DS Metadata Presentation User Group

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Metadata Overview
User Group Meeting April 2004
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Agenda

• What is Metadata?
• Metadata Website
• Types of Metadata
• Working Examples
• Future of Metadata
• Contact Information
• QA

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What is Metadata?
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What is Metadata?

• Metadata is
• Data about data
• Documentation that improves understanding of data
  and related processes
• Allows Decision Support users to transform data
  into meaningful information
• Both business and technical in nature
• Updated with each Decision Support implementation
• Available through Decision Supports website
  http//www.ds.uillinois.edu and requires Bluestem
  Authentication

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What is Metadata? (Continued)

• Metadata will help you
• Find data you are seeking
• Where is data located (which universe or table)?
• What is the name of the universe object or table
  column?
• Consistently define the data
• What does the data mean?
• Know the source of the data
• Where did the data come from?
• Which EDW and/or Banner table?
• Define the technical structure
• Is it text or numeric?
• How long is the field?

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Metadata Website
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Metadata Website

• Methods for Accessing Metadata
• Search Function
• Search the Metadata repository for table and
  column names or name fragments, as well as by
  description text.  Results may be viewed in the
  browser window or exported to a CSV file for
  further analysis in a spreadsheet tool.
• Search functionality is limited to EDW table and
  column information
• By Document Type
• Universe documents, data models, source-to-target
  mappings, etc
• By Data Collection
• HR/Payroll, Finance, Pre-Registration
  Registration, etc

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Types of Metadata
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Types of Metadata

• Universe Information
• Data Models
• Data Dictionary
• Source-to-Target Mappings
• Other Metadata

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Universe Information

• Business Objects (BO) Terminology
• Defines Universe, Object, Class, Dimension and
  Measure
• Universe Descriptions
• Guides BO users to the best available universe
  for reporting needs
• Business Objects (BO) Hierarchy
• Assists BO users in finding objects in classes
  and sub-classes within universes
• Assists BO users in determining if access is
  needed to additional universes
• Includes Universe, Class, Sub-classes and Objects
• Includes how to for using hierarchy
• Business Objects (BO) Universe Mappings
• Maps BO classes and objects to their
  corresponding physical table and column names
  within the Data Warehouse

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Data Models

• Logical Data Model
• High-level business view of the data
• Shows the actual tables that contain the
  information in the Warehouse database and how
  they relate to each other
• Business names are used instead of the physical
  tables names (exAdmission Application History
  instead of T_ADMIN_APPL_HIST
• Useful for determining what data is available
• Physical Data Model
• Actual representation of physical tables and
  relationships in the database
• Actual physical table names are used (ex
  T_ADMIN_APPL_HIST instead of Admission
  Application History)
• Key reference when writing queries directly
  against the database
• How to Read a Data Model
• Instructions for Printing Services

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Data Dictionary

• Includes definitions for all the tables and
  columns in the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW)
• Table Definitions
• Includes increment, physical table name, logical
  table name and table definition
• Increment FIN
• Physical Table Name T_CUST_ACCT
• Logical Table Name Customer Account
• Table Definition Contains a record for each
  party from which the University has received
  payment or to which the University has billed or
  will bill charges. An example of a Customer
  Account is a Student.

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Data Dictionary (continued)

• Column Definitions
• Includes increment, physical table name, physical
  column name, logical column name, column
  definition, datatype, null option and primary key
• Increment FIN
• Physical Table Name T_CUST_ACCT
• Physical Column Name CUST_ACCT_REFUND_IND
• Logical Column Name Customer Account Refund
  Indicator
• Column Definition This field indicates whether
  an account with a credit balance will be
  automatically refunded. Valid values are Null or
  'N' for 'No', 'H' for hold, and 'Y' for yes.
• Datatype VARCHAR2(1)
• Null Option Not null
• Primary Key No

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Source-to-Target Mappings

• Useful for tracking fields in the EDW back to the
  original source
• Show each table and column in EDW and indicate
  the table and column in the source system (ex
  Banner)
• Uses physical table and column names
• If an EDW column is derived, additional logic is
  sometimes included
• Ex the source-to-target mapping for
  LEAVE_BENEFIT_STATUS_DESC includes the following
  details
• If PTRLREA_STATUS 'A' then 'Active' else if
  PTRLREA_STATUS 'B' then 'Lv w/o Pay, w/Ben'
  else if PTRLREA_STATUS 'F' then 'Lv w/Pay,
  w/Ben' else if PTRLREA_STATUS 'L' then 'Lv w/o
  Pay, w/o Ben' else if PTRLREA_STATUS 'P' then
  'Lv w/Part Pay, w/o Ben'

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Other Metadata

• Usage Notes
• General Decision Support (DS) information
• Provides background about the Decision Support
  environment
• Use of indexes, refresh rates, table joins, etc..
• Change Management
• Process for modifications and enhancements
• Pre-Release and Release Notes
• Advisories
• Communicate Data Warehouse issues
• Most commonly used in early stages of project
  implementation
• Data Education
• Current Data Education materials

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Working Examples
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Metadata Example 1

• I need Position Begin Date on my report. Which
  universe should I use?
• Answer
• Access the Business Objects (BO) Hierarchy from
  the main Universe Metadata page
• Edit, Find position begin date
• BO Hierarchy shows position begin date is an
  object in the HR Position and Job Hierarchy
  Universe and the Position Class

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Metadata Example 1 (Continued)

• Note on using BO Hierarchy
• Objects are often available in multiple
  Universes. For example, Employee Effective
  Date is located in both
• HR Employee Administration Universe, Employee
  Class
• HR - EDW Universe, Employee History Class

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Screen
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Metadata Example 2

• Im writing a BO report and noticed an object
  called Customer Account Refund Indicator.
  Where can I find additional information on this
  object?
• Answer
• Access the Search Metadata option from the
  Metadata main page
• Enter Customer Account Refund Indicator in the
  search field

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This field indicates whether an account with a
credit balance will be automatically refunded.
Valid values are Null or 'N' for 'No', 'H' for
hold, and 'Y' for yes. 
Contains a record for each party from which the
University has received payment or to which the
University has billed or will bill charges. An
example of a Customer Account is a Student.
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Metadata Example 3

• Im interested in Student Level. What type of
  Student Level information is available?
• Answer 1
• Search BO Hierarchy for Student Level
• Answer 2
• Access the Search Metadata option from the
  Metadata main page
• Enter Student Level in the search field

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Code for the student level (Undeclared, Graduate
- Urbana, Law - Urbana, Undergrad - Chicago,
etc.).
Description of the student level (Undeclared,
Graduate - Urbana, Law - Urbana, Undergrad -
Chicago, etc.). 
Indicates whether a student level is associated
with Continuing Education (CEU) students or
courses
The date that this record became effective in the
corresponding source system
The date that this record was loaded to the EDW. 
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Future of Metadata
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Future of Metadata

• Your feedback is important!!!
• Decision Support wants feedback on the usefulness
  of the Metadata
• We are striving to make the Metadata
  documentation as valuable as possible to the user
  community
• We are interested in any suggestions about
  additional Metadata resources that would be
  useful to you
• Examples of enhancements based on user feedback
• How to read a data model
• Model printing instructions
• Upcoming enhancements
• Valid value lists
• Database view information

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Contact Information
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Contact DS

• To Report Problems
• I tried to find a piece of Metadata, but the
  results dont make sense to me
• Something unexpected happened in the Metadata
• I received an error message when attempting to
  access the Metadata
• To Suggest Enhancements
• Your input will help us understand how to build a
  more useful Metadata tool

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Contact DS Regarding Metadata

• 1. Create a Clarify Ticket
• Phone the AITS Help Desk
• Chicago [phone]
• Urbana [phone]
• Springfield [phone]
• Email the AITS Help Desk
• helpdesk2_at_uillinois.edu (one address for all 3
  campuses to use)
• If you have access to Clarify,
• Send a Clarify Ticket directly to the Decision
  Support Queuewell take it from there the
  appropriate person will respond.
• 2. Campus Data Stewards
• Nancy Boettger (UIC), 312.996.5055,
  nboettg_at_uillinois.edu
• Korki Whitaker (UIS), 217.206.6325,
  cwhit1_at_uis.edu
• Laura Nelson-Green (UIUC), 217.265.6534,
  nelgreen_at_uillinois.edu
• 3. Use the Contact Us form on the DS Website
• //www.ds.uillinois.edu/contactus_form.asp
• 4. Fill out the Metadata feedback form on the DS
  Website
• //www.ds.uillinois.edu/asptest/projects/metadata/f
  eedback.asp

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Who do I contact with questions about Metadata?

• If you have questions about Metadata, contact
• Heather Hafner
• Requirements Metadata Coordinator
• hhafner_at_uillinois.edu
• 217-265-6542

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Questions?