When I joined TBMA Team, I have noticed for monthly financial processing cycle there were approximately 60+ files processed, and fewer automated and mostly of them are semi-automated or manually processed based on the complexity of data being received from source of truth. Team spends huge quality of time on preparing the files in the required format to load. Sometimes the format of data is lost due to file type like leading zeros will be missed when we directly open csv files and started formatting and loaded into system it is difficult to back trace and fix it. Small issue can create big impact.
Hence, thought of standardized the file processing steps end to end. Once the files are posted in the intended path it should automatically ingested into Apptio on scheduled period, then all the data cleanup activities like formatting, renaming, filtering, manipulating etc., should be handled within Apptio. So that we can ensure the data integrity and accuracy to business.
Apptio Datalink helped to feed the data automatically into Apptio, even for data sourced through on-prem also configured in Datalink connectors and enabled email notification to the recipient and transformation pipeline steps helps to perform cleanup activities.
Features that help TBMA's
- File naming conversion: File pattern changed over time (either prefix or suffix) is quite challenging task in any product. Apptio DC over comes such concerns.
- Detailed error message of connector failure helps to do self service
- Run at a time: Option enabled for Grouping connectors helps to load multiple data at a time
Once the data feed into System, the crucial part is to ensure the expected dollars are projected in Apptio and data visualization improves data reliability. Even they are plenty of reports made available to business, out of box reports are required to do faster analysis and decision making.
It can be archived by two ways within Apptio, those are model report and Apptio BI features. which I explored through documentation in community site and found more useful and interesting.
Model Reports: Created the customized model report to have more insight on data. Example, as an application owner if they want to know which IT Resource Tower supports his/her applications from which tier the cost further supported and what are all the business units supporting this Application and so on.
Apptio BI Reports: Another interesting dynamic visualization reports can be created in Apptio BI. It helps to build personalized reports from various data sources to make better data driven decision and to track performance. Reports includes tables, charts and KPI's.
Educated end users and Finance on report usage and benefits. IT Finance and Business are able to correlate the numbers and perform analysis. Moreover, these reports are more user friendly and self-serviceable.
Lesson Learned:
- Learned how to effectively build reports, models on business needs and automation of end-to-end data sources to ensure data quality.
- How the Transformation and Modeling are built and crucial for driving business logics, data flow and allocation strategies
- Good understanding of Apptio products, cost optimization and strategical thinking.
- Explored Apptio BI Features (Data range, comparison, calculated metric, Filters, charts and KPI's), usage and benefits by creating multiple reports and visualization
@Debbie Hagen@Clifford Bird
@Jennifer Yong
@Sridhar Rajendran
#ApptioforAll#Datalink#ApptioBI#ACE