BI360

Data Warehouse
Configuration & Integration Overview
Agenda
• BI360 Solution Overview
• Data Warehousing Concepts
• BI360 Data Warehouse
Components
Modules
Dimensions
Integration Options/Features
• Getting Started: Next Steps
 BI360 Components
BI360 Solution Components
 BI360 Components
BI360 Solution Components
Data Warehouse:
• SQL Server database, hosted in Azure
• Combines data from diverse sources for analysis
• Optimized for reporting (star schema data model)

Integrations:
• Tools for mapping and extracting data from external sources to BI360.
• Options include:
 Cloud connectors – Import data from cloud data providors using connectors available through our
Marketplace.
 SQL connector – Import data from a SQL server database hosted in Azure
 CSV File Import – load data from a CSV file as a one time event (mapping is reusable).
 BI360 Gateway – Configure and schedule recurring data loads from SQL server databases or CSV files
located on prem. Requires installation of BI360 Gateway application on prem.
Data Warehousing Overview
BI360DW utilizes a Star Schema data model, a popular
design paradigm used in data warehousing featuring
two main table types:

• Fact Tables – store frequently changing,

transactional or event driven data (e.g. sales
orders, inventory movements, A/P invoices,
etc.)

• Dimension tables – consist of less volatile data

used for summarizing and categorizing fact data
(e.g. customers, products, SKU’s, etc.)
A Classic Example…
 BI360 Components
Fact Tables
The level of detail (aka “granularity”) in fact tables can vary depending on the nature of the data
source and reporting requirements.
We typically see two types of fact data sources:

Transactional
o Each record represents a specific event or transaction
o E.g. Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, AR Invoices
o Records occur at specific dates/times
o Use a transaction ID (document number, sales order number, etc.) to establish uniqueness

Snapshot
o Each record represents an aggregate value at a point in time
o E.g. inventory stock levels, GL account balances
o Occur at regular intervals (e.g. month end)
o No transaction ID – combination of dimension columns establish uniqueness
 BI360DW
Sample Fact Table (GL Month-end Balances)
 BI360DW
Sample Dimension Table (Natural Accounts)
BI360 Data Warehouse Components
• Modules
• Dimensions
• Integrations
 BI360 Components
BI360 Data Warehouse Modules
A BI360 Module is the equivalent of the
fact table in a Star Schema data model

• Modules can be added from the Configuration

menu or during integration setup
• Examples:
o General Ledger (balances or transactions)
o Sales Orders
o Accounts Receivable Invoices
o Accounts Payable Invoices
o Payroll Transactions
o Fixed Asset Transactions
 BI360 Components
BI360 Data Warehouse Dimensions
Dimensions are metadata tables that are
linked to modules to provide options for
summarizing, analyzing, grouping and
sorting of module data.

• Dimension tables can be added from the

Configuration menu or during integration
setup
• Dimensions can be shared across modules
• Examples:
o Accounts
o Departments
o Customers
o Vendors
o Products
o Employees
o Projects
 BI360 Components
Data Menu (Integration) Options
Integrations:
• Configure a connection to a data source (e.g. cloud provider,
on prem files or databases)
• Map objects in your data source to destination tables in BI360
Rules:
• Stored procedures for maintenance or data cleanup tasks
(example: currency conversion)
• Can be run on demand or as a scheduled event
Jobs:
• Schedule integrations and/or rules to run at regular intervals
• Include option to send email notification when jobs complete
Event Log:
• See when Integrations, Jobs and Rules were started and
completed
• View error messages
 BI360 Components
Data Warehouse Configuration…Getting Started
When configuring a new BI360 data warehouse, we
typically go in the following order…

1. Define the Period dimension using Period

Configuration

2. Add Integrations and Jobs using the Data menu

3. Add or modify modules or dimensions under the

Configuration menu (optional)

4. Configure FX conversion options under the Currency

menu (optional)
Thank you for watching…