Enterprise Data Access Path Selection Tool
The University of Minnesota's Enterprise Data is made available through multiple different reporting and analytics tools, warehouses, systems of records, and via system to system integration. This Enterprise Data Access Path Selection tool will help you determine the best locations to access enterprise data based on your unique business needs. Use the tool for one business use case at a time, reseting the answers to the questions for each business need.
How to use
- Answer the questions in Step 1: Identify Your Needs.
- Use the + toggle feature for an explanation of each question.
- Select the Enterprise Data Access Paths that you would like to compare in Step 2 and choose Compare Selections.
- Compare details about each Enterprise Data Access Path in Step 3 to determine which best meets your business needs.
- Email the results in Step 4 by selecting the box for Myself.
For more information on Enterprise Data, visit the Enterprise Data: Overview to Working with University Data Self-Help Guide.
Step 1
Identify Your Needs
Your answers will exclude unsuitable options.
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Do you need access to data subject to legal regulations?
If multiple regulations apply to your data, select the most restrictive option. Determine the security requirements of the data you need.
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Select the appropriate University Data Classification for the data you need access to.
If multiple data classifications apply, select the most restrictive option.
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Select which business data area you would like access to.
If you need data from more than one area, complete this process for each data area needed. For Common Person data, select either Human Resources or Student Data. -
When does the data need to be as of?
For operational needs, real-time or near real-time data may be needed. For most reporting and analytics purposes, daily and semester-based data will suffice. -
How do you plan to deliver the data to others?
The destination/audience of the data might inform the approval of access to data. See: Sharing Data with Audiences External to the University; Sharing Data with Audiences Internal to the University
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How do you need/prefer to be able to interact with the data?
Most data users will be able to find what they need through delivered reports and dashboards. Data/business/systems analysts may need more advanced and direct access to data.
Step 2
Select Options
Select the options you would like to compare and details will display at the bottom of the screen. Select Compare Selections to jump to the details.
Step 3
Compare Selections
0 option(s) selected
| MyU Reporting Center | IR Office Sites | Research Reporting Center | UM Analytics | Legacy Data Warehouse | PeopleSoft | Enterprise Integration | Custom Data Request | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Description |
The MyU Reporting Center is a catalog of pre-built, self-service operational reports and analytical dashboards that utilize enterprise data and are available for broad use to most University employees. Reports are cataloged by data type: Finance, Human Resources, Physical Asset Management, Research (Administrative), and Student. Within the catalog, navigate to the data area selected in this tool to find matching reports. Resource: MyU Reporting Center QuickStart Guide. |
Institutional research offices on each campus are responsible for publishing campus-specific and/or systemwide official point-in-time data sets (often based on an academic term) made available to the external public. This data is considered static, and used for official reporting, such as official student enrollment and faculty and staff headcounts. | The Research Reporting Center contains reports related to sponsored projects (e.g. proposals, awards) and compliance (e.g. research education, project payroll), as well as periodic published reports and surveys (e.g. Research Statistics, HERD surveys). | Build interactive analyses, dashboards, and visualizations using governed data built and modeled in the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW). | The Legacy Data Warehouse (LDW) is a collection of enterprise data tables organized by subject area, accessible via direct query tools. | PeopleSoft is the system of record for Finance (PeopleSoft FS), Student (PeopleSoft CS), and Human Resources (PeopleSoft HR) enterprise data. Access to data in PeopleSoft is restricted to specific business needs and made available through Query Manager, Query Viewer, and direct query tools. |
Integrate near-real time enterprise data into a system or application via a collection of uniform and governed common good datasets (Common Good APIs). The University's centrally-supported integration platform is Boomi. |
Consult with a data expert or request a custom data set. |
| Preferred Access Method | Preferred | Preferred | Preferred | Preferred | Limited | Restricted - Primarily Central Data Units Only | Preferred | As Needed |
| Data As Of | Varies; primarily Data Refreshed Once Nightly | Official Point in Time (e.g. semester or annual) | Varies; primarily Data Refreshed Once Nightly or Weekly | Data Refreshed Once Nightly | Data Refreshed Once Nightly | Real Time Data | Near-Real Time Data | Not Applicable |
| Access Availability |
Access to the MyU Reporting Center is dynamically provisioned to most University employees. Reports/dashboards within the catalog have additional sercurity settings. Use the MyU Reporting Center Access Request Form to request permission to restricted reports/dashboards |
These are publically available websites. | Access to the Research Reporting Center is broadly available to most University employees. Access to specific content is customized to each user based on business need. | Access to run reports delivered in UM Analytics is broadly available to most University employees through the MyU Reporting Center Catalog. Access to build reports in UM Analytics is restricted to those with a business need and must be requested. | Access to the LDW is restricted to those with a business need and must be manually requested. | Access to enterprise data in PeopleSoft is generally restricted to central units or those with a specific business need for data that is only available in PeopleSoft. | The ability to use Boomi to faciliate system integrations requires training and a developer account. Separately, each integration to enterprise data needs to go through a data custodian approval process in order to grant the system access to the data. | Not Applicable |
| Data Governance | Most reports/dashboards on the MyU Reporting Center utilize data governed through the University's Enterprise Data Governance Program. All have accompanying help documentation that describe data classification, data definitions, and important information about the report/dashboard. | Most reports/dashboards on University of Minnesota Institutional Research websites utilize data governed through the University's Enterprise Data Governance Program, but may also include data definitions from external regulations (e.g. FERPA) or surveys (e.g. Post-Graduation Survey). Some dashboards have accompanying data definitions. | The Research Reporting Center surfaces mostly ungoverned data sourced from the Legacy Data Warehouse (LDW) and enterprise research systems (e.g. MN-GEMS). | Most data in the EDW, and reports/dashboards published using that data in UM Analytics, are governed through the University's Enterprise Data Governance Program. |
Most data in the LDW is not governed. The Legacy Data Warehouse Data Dictionary provides table information and column/field definitions if applicable. Note: The LDW Data Dictionary is not reviewed or updated for accuracy. |
Data in PeopleSoft are governed by different governance processes based on the business need. Data that leaves PeopleSoft into another enterprise data system (e.g. warehouses, reporting/analytics systems) is governed by the University's Data Governance Program. | The University's library of Common Good APIs, which is a collection of frequently used and requested datasets, have been governred by the University's Enterprise Data Governance Program. Custom data integrations will require data governance processes before implementation. | Not Applicable |
| Potential Use Cases | Reports/dashboards on the MyU Reporting Center will meet most of the the operational and analytical business needs for enterprise data. All users of enterprise data should start with the MyU Reporting Center before looking at other data sources. | Use for official, point-in-time data. | Individuals who need information on administrative sponsored awards, research expenditures, proposals, etc. Includes historical information. | Individuals who need to create ad hoc analyses, dashboards, and visualizations built on the EDW on behalf of a campus, college, or unit. | Individuals who need to directly query data organized in a relational structure. | Individuals in central units who support data processes for the Finance, Human Resources, and Student data areas. Individuals in colleges/units may also have unique and specific business needs that would require limited access to PeopleSoft data. | Individuals in colleges/units supporting systems with a business need to integrate with near-real time, governed enterprise data. | Consult with a data expert to determine the best path forward based on your business need. |
| Also Known As | Reporting Center | Crookston: Institutional Effectiveness, Duluth: Office of Institutional Research, Morris: Enrollment Management & Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Rochester, Twin Cities, and Systemwide: Institutional Data & Research | RIO Reporting Center | EDW | LDW, DWE, Data Warehouse | PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, PeopleSoft Financials (EFS) FSPRT, PSSNAP, PS Query Manager, PeopleSoft Human Resources Management System (HRMS) | Boomi Integration, Common Data Layer (CDL), Common Good APIs | Not Applicable |
| Website | Reporting Center (Navigation path: MyU > Key Links > Reporting Center) | Crookston: Institutional Effectiveness, Duluth: Office of Institutional Research, Morris: Enrollment Management & Institutional Effectiveness and Research, Twin Cities/Systemwide: Institutional Data and Research | Research Reporting Center | Technology Help: UM Analytics | Technology Help: Legacy Data Warehouse | PeopleSoft Financials (EFS);PeopleSoft Human Resources Management System (HRMS);PeopleSoft Campus Solutions (CS) | Technology Help: Technology Integration | Not Applicable |
| Request Access | MyU Reporting Center Access Request Form (use to request access to the MyU Reporting Center itself, as well as various restrcited report types, e.g. Private Student or Private HR). | These are publically available websites. | Access to the Research Reporting Center is dynamic only and cannot be requested. | UM Analytics ARF | Data Warehouse ARF | Individuals in colleges/units who have a business need to access data directly in PeopleSoft should consult with the data team for the data area needed. See: Contact Info | Get Access to Common Good APIs | Not Applicable |
| Contact Info | [email protected] | Contact information is provided on each IR website. | [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] | Finance Data: [email protected] HR Data: [email protected] Student Data: [email protected] | [email protected] | Enterprise Data Pillar contact information |
Step 4
Request Help or Save Your Results
Note: There is currently a page formatting issue resulting in an extra checkbox below. Be sure to select the box for 'Myself.'