Panduit Corp.

1. Panduit Corp. Business Objects Deployment – How Can BOBJ Help Run an Organization Presented By Mike Kimbrell

2. Facts about Panduit • Electrical/Data Communication Manufacturer • Offices in 50 countries • B2B • Oracle Applications • Business Objects is the standard reporting application

3. Timeline • 2002/3 = <100 users, all client reports, ZABO v5.x (+v), Named • 2004 = <500 users, all client reports, ZABO v6.1a (+v), Named • 2006 = 500+ users, all client reports, ZABO vXIR2, CPU Licensed • 2008 = 1200 users, primarily WebI reports, WebI

4. Interface Folder/Sub-Folder Structure Highest level folders are for the business area Sub-folders for geographical/logical breakdown Lowest sub-folder for lowest level of detail

5. Security Setup: Each user has their own acct. Each user is assigned to a group(s) Each report is assigned to a folder Each group is given access to appropriate folders Individuals may have row and object level security

6. Security Report 1 Report 2 Group 1 Folder 1 Report 3 Group 2 Report 4 Folder 2 Group 3 Report 5 User: AAA Group 4 Report 6 Folder 3 Group 5 Report 7 Report 8 Group 6 Report 9 Group 7 Folder 4 Report A Group 8 Report B Net Security for User = AAA is Reports 1, 3 & 4

7. Business User Options • Can access reports their group has access to • Can view/print/export/send reports • Can copy reports to their own documents • Uses WebI in ‘Interactive’ mode to customize the standard report • Can schedule their own reports • Can not schedule corporate documents • Can not alter corporate documents • Can not load new documents to corporate documents

8. Document/Deployment of Documents • Types of documents • Scheduled: Daily/Weekly/Monthly/Periodic • Ad-Hoc • Static (e.g. PDF, XLS) • Deployment • Scheduled reports accessed from ‘History’ in InfoView • Ad-Hoc reports accessed from InfoView • PDF’s accessed from InfoView • PDF or XLS files distributed via MS Outlook from scheduled jobs to individual business users

9. Data Sources • Oracle data warehouse(s) • Point of Purchase Sales • Point of Sale Sales • SPA (Special Pricing Agreements) • Oracle applications/other transactional tables • Order to Cash (sales) • Demand to Build (manufacturing/warehouse) • Financial (e.g. G/L, A/P, A/R, F/A) • Human Resources/Payroll/Capacity Planning • Service (C/S, Problem Tracking) • CRM • Catalog • Project Management • Dashboards/Corporate • Noetix views • MS Excel • MS Access • MS Access using MS Excel files as external data sources

10. Business areas that use BOBJ for reporting • A/P • A/R • Budgeting/BVA • Capacity planning • Construction • Accounting • Costing • Gov. reporting • Dashboards • Logistics • Materials • Credit • CRM • Project Management • Customer Service • Warehouses • Manufacturing • Asset Management • Sales • IT • Marketing • Scrap • Catalog • Pricing • Problem Tracking • Quality • Tool tracking

11. Business Structure Panduit is structured to allow the business units the most flexibility to deploy and manage their best practices and processes with minimal IT intervention while ensuring system and security integrity. Primary System Owner (PSO) is the owner of the Business Area New User Request for Access PSO Approves & defines access and security Admin does setup then notifies PSO to validate and notify requestor IT Admin PSO PSO Approves Report Promote PSO’s Report Developer Request to promote Process: The requestor send the request to the PSO who approves/rejects and defines what is to be done (e.g. security for users and new reports). The IT Admin performs the setup and notifies the PSO, conforming to set standards. The PSO validates the IT Admin’s setup and notifies the requestor when they are satisfied. New Report Creates the report

12. Nightly Document Refresh (Daily/Weekly/Monthly) Panduit nightly refreshing of reports is conducted in groups to limit the impact on the databases and system itself. Events are utilized to start the processing after the data warehouse has completed its daily refresh and then subsequent events start each section. Non-Data Warehouse reports start at specific time.

13. Document Delivery Panduit has several methods to deliver reports to the end viewer. The majority of system users have access to the system continually but not all have the time to access it. An example is district sales managers can connect to the system from any Internet connection but generally find it easier to see PDF versions of reports in their Outlook email inbox. Here are a couple ways reports are distributed • WebI reports viewed in InfoView • DeskI reports viewed in InfoView • DeskI reports viewed in client • Reports viewed in InfoView as PDF • Reports stored as PDF or XLS viewed from InfoView • Reports viewed from Outlook in PDF or XLS • Dashboard Manager

14. Dashboard Manager Panduit started using Dashboard Manager (Application Foundation) in 2003 to deliver its corporate metrics and associated reporting. It was utilized through the v5 and v6 deployments and will be used in the XI deployment upon the completion of a new dashboard project.

15. Sales Analytics The original Business Intelligence project was to create a point of purchase sales data warehouse with reporting and ad-hoc query capabilities. In 2003 Business Objects Sales Analytics was purchased and implemented. Over the past 5 years the reporting has been replaced but the core data structures are still in place. A brief overview of the evolution of the Sales Analytics objects. Initial Deployment Adding our reporting Adding to structures Transforming SA Current Reports Sales Analytics data structure Sales Analytics data structure Sales Analytics data structure New New Sales Analytics data structure New Sales Analytics data structure Sales Analytics reports Sales Analytics reports Sales Analytics reports Sales Analytics reports Modifications Panduit Reporting Panduit Reporting Panduit Reporting Panduit Reporting

16. Transactional Reporting Since 2003/4 Business Objects has also been leveraged to be the standard reporting platform for our transactional systems. These systems range from Mainframe to Oracle applications. This has been accomplished in these manners Mainframe MS Excel Files Data Warehouse Oracle Applications v5 & 6 vXI Mainframe Tables MS Excel File MS Excel File Oracle Tables Oracle Tables ODBC BOBJ FC MS Access Linked Source Oracle Client Connection Oracle Client Connection BOBJ Universe End User BOBJ Universe BOBJ Universe BOBJ Universe End User End User End User End User

17. Oracle Transactional Reporting – In Depth Oracle applications reporting is possible but you have to dig. Transactional reporting against Oracle applications requires a lot of research plus trial and error, but can be achieved. RDT’s can be found on the BOBJ web site to give you a jump start. Lessons Learned Customization makes life harder Don’t use Noetix views Metalink is a great resource Developers can help Sometimes you need views Sometimes you need summary tables Don’t slow the Oracle system down BOBJ isn’t a COBOL program Have the users verify the results many times Watch out for Oracle patching and new releases Trial and Error BOB Site BOBJ RDT’s BOBJ Universe For Oracle Applications Reverse Engineer Oracle Forms Oracle Metalink Reverse Engineer Views Oracle Documentation Ask a Developer

18. Business Intelligence Roadmap Business Objects is the best tool on the market, be an advocate of change. What I have done for 6 years at Panduit is to fill the immediate need of the business unit. Once you have proven reliability and proved success to them, see what the next level of needs are and fill them. Typically you can absorb other new areas or existing applications to consolidate their user experience to one platform and one ‘look and feel’. The critical success factor is you have to prove its easier and give them control. The business unit typical wants to deliver their information to a set of end users in a specific manner for them to perform a specific action. By making them the owner and let them dictate all these factors (and even create their own reports) they have a vested interest in the success. Keys to Success Prove reliability Prove needs are met Give the business unit control of their data Show what can be achieved Listen to the pain points and show how to fix Expand to meet all their needs Show the savings they can achieved by taking IT out of the report creation flow Expansion across connected systems Proper level of training delivered timely Access the system from the Internet Tune for faster response times Stay current with BOBJ functionality Constant follow-up Support, but don’t be a pest

19. Training Training needs to be tailored to the individual and needs to be timely. Too much, too little and un-timely training are all factors in a bad user experience. Systems persons typically require specific system training, but the general user is better suited for a train-the-trainer approach. At Panduit a new user has the option of a CBT, Manual or hand-on style depending on their learning preference. The business units will typically then give an additional training class on the use of their reports.

20. BOB Site The best location I have found for support is the BOB site. BOB is a web site you can view/post discussions on just about any topic you may have related to BOBJ. Typically if you run into a problem you can perform a search and find multiple hits for it. A solution is typically found in one of these hits, or at minimum get you close. If you don’t find a solution you can post a new topic and you will probably get replies fairly quickly. Try to include as much information about the issue and also include the version of software and any other pertinent information. Check back often as follow-up questions are generally asked that need your reply. It also contains general discussions about BOBJ, including information about users groups such as ours. The web site is: http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/index.php

21. Questions