Avoiding a Mess with Your “Spaghetti” Integrations

 Former netFORUM Client and Technical Lead with CFP Board  Founded Agilutions Consulting in 2005  Focused on implementing and supporting netFORUM based solutions  Extensive experience with the challenges encountered with integrating multiple independent systems to create seamless business processes

 Identify the “Spaghetti” Integrations on our plate  Define a Functional/Integration Map and its uses  Walk through an Education Management Case Study using a Functional/Integration Map  Empower you to untangle your own spaghetti  Disclaimers…

 Stand alone application that provides one or more business functions  3 rd Party or Common Off The Shelf (COTS)  Home Grown Database  Custom Web Application  Imported/Exported Spreadsheet  Premise Based or Hosted (SASS)

 Exchanging of data and sharing a common work flow  Data Synchronization  Types of Integration –Web Services (xWeb) –Direct API calls –Direct SQL Queries –File Import and Export –Manual Dual Entry  Single Sign On –Same Login/Password to access different applications

 A picture can explain a thousand headaches  Maps business functions to applications and identifies the integrations between them  Defines the Source of Record for key data –Primary copy of the data –All changes must be synchronized with the source of record –All other applications need to refer to the source of record to get current state  Potential Tools –PowerPoint, Visio, Whiteboard  Needs a better name – Spaghetti Map?

 Document where core business functions are supported  Identify integration points and data dependencies  Estimate scope, level of effort, and complexity for integrations  Develop requirements for RFPs and conduct vendor selections  Determine short and long-term costs of ownership and maintenance for integrations

 netFORUM as AMS –iWeb for CRM, Events, Membership, Accounting, COE –eWeb for Online Access, Registration, Shopping Cart  Educational Content offered by 3 different Applications –netFORUM Conference Sessions Web Seminars –Custom Education Database Online Courses –Proposed LMS Future Online Courses

 Source of Records –Customers (netFORUM) Customer ID, , Password, Contact Info –Registrations (netFORUM) Register, Cancel –Transactions (netFORUM) Invoices, Payments –Events (Shared by all 3 Applications) Start and End Dates Attendance and Progress Score and Result

 1. List Independent Applications (The Boxes) –Web Applications –Databases –3 rd Party Software  2. Plot Business Functions to Applications (The Circles) –Modules –User Interfaces –Major Data Objects  3. Connect Integration Points (The Lines) –Use Cases –Customer Transactions –Staff SOPs

netFORUMCustom Education DB

 1. List Independent Applications (The Boxes) –Web Applications –Databases –3 rd Party Software  2. Plot Business Functions to Applications (The Circles) –Modules –User Interfaces –Major Data Objects  3. Connect Integration Points (The Lines) –Use Cases –Customer Transactions –Staff SOPs

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Event

 1. List Independent Applications (The Boxes) –Web Applications –Databases –3 rd Party Software  2. Plot Business Functions to Applications (The Circles) –Modules –User Interfaces –Major Data Objects  3. Connect Integration Points (The Lines) –Use Cases and Business Process Workflows –Staff SOPs –Arrows in direction of Application that initiates the call

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration 1. Setup 2. Setup Event 1. Login 2. Registration List 3. Pay 5. Register 4. Add/Update 3. Login 4. Access 5. Launch 3. Launch

 Look for Common Terminology –Customer, Registration, Registrant, Event, Invoice  Follow Foreign Keys –reg_cst_key, reg_evt_key  Open Remote Connections –System Options, Configuration Files (web.config), Database Connections, Triggers –Dedicated Connections  Arm Chair Integration –User Manually logs in and enters information to complete workflow

 Identity Fields –Customer Key, Account Number, Primary –What happens when one of them changes?  Synchronous vs. Asynchronous –How important is it to have the data the same? Real Time?  Document the Data Mapping –Field from Application A maps to Field from Application B

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration 1. Setup 2. Setup Event 3. Configure

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Event 1. Login 2. Register 3. Pay 5. Register 4. Add/Update

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Event 1. Login 2. Registration List 3. Login 4. Access 5. Launch 3. Launch

 Purchase an LMS to develop future Educational Content and formats  Continue to support existing Educational Content and formats  Produce Universal Transcript across all Applications and forms of Educational Content

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Online Course Delivery Proposed LMS Customer Registration Event 1. Login 2. Register 3. Pay 5. Register 4. Add/Update 3. Login 4. Access 5. Launch

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Online Course Delivery Proposed LMS Customer Registration 1. Setup 2. Setup Event 1. Login 2. Registration List 3. Pay 5. Register 4. Add/Update 3. Login 4. Access 5. Launch 3. Login 4. Access 5. Launch 3. Launch

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Online Course Delivery Proposed LMS Customer Registration Event 1. Login 2. Registration List 4. Access 3. Login 4. Access 5. GetStatus 3. GetStatus Universal Transcript 4. GetStatus

Registration Transaction Customer Online Course Delivery Event netFORUM Web Seminar Delivery Conference Delivery Custom Education DB Customer Registration Online Course Delivery Proposed LMS Customer Registration Event 1. Login 2. Registration List 3. Access 3. Login 4. Access 5. GetStatus 3. GetStatus Universal Transcript 5. GetStatus 2. Login

 Simple to make – Powerful to use  Can help document and understand the complexity of your environment  Are only good as they are maintained  Can be as high-level or detailed as you need  Questions?