Frequently asked questions about the new data warehouse and how it works in tandem with our Workday enterprise system, as well as Data Governance FAQs

Reporting

Where do I go for my reports? (general info)

Please see this page for detailed information about where to go for which type of reporting.

Where do I go now to report on HRMS or AIS/FIS data?

HRMS and AIS/FIS data from July of 2021 and forward will be reported on from Workday. Pre-Workday data (data prior to July 2021) will be reportable from within Cognos, a reporting tool that connects to our data warehouse.

Where do I go now to report on RMS data?

RMS data will still be reported on from Cognos.

Where do I go now for WebFOCUS reports?

Workday reports should replace all WebFOCUS HR and financial reports.

WebFOCUS reports containing data prior to July of 2021 were not replicated in Cognos. Users were encouraged to save any reports they wished to preserve, and WebFOCUS was retired on November 15, 2022.

Has Workday replaced Cognos and Tableau as a reporting tool?

The Cognos and Tableau reporting tools are still a part of our data ecosystem along with Workday. 

You will report out of Workday for HR and FIN data generated after July 1, 2021.

Cognos is still the tool for RMS reporting and HR and FIN data from before July 1, 2021.

How does year-over-year reporting work if part of the data is pre-Workday and part of it is post-Workday?
  • You can merge Workday data and Cognos (warehouse) data in Excel or other similar tools. This requires no additional access permissions, but will require advanced skills to merge data from two systems.
  • You can combine Legacy and Workday Journals/AIS Transactions data using a special package that we have developed for this purpose. We have also provided a few year-over-year report templates to help you get started. Learn more about this here.
  • If you need to report on a different combination of Legacy/Workday data (other than Workday Journals/Legacy AIS Transactions), please submit a request to the Data Team.

Fortunately, year-over-year reporting will become easier the longer we’re in the new system. For example, if you want to run a two-year report, you’ll be able to do that completely in Workday when two years have passed since the July 2021 Workday go-live date.

How do I know what type of Cognos training I need?

The type of Cognos training you need depends on whether you are a report author or a report user. Take this quiz to help you identify the best training path for you.

Is there a Cognos report that will show current Dept/Fund vs. new Workday Account number?

Please use the FACT application to see what your dept/funds are being converted to for Workday. FACT data is not being brought into the data warehouse.

Warehouse

How does security work in the new Data Warehouse?

See this page to read about how our new RBAC security model works.

What data is in the new Data Warehouse?

The long-term goal is for the WashU data store (which includes the data warehouse) to include data from all of the university’s source systems. Initially, our focus is on loading data from key source systems to the data store. Later, we’ll begin efforts to bring in more systems’ data.

Watch the recording below from the MyDay Café session, “Connecting with our data,” presented by executive director for data management Rooji Sugathan, to learn more about the data store.

What can we do in the new warehouse that we couldn’t do before?

Our new Data Module functionality will now enable us to do multi-package reporting and cross-domain reporting. We’ll be able to answer important questions more quickly and easily, like:

  • Where do I stand with research funding?
  • How much does it cost to run an academic program?
  • How have students with a particular academic profile performed?

Governance

What is Data Literacy? 

Data Literacy is the ability to derive meaningful information from data.

Data Literacy is a relatively new concept, yet continues to gain recognition as a vital skill set encompassing the ability to read, write and communicate data in context, with an understanding of the data sources and constructs, analytical methods and techniques applied, and the ability to describe the use case application and resulting business value or outcome.

What is a Data Sharing Agreement?

A data-sharing agreement is a “formal” 2-way contract clearly stating what data is being shared and how the data may be used. 

What is Data Stewardship?

Data Stewardship is the formalization of Subject Matter Experts(SME’s) who hold a position for accountability and responsibility of data within their area of expertise.