PUTTING REPORTING INTO THE HANDS OF THE DATA OWNERS Make your own d@$% report! A CASE STUDY OF ACCOUNTING DATA

Why Accounting? Known problem area Pre-existing reports Simple starting point to explore options for future, more complex data

Known problem area

Pre-existing reports

Simple starting point to explore options for future, more complex data

In the beginning… (and for a long, long time…) There was paper.

Paper Is Bad, M’Kay? Generated on a fixed schedule at a central location Mailed to extension offices - Out of date by time of receipt Easy to misplace, stain with coffee, etc. Not a usable format for other reporting needs Takes up storage space

Generated on a fixed schedule at a central location

Mailed to extension offices - Out of date by time of receipt

Easy to misplace, stain with coffee, etc.

Not a usable format for other reporting needs

Takes up storage space

A New Age Dawns Microsoft releases Reporting Services as part of SQL Server Web-based, on-demand access Easily exportable to PDF, Excel and other formats Drill-through ability provides detail without searching

Microsoft releases Reporting Services as part of SQL Server

Web-based, on-demand access

Easily exportable to PDF, Excel and other formats

Drill-through ability provides detail without searching

But it is a Cloudy Beginning… Security A user is granted access to specific account codes PI’s on a grant should also see their grant accounts without having to request access Usability Where to put documentation?? Development & Extensibility IT has to create all new reports – requires development time and understanding of data

Security

A user is granted access to specific account codes

PI’s on a grant should also see their grant accounts without having to request access

Usability

Where to put documentation??

Development & Extensibility

IT has to create all new reports – requires development time and understanding of data

Addressing Security What level to add it? RS? DB? SProcs? Granted domain users sproc access Added a function to all stored procedures that matches a user’s access to the requested account codes and strips out any part of the request that is unauthorized Created an application allowing Accounting Services to grant access to users on an account code or account mask

What level to add it? RS? DB? SProcs?

Granted domain users sproc access

Added a function to all stored procedures that matches a user’s access to the requested account codes and strips out any part of the request that is unauthorized

Created an application allowing Accounting Services to grant access to users on an account code or account mask

Usability & The Default Installation No instructions or help Users unsure of their own access Users unsure of some reports’ function/purpose No parameter verification Bad parameter entry = blank report = support phone call No connection to the rest of our intranet Bottom Line: Lots of IT Time providing support for very basic usability issues

No instructions or help

Users unsure of their own access

Users unsure of some reports’ function/purpose

No parameter verification

Bad parameter entry = blank report = support phone call

No connection to the rest of our intranet

Bottom Line: Lots of IT Time providing support for very basic usability issues

The Sun Comes Out! Created a Web Wrapper Application to integrate: Instructions Report descriptions Account access display Parameter verification Connected to our intranet

Created a Web Wrapper Application to integrate:

Instructions

Report descriptions

Account access display

Parameter verification

Connected to our intranet

Adding New Reports to the Wrapper How to add a new report without modifying code? Financial Reports have a standard set of parameters – build a user control for each Use an XML document to define report info Dynamically build parameter entry screen Dynamically load report Add new report by updating XML document

How to add a new report without modifying code?

Financial Reports have a standard set of parameters – build a user control for each

Use an XML document to define report info

Dynamically build parameter entry screen

Dynamically load report

Add new report by updating XML document

A Light Bulb Moment What if I could give users the tools to make their own reports? Enter: Report Builder

What if I could give users the tools to make their own reports?

Enter: Report Builder

Report Builder Overview Uses pre-defined data model to create a user-friendly “view” of data Data Model allows for security/access restrictions Data Model handles common statistical functions Drag and Drop fields and filters to create reports on demand Intelligent grouping and subtotaling is automatic but configurable Create new fields based on calculations - math or text

Uses pre-defined data model to create a user-friendly “view” of data

Data Model allows for security/access restrictions

Data Model handles common statistical functions

Drag and Drop fields and filters to create reports on demand

Intelligent grouping and subtotaling is automatic but configurable

Create new fields based on calculations - math or text

Building the Report Model Add common calculations as fields Give user-friendly names Define relationships between tables Set up common look-up values Define selection type (when field is used as filter) Security Filters are Finicky!!! Not-so-great documentation Bypasses existing security model**

Add common calculations as fields

Give user-friendly names

Define relationships between tables

Set up common look-up values

Define selection type (when field is used as filter)

Security Filters are Finicky!!!

Not-so-great documentation

Bypasses existing security model**

Security Concerns Row-Level security needed to be added Modify security model Can’t use SQL Function with Current User to limit results Can’t match to account masks – must be direct match Enable a security filter by: Exploding security table to a explicit user: explicit account set of records Add filters on sensitive entities based on current user and exploded records

Row-Level security needed to be added

Modify security model

Can’t use SQL Function with Current User to limit results

Can’t match to account masks – must be direct match

Enable a security filter by:

Exploding security table to a explicit user: explicit account set of records

Add filters on sensitive entities based on current user and exploded records

Using the Model in Report Builder Access to the model is granted to Accounting Services and Power Users The data that the model pulls is limited based on the current user’s access Users can create table, matrix or chart report formats Grouping and subtotaling is automatically added based on the order of the fields in a table or matrix

Access to the model is granted to Accounting Services and Power Users

The data that the model pulls is limited based on the current user’s access

Users can create table, matrix or chart report formats

Grouping and subtotaling is automatically added based on the order of the fields in a table or matrix

Publish Reports One-time reports can be discarded Regular reports can be saved to report server Now: IT can add a server report to the wrapper application for all users or for a unit-based group Later: The user will be able to fill out an online form to add the server report to the wrapper application

One-time reports can be discarded

Regular reports can be saved to report server

Now: IT can add a server report to the wrapper application for all users or for a unit-based group

Later: The user will be able to fill out an online form to add the server report to the wrapper application

Lessons Learned Start with the model I created views, sprocs, security tables, etc. for direct data source connections early on All this can be encapsulated in a report model, which can be used for both ad-hoc and tech-designed reports Back up and test every step when working with security filters Spend the time to train or write on-demand help If your data will be consumed by other applications, investigate database row-level security

Start with the model

I created views, sprocs, security tables, etc. for direct data source connections early on

All this can be encapsulated in a report model, which can be used for both ad-hoc and tech-designed reports

Back up and test every step when working with security filters

Spend the time to train or write on-demand help

If your data will be consumed by other applications, investigate database row-level security

Lessons Learned, cont. Determine all access methods early on Direct database querying Report model querying Stored procedures only ??Can report models be built off of stored procedures? If so, can we remove domain user read access from tables??

Determine all access methods early on

Direct database querying

Report model querying

Stored procedures only

??Can report models be built off of stored procedures? If so, can we remove domain user read access from tables??

Questions for Future Growth How do we address the same types of concerns in more diverse fields where parameters are not standard? How do we control the proliferation of new user-generated reports, maintain organization and prevent duplication?

How do we address the same types of concerns in more diverse fields where parameters are not standard?

How do we control the proliferation of new user-generated reports, maintain organization and prevent duplication?

Future Directions In accounting: Projections – state budget or sponsored program budget Different Fiscal Years Historical perspectives Other data areas: Human Resources Grants/Sponsored Programs Research Data Extension Reporting Delivery through MOSS (LSU AgCenter Intranet)

In accounting:

Projections – state budget or sponsored program budget

Different Fiscal Years

Historical perspectives

Other data areas:

Human Resources

Grants/Sponsored Programs

Research Data

Extension Reporting

Delivery through MOSS (LSU AgCenter Intranet)

Contact Sarah Johnston [email_address] (225) 578 - 6311

Sarah Johnston

[email_address]

(225) 578 - 6311