University Data Warehouse Plus

Program Overview

The University Data Warehouse Plus (UDW+) will replace the current University Data Warehouse. Established as a Program, UDW+ will continue to evolve and grow through:

Rebuilding existing University Data Warehouse architecture for more intuitive and integrated access to University data.
Establishing Decision Support Services around reporting and analytics.
Formalizing Data Management Policies and Practices that ensure integrity and accessibility.
Building a detailed and well executed ongoing internal Training Program.

The Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) will eventually replace the current Brio reporting tool. OBIEE is a reporting tool that pulls data from UDW+ to deliver a full range of reporting and analytical capabilities, including interactive dashboards, full ad hoc report capabilities, and alerts.

UDW+ Architecture Overview

The University Data Warehouse Plus (UDW+) will replace the current University Data Warehouse, used to store various types of NYU data, and the Brio reporting tool, used for administrative and financial reporting on that data. UDW+ will eventually store data ranging from financial transactions to student, HR, fundraising, and other content. From the initial planning phases of the project to the design, requirements, and functionality of the new interactive dashboards, administrators, staff, department heads, and faculty from across NYU are collaborating to ensure the University will have timely access to accurate and integrated information for making critical decisions.

Currently available through UDW+:

Financial Reporting and Analytics

The first project of the UDW+ Program is Financial Reporting and Analytics. One of the primary goals of the UDW+ program is improving financial reporting and analytics by providing more intuitive and flexible access to financial data. This project will impact the entire financial reporting community, as Brio will be replaced by UDW+. Deans, department heads, principal investigators, grant administrators, fiscal officers, executive leadership, and many others collaborated to design a variety of financial dashboards and reports tailored to meet the needs and requirements of groups throughout the University. ITS then developed and incorporated them into the new service.

To address specifc needs of a school/division, advanced financial reporting users have the ability to create and share custom ad hoc reports. Ad hoc reports can be created with basic and complex analysis, adding graphs, formatting reports, as well as other advanced functions of the reporting tool.

To ensure continued improvements, the financial reporting and analytical capabilities are enhanced on a quarterly basis.

Departmental Metrics

The Departmental Metrics Dashboard compiles for selected departments the indicators identified by the Provost's Council on Science and Technology as "Principal Markers of Success: Priority Academic Metrics for Assessing Science and Engineering at New York University." These include information on the department's faculty and research staff, faculty achievements, proposal submissions, grants and students, as well as external comparative metrics.

The academic units currently included are the Arts and Sciences science departments, the Courant Institute, Dentistry, Nursing, and within the Steinhardt School Applied Psychology and the Department of Food, Nutrition and Public Health. Two institutes closely associated with those departments are also included: the Institute for Human Development and Social Change and the Institute for Education and Social Policy. Although NYU Polytechnic and the School of Medicine are also among the Nine Points of Science they are not included in the initial dashboard because their data are not integrated.

Here's what some of the
UDW+ users are saying:

“This is the holy grail!”

“In the time it takes you to read this email, your UDW+ report would have displayed results.”

“This is wonderful... this is outstanding... this is what we use to spend days and days trying to figure out!”

“I love the dashboards, I love the ad hoc reports, its soooo easy. I’m never going back to Brio.”

“I can leave each day and not feel like there’s so much I couldn't accomplish. I feel so much more productive!”

"This gives me 99% of what I need."

"I'm not going back to Brio."

"Many, many thanks again for the stellar training session and the great support system you've put into place. The Ad Hoc Report training was right on target.... the UDW+ group has set the bar for customer service and support at NYU. I can only hope that the rest of the university operations supervision takes notice of this excellent operational paradigm and the truly successful implementation of this new tool."

How to get access to UDW+