Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/50188
YOUR INFORMATION IS IN THE CLOUD … NOW WHAT? over more resource-intensive approaches, including log shipping, scripts and other custom code. To further streamline internal information management, we have developed a centralized master data directory (MDD) within the firm. This houses operational information (like client, matter, user and group data) commonly consumed and updated by various firm business applications. This approach eliminates the "spaghetti" model, where multiple systems store information individually and custom scripts ferry data among a confusing sea of overlapping pathways. Instead, we have a single database that is the repository of records for all dependent systems. Integrating the Cloud We leveraged Integration Builder to transfer Workday data into our internal systems via its Web services functionality, and to parse objects into their component parts for input into our MDD. For example, from a single Workday employee object, we parse school history, job title, emergency contacts and other general information into the MDD. Our SOAP requests invoke standard services made available by Workday to retrieve and update employee information. Integration Builder then processes the response XML, parses through it and pushes the information via SQL commands to our local, on-premises SQL-based MDD. It also provides us with consolidated logs and notifications for all of our data movements, whether they are originating in the cloud or on-premises. For our IT organization, this gives us a "best of both worlds" situation. We get the access and ease of an on- premises application with the low overhead of a cloud- based application. ROI and Benefits Our existing experience updating our integration architecture greatly aided in accelerating our efforts when it came time to tie in a cloud system. We had allocated 180 hours, including consultant time for the HR integration project. But it quickly became apparent that we had the skills, time, architecture and tools to "insource" this project ourselves. Because we had an MDD in place and a data integration toolset, which abstracted out the really technical details and did most of the heavy lifting, we were able to proceed quickly without having to develop and test custom code. In the end, it required approximately 40 hours to integrate the new HR system. This saved us 140 hours and a considerable amount of money (about $40,000). Moreover, it helped us complete a major product implementation project well under budgeted time and cost. And, on a strategic level, our experience integrating a significant cloud application has given us the comfort, confidence and skills to explore other opportunities. As more cloud-based software solutions come on the market, we know that as long as the vendor embraces an "open data" approach to providing standards-compliant API access, we can tie their systems into our existing business environment in a quick and straightforward manner. ILTA www.iltanet.org Tech Potpourri 49