-
Immediately after contract signing, we will schedule an
onsite consultation visit that will put everyone on the
same page for implementation. We will do many
things during this visit that will help ensure that the
entire implementation process goes smoothly and that you
have thought about things that need to be done before we
come onsite to install (or if at an ASP, before we
install there). Here are just a few things that we
will do during the visit (varies greatly by client)...
-
Organizational
Structure: The org structure is one of the
most important components of DataPipe that gives it
its flexibility and power. We allow DataPipe to
mimic the structure of your organization when defining
data. In doing this, your data has meaning and
integrity. so, if you have facilities and
departments and another organization has plants and
that splits up into building and waste centers, then
each of you can have your own pre-defined org
structure. Now your data goes into the system
YOUR WAY. This allows for smarter reporting and
validated data entry. For more on this important
and unique feature to DataPipe see our info on
Org Structures.
-
IT Team
Meeting: During this meeting we will go over
your network infrastructure and make sure that you
have what is needed in place. We will discuss
how the installation will proceed and walk through the
general process.
-
End User
Team Meeting: We will meet with your end users
to go over any final discussions that need to be made.
This includes decisions about the following bulleted
items.
-
Code
Tables: Some decision needs to be made about
certain code tables. every organization has its
own set of codes that it uses for recording types of
data. These code tables will need to be loaded
into the DataPipe system.
-
Personnel
Data and Other Feeds: How will you update your
employee info as people enter and leave the company
and their status changes? Typically customers
integrate their HR database with DataPipe and create a
data exchange feed either nightly, or weekly.
This is very common and needs to be considered so that
all your employee info is up-to-date.
-
Legacy
Data and Data Conversions: See below
-
While in parallel with the server preparation, our team
here at Knorr Associates will begin to build your custom
system based on the modules you selected and the
concurrent users you licensed. This typically
takes under three weeks (varies by client system).
-
Next a
series of documents and files will be sent to your IT
team to help them prepare your server for installation
of DataPipe. If you are running DataPipe on an ASP
outside your own network then this wont be necessary.
If you do not have an IT team, then we can certainly act
as your IT support during installation. How ever
much you want us involved in the installation process is
your call.
-
Again, while in parallel, you will want to think about
how to gain access to any legacy data from old systems
that you want to bring into DataPipe once it is online.
You will want to download this legacy data to a flat
file (CSV or excel will do). Before bringing data
into DataPipe we want to be sure that fields from the
old data set are mapped to the correct fields in
DataPipe. Then we can do an upload.
Installation and Training
A joint Knorr Associates/customer team typically installs
DataPipe systems. This can typically be done in a day.
If your network infrastructure allows for it and your IT
team sets this up, we can also install remotely without
ever coming on site. Installation usually includes initial
System Administrator (SA) training. DataPipe SAs are
people who will typically maintain the system by adding
new users to the security module and providing access for
users to the database, patching any updates and otherwise
generally supporting their system Users. SA training is
typically followed by two to three days of onsite training
for a core group of users. Hands-on access to the system,
PowerPoint presentations and handout materials are
utilized in the training process. Source materials for the
PowerPoint presentations and handout materials are
available to the customers who want to do their own
training, or Knorr Associates Inc. can conduct training
classes at locations and dates chosen by the customer. We
provide DataPipe installation and training throughout the
world.
In addition to the training materials, DataPipe
documentation consists of on-line, cross-referenced
manuals – with many “screen shots” and examples – for
System Administrators, DataPipe End Users, and users of
the DataPipe Form Designer.
Legacy Data and Data
Conversion
Conversion of
existing data to DataPipe, whether it comes from a
customer’s current database system, Microsoft Excel or
Access files, or a data collection instrument, is a
service we offer or we can show you how to do it too. Some
customers choose to do this themselves utilizing tools
provided in DataPipe and other applications. However data
conversion is rarely a matter of just taking a file and
importing it. Fields need to also be mapped
correctly so that the data goes to the correct location
within the system.
Our
experience in this is extensive. Knorr Associates
was founded in 1979 to interface small computers to EH&S
instruments. We have considerable experience in data
importing and conversions and can help you with a one time
import or an ongoing data feed from an HR database or
other data sources.
Someone
knowledgeable in the content, the customer’s subject
matter experts (SMEs), must be involved in the process to
make decisions about what data in the old system(s) are to
go where in the new system. Individual data fields may
need to be re-formatted, split apart, combined or
otherwise manipulated before they can be inserted into the
new system. A conversion should be viewed as an
opportunity to make needed changes to processes as well as
data, perhaps not simply continuing in “the way we’ve
always done it.” In an integrated data system converging
many different kinds of EH&S information, things will be
changing, if only by allowing integration of information
formerly maintained in separate, unconnected systems.
The schema –
database fields, etc. – of a DataPipe system can be
provided to the customer in several formats. Typically an
ER model of the entire database is provided initially and
also at every system update. Simple field-to-field
mappings may allow directly importing the old data into
appropriate locations in the new system. More complex
processing on the data may require one-off programs to do
the necessary manipulations on the data as part of
importing it into the new system.
Nearly every
customer deals with data conversion issues; it is
something we are accustomed to, and we work towards a
solution that meets the customer’s needs. Please
contact us if you would like to
discuss this or any other implementation issue.
