What is data quality?Within SAP, data quality is defined as postal validation, duplicate checking, and error tolerant searching. Postal Validation enhances address information by comparing data against address directories provided from local postal authorities around the world. Duplicate Check avoids duplicate entries by scanning the database for potential duplicates before new customer data is committed to the database. Finally, Error Tolerant Searching provides flexibility by giving users the ability to conveniently search their SAP system for business information as required. Involvement of a data quality initiative helps you maintain a reliable source of information for all departments within your own organization while simultaneously maximizing interactions with your vendors, customers, and business partners.
When and where should I integrate data quality into my SAP Suite of applications or other projects in my enterprise?Data quality should be integrated any place where data is entered, loaded, processed, or updated. Data quality should be built into the beginning phases of all Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, and Business Intelligence projects. Too many projects focus on data quality as an afterthought, at the back-end of a data repository or when a project has failed. By not incorporating data quality measures at every customer touch point, on both front and back-end operations, the cost of cleansing the data dramatically increases as well as how long the cleansing process takes to complete.
Can I integrate a data quality solution within other software applications?Data quality solutions can be fully integrated into CRM, ETL (Extract Transform Load), ERP, or BI solutions and have the advantage of being "seamless" to the end user - reducing the learning curve, as well as decreasing the implementation timeframes. Your data process flow should not have to be modified to add a new data quality solution. Through integration and strategic partnerships you are assured that you are getting a best-of-breed solution. However, keep in mind it is not absolutely necessary for the solution to be fully integrated. Firstlogic also provides tools that your organization can easily integrate on your own, and oftentimes stand-alone solutions may be more effective for specific projects.
Will Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector for SAP manage my international data?Yes. Built on a global framework capable of validating address information for over 190 countries in a single processing pass, Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector for SAP allows you to identify country names, format and standardize addresses, correct missing address information, and assign postal codes for each respective country. Furthermore, Firstlogic's Easy IQ technology offers the ability to complete/populate addresses with minimal data or offer suggestions for possible matches. This easy address system is ideal in call centers or any transactional environment where data needs to be cleansed at the point-of-entry. The software improves real-time transactions for your call centers, sales, and support centers by providing accurate address data for your customer facing employees.
How easy is it to maintain Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector for SAP after implementation?Ongoing maintenance should be minimal. Once the solution is implemented and configured, typically maintenance will only be required when you receive postal directory updates, upgrade to a new data quality release, or decide to change your application or business rules.
What are the benefits of a data quality solution?The biggest benefit is the confidence you have that your data is accurate. A data quality solution also allows you to:
Manage customer data in different formats initially residing in separate databases
Build and maintain successful relationships
Better understand and service your customers
Enhance knowledge management and business intelligence initiatives with reliable and accurate information
Deliver clean, reliable data throughout your expanding information supply chains to all varieties of operational and analytical applications throughout your enterprise
How does Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector for SAP Systems work?Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector is integrated at the BASIS layer and communicates with the SAP Applications via TCP/IP leveraging SAP's Remote Function Call (RFC) interface. As users make postal validation inquiries in either batch or real-time, calls are made outside of the SAP Application to Firstlogic's RFC Server. Once the customer's address has been received by Firstlogic's technology, our Information Quality Suite parses, standardizes, and corrects records according to configurable business rules and local postal authority standards. To ensure your customer view is optimized, Firstlogic's technology catches duplicates at the point of entry; not after redundant information has infected your SAP Environment. Before any customer, vendor, or business partner is committed to the database, Firstlogic's Information Quality suite will immediately inspect the data upon input. The connector scans the entire database for duplicates and assigns a similarity match score to potential duplicates. At that point, the user can determine whether the entered record is unique or a duplicate that should be eliminated from the system. In addition, convenient Error Tolerant Searching is available for prompt and precise address recognition. This improves transaction processing, saves time locating records, and optimizes system efficiency.
Explain the architecture of Firstlogic's Global Data Quality Connector for SAP Systems.Integrated at the BASIS/WAS layer, Firstlogic has developed Business Add-Ins (BAdI's) that can be leveraged with a single instantiation; allowing for all SAP modules that utilize SAP's Business Address Services framework to leverage the compelling advantages of Firstlogic technology. Furthermore, Firstlogic's Information Quality Suite has been developed as a Remote Function Call (RFC) Server: the most common integration component of SAP software. Utilizing SAP's RFC interface, SAP makes calls to Firstlogic technology for address check, updates, duplicate checks, and error tolerant searches.