Proven Methods to Drive Effective TrackWise Integration

Proven Methods to Drive Effective TrackWise Integration
Blake Deakin
Manager, Services Center of Excellence
Sparta Systems, Inc.
Carl Ning
Senior Solutions Consultant
Sparta Systems, Inc.
Agenda
 Introduction
 Definitions and Use Cases
 Technical Approaches
 The Integration Project: Planning and Execution
 Demonstration
 Wrap-up and Q&A
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Introduction
A little bit about your presenters:
 Blake Deakin
− Role – Manager, Services Center of Excellence, Solutions Delivery & Support
− Experience – 7 years at Sparta, spanning Software Quality Assurance and
Services
 Carl Ning
− Role – Sr. Solutions Consultant
− Experience – 7 years at Sparta, first in Solutions Delivery (as an implementer
and manager), then in Solutions Consulting
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Definitions and Use Cases
What is Integration?
Fundamentally:
 The ability to share master data (e.g., product lists)
 The ability to automatically generate records, queries, reports, etc. from 1
system when working in another (e.g., from SAP automatically open
TrackWise nonconformance)
 The ability to update a source system based on actions in another (e.g.,
update SAP hold status based on TrackWise nonconformance investigation
status)
 The ability to function in 1 system but actually touch many (e.g., TrackWise
to multiple ERP systems)
5
Why Integration?
 Reduce errors
 Eliminate non-value add steps
 Reduce compliance risk
 Supports M&A strategies
 Scalability
 Re-usable ‘parts’
 Much easier to build and maintain than old point-to-point
integrations
Integrated
Electronic
Best of
Paper +
point solution
breed system
Enterprise
Paper More and more
electronic
companies finally
have
enough
global
systems
to
integrate
to
(NC, CAPA,
(EQMS, ERP,
tracking
Systems
doc control)
doc control)
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Enterprise Integration
ERP
CRM
 Customer master data
EDMS
 Product/material/
vendor information
 Integrated change
management workflow
 Batch release
 Access to controlled
documentation
 Return/repair processing
 Automated complaint
initiation
 Automated initiation of
deviations/
nonconformances
PLM
LIMS
 Automated initiation
of lab investigations
MES
Enterprise Bus
 Engineering Change Order
 Document Access
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Need for Integration
8
TrackWise Web Services
 Allows external applications to consume
TrackWise functionality such as creating records,
querying records, posting workflow activities, etc.
 Allows TrackWise to consume external web services
 Point and click outbound web service configuration
 Map web service parameters to your data fields
9
Terminology
 Web Services – Programmatic method of intercommunicating between
systems
 CSV – Comma separated value file (often generated from Excel)
 XML – Extensible Markup Language
 SOA – Service Oriented Architecture
 SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol
 WSDL – Web Services Description Language
 Middleware – Product or platform designed to connect (integrate) various
applications or software components
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TrackWise: New Deviation
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TrackWise/SAP: Updating Batch Status
Submit
Supervisor Review
Complete Review
Hold Batch!
Investigation and Root
Cause Analysis
Web Services
12
TrackWise/SAP: Impact Analysis
Submit
Supervisor Review
Complete Review
Investigation and Root
Cause Analysis
Hold Additional Batches!
Investigation Completed
Web Services
13
TrackWise/SAP: Deviation Closure & Batch
Release
All Actions Completed
Pending Final Approval
Take Batches off Hold
Approve
Closed - Done
Web Services
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Integration Details: SAP – TrackWise
Release
Master data integration
User-entered
product
information
Validated
data
Place on
hold
Update
disposition
Initiate incident
on batch
Disposition
incident
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Technical Approaches to Integration
Import / Export functionality
Records are imported to TrackWise using Import
Utilities (services) which ship with the product.
They are configured with data mappings to a
common-delimited file and imported into the
system.
TrackWise
Using Import / Export functionality, commadelimited flat files are passed between
TrackWise and an external system. File
passing is based on scheduling of TrackWise
configuration (exports) and batch job
scheduling for external systems (import).
External
System
Records are exported from the TrackWise
system using the TrackWise Coordinator
business rules engine. They are transferred to
the external system where they are imported.
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External Fields
SQL query to for list of values based
on user input in data entry form
List of values returned
to TrackWise and
presented.
Database
TrackWise
SQL statements are created by the
application based on configuration
for the external database –
connection parameters, etc.
This database is typically either the
system database (or a copy of it)
for the external system, or some
intermediary table which is
populated regularly based on a
batch load.
External
System
In this case, TrackWise queries an external system directly using the “External Fields” feature,
which runs SQL queries directly against an external system and returns a list of values based on
user input.
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Web Services
Data lookup
Investigation
disposition lookup
from external system
Data
synchronization
Record creation in
TrackWise based on
event
TrackWise
External
System
Typical integrations delivered using Web Services API. The interface can be delivered using an
existing middleware infrastructure or via “point-to-point” integration between systems.
TrackWise uses SOAP-based web services calls.
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Typical Use Cases Defined
Method
Data Lookup
Data
synchronization
Transfer
Search and
Populate
(Preview)
Daisy Chained
Populate
Record
Creation
Description
Lookup of
master data
(appearing in a
pick list)
Keeping data
the same
between two
systems
Sending
TrackWise data
upon
performance of
an activity
Lookup of
master data
using various
input
parameters
Multiple
populate
operations
occurring
sequentially
Initiation of
TrackWise
records based
on events in an
external system
File Passing
(Import /
Export)
Yes, via the
import of those
values into
TrackWise.
Yes, via
Coordinator
AutoExport and
PR Import.
Yes, via
Coordinator
AutoExport.
No
No
Yes, via PR
Import service.
External Fields
Yes, via
configuration of
the feature.
No
No
No
No
No
Web Services
Yes, via Search
and Populate.
Yes, via Inbound
and Outbound
Web Services.
Yes, via
Outbound Web
Services.
Yes, via
Outbound Web
Services.
Yes
Yes, via Inbound
Web Services
API.
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Pro/Con Assessment by Method
Method
Pro
File Passing
(Import /
Export)
1.
2.
External Fields
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Web Services
1.
2.
Con
Fast development time (controls costs)
Utilizes configuration (no
customization)
Does not require special resources
Fast development time
Utilizes configuration
Permits for easy maintenance of a
single “system of record”
Integration is real-time
Most functional of all integration
techniques
Integration is real-time
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
Reliability concerns (infrastructure points
of failure)
May not be applicable in all
circumstances
Re-creates data in multiple places
Not real-time integration
Only accommodates data lookup (like
product master data), not data
interchange
Data must be staged in a specific way for
it to be applicable
Avoid using when source database is
very large
Slower development time (requires
customization) and higher costs
Customizations require analysis prior to
conducting upgrades of integrated
systems
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Middleware vs. Point-to-Point SOA
Point-to-Point
 Lower cost upfront, but increases monotonically with additional points
Middleware
 Common interface layer / Enterprise Service Bus
 Reusable parts
 Standards based
 Higher upfront cost, but savings as each point is reused
 Encourages tightly coupled systems which can drive business value, but also
increases impact of change
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Planning and Executing an Integration Project
What Makes Integration Projects Different?
 Web services
and SOA are new
technologies for
many TrackWise
teams.
 Enlist help from
the experts (internal
or external).
 Where does the
master data live?
 How clean is it?
 Is it replicated in
other systems
that must also
be cleaned up?
 How will the
TrackWise team
interact with
the interfaced
systems?
 Change control?
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Biggest Challenge
Why: Each system is designed for a different purpose, with different
Organizational
stakeholders and governance
models. Alignment
It can prove quite challenging to align multiple audiences to support the
project at the same time
Mitigation: Executive sponsorship is critical to helping align organization to
support integrations.
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SOA Technical Architecture
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Multiple ERPs
Consider M&A implications with a strategy like this. You can have different ERPs but
share a common Quality System
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Things to Consider
 How will the data be sourced?
 What’s the forward looking technology roadmap for systems to be
integrated?
 What are the true business requirements behind the integration?
− Realtime?
− Uni- or bi-directional data synchronization?
− What types of data?
 What is your support network for all of the “points” in the integration?
−
−
−
−
Middleware team?
Infrastructure / Wintel support
Development team?
System application owners?
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Project Planning – Web Services
Task
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Review / Prioritize
- Review Requirements
- Prioritize based on Scope & Available Resources
Develop
- Establish Interface Contract (WSDL) between Teams
- Develop TrackWise Middleware Adapter
- Develop / Enhance Middleware – External System Adapter
- Update TrackWise Configuration
Test
- Perform Unit Testing
- Finalize and Produce Documentation
Final TDD
Deliver
- Demonstrate in Development Environment
- Deploy to Validation Environment
- Validation Discrepancy Handling
- Author Deployment & Cutover Checklist
- Deploy to Production
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Project Planning – File Passing / External
Fields
 Typically completed in the context of a broader project
 File Passing
− Some effort may be required to “massage” data being imported to or
exported from TrackWise so it can be consumed
− Account for working with teams to make sure files can be placed in accessible
locations, retrieved, and to conduct appropriate testing
 External Fields
− Time should be allocated to ensuring that the external data is staged in a
manner which External Fields is compatible with
− Testing should be performed, especially when the domain of data is large, to
ensure there is no performance impact
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Risk Assessment
Risk Category
Risk Description
Risk Mitigation
Timeline
Availability of resources (including
external system owners,
developers and IS personnel)
• Ensure all company resources are identified at the start of the
project and the timeframe of the required tasks reviewed to
ensure availability
Timeline
User access to sensitive
information
• Prepare a plan for how to obtain the sensitive data, including
who is able to access it, view it, at what time, etc.
Timeline
Consistency and authoritativeness
of data
• Make certain there is an owner of the data and that this person
is in control and has taken the necessary steps to cleanse and
prepare data according to requirements
Scope
Lack of agreement or priority on
specific integration points
• Ensure requirements are reviewed during the initial stage and
prioritized as to what can be accomplished in the set amount of
time and that all members are in agreement prior to advancing
to development
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Validation
 Recommendations for validating an integration project include the
following:
− Ensure to validate any data being passed
• From an external system into TrackWise
• From TrackWise into an external system
− Ensure to validate any configuration changes that were made to accomplish
the integration
− Execute a full workflow for each record type impacted by the integration and
confirm the process from creation to closure is as expected and that any data
is passed at the appropriate time
− Negative testing should include unexpected downtime from each system to
confirm how the other system behaves during that time and then how it
behaves once the system is back online
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Keeping the Project on Track
 Critical success factors for making an integration project successful include:
− Organizational alignment
− Understanding business and system requirements upfront
− Assurance that all data that is being passed has been cleansed and/or
formatted correctly
− Adequate unit, functional, and true end-to-end testing
− Confirmation that the external systems to be integrated with are accessible
for development and that no other development work is being conducted on
them at the time
− Availability according to the project plan for:
• Key business resources
• Technical resources
• External system experts
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Demonstration
Conclusion
 Companies find significant value in integration projects and are actively
building them across the industry
 Sparta’s overall strategy is to provide a flexible, powerful toolkit to enable
integrations
− Contrast to alternative model, which is force-fitting integrations into what
worked for previous customer
 Sparta continues to actively invest in building incremental web service
technology based on feedback from the field
 Our customers truly are driving innovation
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Wrap-up and Q&A
Thank you.