and Rapid Deployment Solution: Best deployment path for organizations that have some unique business functions and some standard business functions. This solution has the advantages of partially addressing needs in a shorter time frame with a faster ROI while allowing an organization to expand and grow based on their needs and resources. Even though choosing a deployment path tends be subjective based upon organizational preferences, requirements and constraints, there does exist three basic question for making the right decision for your organization s deployment: Are more than 75% of the business area s requirements satisfied by Rapid Deployment Solution? Is a tight and seamless integration with an accounting or financial system required? How much does your organization want to spend in deploying a complete business intelligence solution? This last point about how much an organization wants to spend is the most important of the three criteria, as it relates to the concept of total cost of ownership (TCO). Organizations will gain the most overall value from their deployment if they spend the least amount possible. But both the BusinessObjects Platform and the Rapid Deployment Solutions encompass key advantages in helping determining the overall cost of a deployment. Deployments with the BusinessObjects have an advantage as custom building using the platform allows for a higher degree of flexibility and it allows for more unique requirements to be satisfied. In addition, a Rapid Deployment Solution includes a set of pre-built content and components, but this set may include more Page 9

11 content and functionality than the organization needs or the pre-built content may not align with the unique requirements of the organization. Thus a deployment with the platform could be more focused, include less unnecessary overhead, and could meet more unique organizational requirements. In contrast, advantages of deployments of Rapid Deployment Solutions will include a smaller deployment team, a more rapid deployment schedule, and a faster time to value. Fewer professionals are required to be involved in the implementation for less time as SAP has already pre-developed much of the content and components that will be used in a deployed solution. In addition, organizations will benefit from additional capabilities and best practices that would be difficult to develop in a more custom solution. Sample Business Intelligence Implementation Project Duration 40 Weeks 1000 Man Days 6 Team Members 30 Weeks 700 Man Days 5 Team Members 20 Weeks 400 Man Days 4 Team Members Combination of Configuration and Build Complete Custom Configuration of The graphic above summarizes the Buld RDS potential relative level of effort for a Rapid Deployment Solution for a common business function such accounts payable or financial reporting. For the same amount of functionality, a complete package deployment with a Rapid Deployment Solution could take less than half as long to deploy as a complete custom solution with just the BusinessObjects Platform with fewer dedicated team members. Even though a deployment of a custom solution may take longer and require more dedicated resources, it may satisfy a higher amount of unique requirements, and may include less unnecessary functionality or overhead. The combination approach of partial custom and package solutions encapsulates sort of a middle ground as it can be conducted more rapidly and requires fewer resources than a complete custom solution. And the combination approach is a good alternative to the complete package solution as it allows for a high degree of unique requirements to be developed and built into the final deployed solution. Summary GOVi Financial Reporting Rapid-Deployment Solution for SAP BusinessObjects enables federal, state, and municipal government agencies to better understand and analyze the data that it already possesses Page 10

12 within its accounting and financial systems and ultimately make better and more accurate decisions. Moreover, GOVI is a framework built upon the sophisticated and feature-rich platform of SAP BusinessObjects and allows for a rapid deployment of a complete business intelligence system that includes operational reports, ad-hoc queries, dashboards, data exploration, and mobile connectivity. Implementation of the GOVi for SAP BusinessObjects can be a cost-effective alternative to traditional custom financial reporting implementations with a much faster implementation schedule and total cost of ownership. Out of the box, pre-configured solutions included in GOVi will save government agencies time and money while providing a platform for future growth and scalability. Additionally, expanding the solution to include SAP HANA can greatly increase the amount of data included in the data analysis, increase the precision and accuracy of data analysis, and allow for rapid exploration of data that was previously time-consuming and tedious. About Headquartered near Washington DC in Lorton, VA.,. is a consulting and professional services firm focusing on Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing (BI/DW) technologies and implementations. We provide highly experienced consultants and project teams to successfully guide you through the implementation of your BI/DW solution. cbeyondata has experience across many aspects of the Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing providing services from tactical design and implementation of reporting and analytic solutions, to operational management of COEs and PMOs, to creating strategic road maps for realizing a future vision. cbeyondata has the experience and resources needed to help you achieve your tactical, operational, and strategic objectives. cbeyondat is dedicated to helping solve your business intelligence needs. Please contact us at info@.com, call or visit for more information about our services. Page 11