Workforce Asset Management Book of Knowledge

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Data Integration and Interfaces1

The core purpose of WFM data integration is to share data between the WFM system and support systems (human resources [HR], payroll, etc.) in such a way that they appear synchronous while also reducing manual process errors and certainly increasing performance of the overall system. The next pages will detail what data integration is, the core interfaces in a WFM implementation, what pitfalls to be aware and wary of, the project flow of an integration project, some detailed components of what is involved, and some insight to the type of developer you might need for the complexity of your project.

WFM systems will likely interface with other business systems as well such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), point of sale (POS), clinical and production applications as well as data warehouse systems. The same principles and concerns can be applied to these integration points.

Learning Objectives

By the end of Chapter 15, you should be able to:

• Define data integration and data interface, as well as what each accomplishes in a workforce management (WFM) system.
• Identify the primary interfaces for WFM systems and explain the functionality of each.
• Recognize integration readiness and avoid the common pitfalls during WFM system integration.
• Define the two facets of interface timing and why they are important.
• Understand the importance of selecting the right data source interfaces.
• Identify which interfaces can be automated and what ...