subject: Creating A Business Information Warehouse [print this page] One of the biggest challenges facing businesses and other organizations these days is to have as much of the enterprise's data available on a real time basis as possible.
This means that executives and other decision makers should be able to access all of the company's information from their computers whenever they need it. Not surprisingly such real time access to data can save a corporation hundreds or thousands or millions of dollars.
Such access can eliminate or reduce the need for expensive office staff. It can also stop the tremendous waste that occurs when several employees spend hours running around looking for a critical piece of information. Individuals can do their jobs rather than search for a needle in a haystack.
The Benefits of Warehousing Business Information
The best way to get such real time access to data is to create a business information warehouse. This is a digital depository that contains all of an organization's files in easy to access electronic form.
The savings from a BW can be tremendous it can eliminate the need to pay for storage of paper files. It can also reduce the need for file clerks and other employees. A company can even eliminate the need for archiving and other forms of off site storage.
It must also be noted that such an information storehouse is the best way to comply with laws such as HIPPA and Sarbanes Oxley. These regulations require businesses to have a lot of paperwork on file in an easy to access form.
Such solutions can allow employees working at home to have access to the same files as their colleagues at the office. This can save money by eliminating the need for additional office space. It can also allow workers in the field to get the info they need without going to the office.
Consultants Can Help
A good way to create such a warehouse is to contact an enterprise software consulting firm. Such a firm can show a company's management how to use existing software such as SAP to create such a warehouse.
More importantly these consultants can show a firm how to use virtual solutions to create a BW and integrate it into the network without adding hardware. This can save an outfit millions and it can be done without disrupting normal operations.
Emergencies
Off site storage solutions can easily be implanted so the data can quickly be accessed in an emergency. This way a corporation can be back up and running even if fire or a tornado destroys its headquarters.
There will be no need to worry about an outfit's paper files being lost. Instead all of the information to resume operations will be available at the push of a button.
In many cases such backup is required by law. If the files aren't available a firm can face serious legal consequences.
Security
The final thing that SAP and other consultants can do is to implement is to create security measures that will keep most data safe. Indeed, an information warehouse could be safer than paper files. There won't files sitting around that can be easily copied or lost.
All the data will be secure in the warehouse which can be protected with the latest security software and encryption. The boss can rest easy knowing that all the info is available and that will be there no matter what befalls the company.
by: Karen Simpson
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