Overview
The U-M Data Warehouse is a collection of many data sets, specifically designed for reporting purposes. Each data set contains a particular segment of data related to the administrative work of the University of Michigan. Access to the data sets is granted to University employees who need this information in order to do their jobs. Some of the data is confidential, so care must be exercised in determining which data is distributed and to whom.
The data sets in the U-M Data Warehouse:
- Contain information extracted from the M-Pathways OLTP databases (where data entry is performed) and other University administrative systems.
- Are periodically updated, or refreshed. The refresh schedule varies from one data set to the next. For the current schedule, see the U-M Data Warehouse Refresh Schedule page.
- Are read-only. Therefore, you can’t change or damage data in the Data Warehouse when you create queries and run reports. If some of the data is inaccurate, it must be corrected by the office responsible for maintaining the data.
- Are stored in Oracle databases, which are relational databases. In a relational database, data is organized in tables. Each table has one or more key fields (such as Employee ID number or Academic Term) that uniquely identify each row in the database. Tables are linked to each other by common fields.
Each data set has a data dictionary that diagrams data set tables, describes each table, and defines fields (data elements). A complete list of data sets with links to data dictionaries is available on the Data Areas & Dictionaries page.
Running Reports in the U-M Data Warehouse
Queries are used to generate reports from the Data Warehouse. A query is a request for data from the database, written in a specific format. The data can be displayed in a report in a variety of formats (table, chart, crosstab, etc.). A query may be any of the following:
- Created by a user to meet specific needs
- UM-Maintained – a collection of commonly used reports, written and maintained by ITS or central offices, that are available to all data set users.
- Unit-Maintained (or Interim Unit-Maintained) – reports written and maintained by a unit or department and made available to unit staff.
To run or modify reports or create your own queries, you need access to a query tool - a software program for retrieving data from a database and presenting the results as a report. The query tool supported by Information and Technology Services (ITS) is BusinessObjects (BO).
BusinessObjects has two levels of access:
- Limited Access - Limited-access users can run, format, export, print, and save existing reports.
- Full Access - Full-access users can perform the same functions as users with limited access. Additionally, they can modify the underlying queries of existing reports and create their own reports.
ITS provides the following support for BusinessObjects:
- General BO and data-specific training. See the BusinessObjects User Resources page for a training resources.
- ITS Service Center support.
- Centrally-maintained reports. These reports are located in the U-M Maintained folder in BusinessObjects. A complete list of the available reports is in the M-Reports Report Library.
How to Obtain Access to Specific Data Set(s)
To access a specific data set in the Data Warehouse, you must:
- Speak to your Unit Liaison about submitting a request in the Online Access Request System (OARS) for BusinessObjects access and the specific data set(s).
- Complete DCE101 U-M Data Protection and Responsible Use eLearning course.
Once your access request has been approved and processed, you will receive an email notification.
In most cases, no other training is required. However, completing the eLearning course BIE001 BusinessObjects - Running Reports is highly recommended if you are planning to use BusinessObjects. The MPE200 Introduction to Student Administration and HRMS Data Sets course is also available and provides an overview of those data sets.