CELKO (1/4/2013)

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We're giving "power employees" of the company access to the company's data to derive business benefit.

The power employees I work with regard me as the "Data Base Utility" who can get the raw or nearly-raw data in SAS data sets, assorted GIS formats, spreadsheets, etc. for their specialized power tools. That is why they are power users. My job is to hand them data that is clean, correct and immediately input into whatever they do. A lot of times their tasks are over my pay grade and security level.

The average internal user only needs a fixed set of queries that match to his security level and organizational scope. These days, I hand off the data to a report server. This tier has changed the game quite a bit. Now there is a "report person" who slices, dices, rapes and pillages that data to make it look pretty.

Middle managers at this level all claim that they need to see the same data in different colors, arranged in some special way, etc. as away to assert their personal power within the organization. Years ago, these guys would use FedEx for routine mail, have a FAX machine on their desk, demand huge green bar printouts, a reserved parking space, etc.

Someone needs to write a book on report servers. I briefly worked for a company that made a Cube of basic Community College data, and then sold custom reports from it to the schools. That was their product.

The external user gets an even more limited set of specific reports, such as your month account statement. On the bank's website, with a short drop-down list.

Me, the accountants and the lawyers do not believe in letting people romp thru the data base.