RE: OLAP Reporting Packages with MAPICS

Do you have Mapics Browser?  Have you been on Mapics long in other words how
familiar are your folks with the database layout?

We use Mapics Browser instead of Query/400 in most cases to analyze and
extract data into Excel, etc.  Because we are relatively new to Mapics using
Browser has helped the user community to learn much about their data and how
it is physically related in the database.  This allows them to do many
requests that would normally have been routed to IT.  They came from an HP
system about a year ago so no familiarity with Query/400.  We had a decision
to teach them Query/400 or Browser and have been happy with our choice of
Browser.  Browser cannot do the "pretty" things but allows the data to be
extracted to PC based software that most users can use to do this with
anyway.  In many cases they merely need to see the data anyway so I feel it
helps cut down on paper too.

For summary data, etc. we have used integrator to build new files that they
can also download.  It entails writing some code to create them but puts the
User interface piece all in the user's hands.

Not a "real" report writer but also matches the direction Mapics is going
with client and web apps IMO.

-----Original Message-----
From: Heller, Ed [mailto:eheller@defianceprecision.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2001 9:47 AM
To: mapics-l@midrange.com
Subject: OLAP Reporting Packages with MAPICS


Greetings, All!

I have one of those "general" discussion topics that we all love to hate.

As part of our MAPICS implementation, I've been asked to recommend a
reporting tool to run against the MAPICS databases. By next Monday (yikes!).
I'm assuming that this will most likely wind up being an OLAP tool, due to
their relative speed and capabilities. Our short list is currently Vanguard
Solutions' GPS (pre-mapped to MAPICS, but most likely the highest price of
the batch), Hyperion's Essbase (currently running elsewhere in the
corporation, so the per-seat licensing would be less expensive), and
Microsoft's SQL Server Analysis Services (apparently most bang for the buck,
despite it being from Microsoft). However, I wouldn't have a problem
revisiting some of the other solutions out there, such as Cognos and/or
Oracle Express. Or even shrug and just leave things with plain old
green-screen 400 queries. The two primary areas that will be utilizing the
package are Manufacturing and Finance, with the former probably stressing
the capabilities much more than the latter.

Some of our parameters -- in no particular order -- are as follows . . .

- The chosen package must run (primarily) on a server, rather than the
clients. It will serve five locations, and pumping massive amounts of data
through pipes as small as 384K simply wouldn't be practical.

- Must be able to handle relatively large numbers of records (>500,000 in
the case of shop floor transactions) on demand.

- Should interface efficiently to the AS/400 databases.

- Needs to be cost efficient. The IT Department here reports to Finance, so
you know we'll need to prove any ROI.

- Any client software should be relatively "user friendly." While we may be
willing to dedicate a resource to constructing the data cubes, we would like
to make our users as self-sufficient as possible when creating/modifying
reports with a minimum of training. In some cases, this could possibly be
accomplished by an export to Excel. And, to anticipate a possible question,
I'd consider software such as Crystal reports or R&R Report Writer
sufficiently user friendly.

- In all likelihood, we'd support giving the chosen tool its own server to
run on. The only qualification on that might be for AS/400 products; it
might be difficult to justify a dedicated 400.

I'm certain I've left out a requirement or two, but such is life; feel free
to point out my omission. So, if any of you have experience using such tools
such as these, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks!

Ed

=============================
Edward B. Heller
IS Manager
Defiance Precision Products
419-782-8955 x496
eheller@defianceprecision.com
=============================


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